Competitive Call of Duty will now be entering uncharted territory, a Call of Duty Pro League without the presence of FaZe Clan. Where did it all go wrong for the superstar lineup, and what is next for this global brand in the Call of Duty scene?
It’s no secret that FaZe had a torrid time at the Pro League Qualifier. There was much hype around the squad, especially new addition McArthur ‘Cellium’ Jovel, who has been a renowned young talent in the Competitive scene for some time.
What followed, however, was a very underwhelming Pool Play performance, with a 3-3 record. FaZe uncharacteristically lost series to Team Reciprocity, Project 18 and Enigma 6, landing them in Winner’s Bracket Round 2. A further series loss to Excelerate Gaming meant it was now do or die for the fan favorite team in the Loser’s Bracket.
A comfortable 3-0 against Australia’s Tainted Minds showed sparks of life, but they eventually fell 3-2 at the hands of Overtime eSports, who would go on to cement their place in the Pro League. Many FaZe Clan fans were devastated at the result that sent shock waves through the Call of Duty Competitive scene. A Pro League without FaZe seemed impossible, but the reality is that their performance was not up to their usual standards.
Image Courtesy of Denial Esports
FaZe Clan’s absence from the Pro League has understandably raised a lot of questions for Call of Duty fans. Many fans were questioning what will happen to the roster, which features two Call of Duty World Champions in Dillon ‘Attach’ Price (far right) and James ‘Crowder’ Crowder (far left), who both won the 2015 Championship together under Denial Esports. In recent days we have gained the answer to one of these questions, with Crowder making his way over to 100 Thieves taking up the role of Head Coach. He will link up with former FaZe Clan teammate Preston ‘Priestahh’ Greiner, who also makes the switch to 100 Thieves. Attach remains contracted to FaZe, alongside long-standing teammate Thomas ‘Zoomaa’ Paparatto and recent addition Cellium.
CWL caster Clint ‘Maven’ Evans has spoken on the issue in Episode 16 of Hector ‘HECZ’ Rodriguez’s ‘The Eavesdrop Podcast’, stating “I think in a way, it’s almost a good thing because those guys probably should have broken up in some way or another, a long time ago, but they’d always just do good enough to stay together.”
The option to buy out a Pro League team’s spot in the League had been on the table, but with two of the five players on the roster jumping ship, it is unclear if this remains an option for the organisation. Speculation has been mounting over the potential move for Team Spacely, who are without an organisation as things stand, and will need one going into the Pro League. This will leave the futures of current FaZe Clan roster members in great uncertainty, with players potentially departing to become a substitute for a Pro League team, or chance playing in the AM Circuit.
FaZe clan’s failure to qualify for the Pro League remains a shock in the Competitive scene, with their involvement in Call of Duty Esports coming into doubt. What route do you think FaZe Clan should take? Should they attempt to buy a Pro League spot, or do they ride it out with the players they currently have, looking for two more? Let us know your thoughts!
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