Daniel Tsay Leaves Activision’s Call of Duty Esports Role

Daniel Tsay is stepping down as Activision’s general manager of Call of Duty Esports, where he oversaw the Call of Duty League and Call of Duty: Warzone esports programmes.

Activision announced Tsay’s departure on October 14, 2026. He joined the company in around March 2021 and held the role for more than five years. Activision and Tsay have not provided further details about the decision, and Activision has not named a replacement.

During Tsay’s tenure, the Call of Duty League changed its business model and competition format. The league removed outstanding entry fees owed by teams and increased the share of revenue organisations received from in-game merchandise sales. The changes reduced some costs for participating teams and gave them a larger share of revenue from certain in-game purchases.

The league also held international Majors, giving teams opportunities to compete outside their usual regional settings. Its competition structure changed across several seasons. Warzone esports also introduced changes to its tournament offerings and participation formats during Tsay’s time at Activision.

The announcement came shortly after Activision revealed the full operating structure and calendar for the Call of Duty League’s 2027 season. It followed G2 Esports’ decision to close its Warzone operations, despite the organisation’s roster winning the Esports World Cup 2026 Warzone tournament.

Team Vitality Call of Duty: Warzone head coach Ethan “Ebatez” Bates called for a formal revenue-sharing programme for esports organisations. Such a programme would give teams a more reliable share of revenue connected to competitive events and help them cover operating costs and retain players.

Before joining Activision, Tsay was associate vice president of the NBA 2K League from approximately January 2018 to March 2021. He previously served as senior manager of global strategy at the National Basketball Association from around July 2016 to December 2017.

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