Call of Duty: Ghosts © Activision

It’s all over for Call of Duty: Ghosts . OK, some fans may still be playing the old game in their homes, but pro players have moved onto Advanced Warfare . It’s a new era for the series and while the new shooter has been hailed as the best CoD game for years, let’s not forget that we witnessed some incredible competitions during the Ghosts season. It was a year in which the game continued to grow as a force on the international eSports circuit as crowds roared on the likes of Optic and Evil Geniuses as they played in pursuit of huge prize purses.

Here are the players, teams and rising stars who made Ghosts an eSport to remember.

The best player in the world: Crimsix

Crimsix (nearest player) © codchronicle.com

The Call of Duty talent pool has never been so deep. New stars have risen while old favourites have re-established themselves. As such, it's hard to pick the world's best Call of Duty: Ghosts player. Crimsix earns the title thanks to his ruthless consistency which led to him being affectionately known as ‘Crimbot’ in some circles.

Calm under pressure, Crimsix is unflappable and even when teaming with the likes of two-time world champion Karma , Crimsix has shone through. His former brothers in arms, Teepee and Aches also deserve a mention, but Crimsix has proven himself to be the best of the best. The rumour mill is churning with speculation about him joining Optic Gaming, but only time will tell what's in store.

Honourable mentions: Nameless , Scumper , Karma.

Best European player: Joshh

Joshh © [unknown]

Many veterans of the Call of Duty scene enjoyed excellent campaigns, but it was an 18 year-old who had the most impact on his team. Linking up with Epsilon, Joshh helped galvanise the line-up, bringing them a sustained level of success that had always eluded European Call of Duty teams.

The year included a Gfinity debut in which Joshh helped Epsilon to this year's highest placement from a European team at a major international event. He also set a large number of personal records during the year, including four back-to-back domestic titles, records that will no doubt remain for a long period of time.

With age on his side, we'll almost certainly be talking about Joshh for a great many years to come. For now though, we need to sit back and appreciate his contribution to Call of Duty: Ghosts.

Honourable mentions: Tommey , MadCat , Moose

The best team in the world: Evil Geniuses (formerly Complexity)

Complexity © Team Beyond

In another incredible year, Call of Duty’s most successful team became world champions. During the first half of 2014, Complexity continued the fine form they exhibited during the second half of Black Ops 2, culminating in their success at the Call of Duty Championship where they steam rolled the competition en route to first place.

The team then moved on to compete for the Evil Geniuses brand, but the quartet didn't manage to keep up their great form following the Championships. For the first time in almost 18 months, the team fell out of the top four at a tournament. Still, Evil Geniuses capped off the year by reclaiming their ESWC crown in convincing fashion. Despite a couple of rocky patches, and the slightly bitter split at the end of the season, it’s hard to deny EG this accolade as the team call time on their legacy.

Honourable Mention: EnVyUS

Best European team: Epsilon

Epsilon © [unknown]

TCM Gaming made a case for their inclusion as the best European team of the year with another stellar performance at ESWC to go with their third-place finish at MLG Anaheim , but the consistency of Epsilon cannot be ignored. Epsilon were the domestic kings this year, winning almost every British event they competed in. A bitter defeat at ESWC perhaps denied Epsilon the opportunity to go out on a high after what has been the most successful campaign by a European team in Call of Duty history. However, with Swanny and Jurd leaving to compete in America, will the team be able to build on their performances and achieve noteworthy success abroad?

Honourable mention: TCM

North America’s rising star: Formal

Formal © Team Beyond

EnVyUS were serious candidates for North American team of the year, enjoying an extremely strong finish to the season before their implosion at ESWC. One of the key factors behind this success was the addition of Formal . The former Halo star turned his hand to Call of Duty and quickly rose through the ranks during the Ghosts season. He had brief stints in Fear , tK and FaZe Black before joining EnVyUS.

Formal’s performance at Gfinity 3 earned him widespread acknowledgement as a player, as well as an MVP award for his troubles. Having recently joined Optic Gaming, the next year could be even bigger for this season’s rising star.

Europe’s rising star: Moose

Tom 'Moose' Handley © [unknown]

TCM have made a habit of recruiting underrated talent and getting the most out of them. Arguably their biggest success so far has been with Moose . His first outing in the United States gave him a chance to prove his credentials and he did so with a fine performance which earned him instant kudos at home. Moose helped TCM to the European Call of Duty Championship title, a third-place finish at MLG Anaheim and second at ESWC.

The Moose effect was perfectly demonstrated at ESWC. His Search and Destroy showdown was almost certainly the standout performance from a British player as he won a 1v4 and 1v3 to help TCM get on the board. It seems a lifetime ago that Moose made the leap onto the international stage but this year proved that he’s where he belongs; rubbing shoulders with the world’s elite.

Best match of the year: EnVyUS Vs Epsilon – Call of Duty Championship

This match was the most intense showdown during the Call of Duty Championship, the biggest tournament of the year. The transatlantic battle was a thriller for a number of reasons; not only was it a tight affair, but it also seemed to be the gateway to a top placement. Coming down to the final map, the ball was in Epsilon’s court, only for one man to snatch it away. That man was Nameless. The highlight of his incredible tournament was the 1v3 clutch he pulled off to turn the tie in favour of EnVyUS. In the final round, EnVyUS had the edge to see the match out and move on to the next round.

Best celebration: Swanny at EGL12

Rumour had it that Epsilon were so confident they’d win EGL 12, they each came up with an amusing celebration to cap off the end of the tournament. In a year where we saw countless eruptions of emotional relief after tense finishes, it was Swanny who delivered the most memorable celebration of all. After sealing the tie, Swanny headed into the front row of the audience to applaud his own team’s efforts as a fan.