Author: Nik Ranger

First look at gameplay of ‘Blood of the Dead’ and ‘Voyage of Despair’ Zombies maps in Black Ops 4 (Spoiler Alert) A new video has surfaced giving the CoD community its first look at the new ‘Blood of the Dead’ and ‘Voyage of Despair’ Zombies maps in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Despite the fact that the game officially launches on October 12, some have managed to get a hard copy several days early, and although they are unable to access any of the game’s online features, Zombies is a different story. One such person is Twitter user ‘Ateam_ShadoWw,’ who has tweeted out two clips showing raw gameplay from both of the new Zombies maps that will be in available in Black Ops 4 at launch. The Blood of the Dead map features four playable characters from the ‘Primis’ crew – Tank Dempsey, Nikolai Belinski, Takeo Masaki, and Edward Richtofen. Read More: When can you start downloading Black Ops 4? – international release times, console pre-load info, and download file size – The map is a remake of the Mod of the Dead from Black Ops 2, but has been expanded with several new playable areas within the map. The Voyage of Despair map takes place on the RMS Titanic on April 14, 1912. The story, which revolves around a failed attempt to steal an ancient artifact, features characters Scarlett Rhodes, Diego Necalli, Bruno Delacroix, Stanton Shaw. In addition to these two Zombies map, two other maps called ‘IX” and ‘Classified’ are also going to be available at launch. No videos of gameplay from those maps have yet to surface online, although some have tweeted out that they are in the process of downloading them as well.

First Look at All Eight Specialists in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Multiplayer – Equipment, Abilities, and Much More All eight Specialists in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 multiplayer have been unveiled following the ‘Community Reveal Event’ with a first look at their names, abilities, and more. After first being introduced by Treyarch for Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 in 2015, ‘Specialists’ will be returning in Black Ops 4 with a mix of new and old characters to choose from. However, this time around, Black Ops 4 will feature ‘Boots on the Ground’ combat as opposed to ‘Advanced Movement’ mechanics, which may change the way Specialists can be utilized. More: Everything You Need to Know About Zombies in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 With Three Separate Maps – Following the Community Reveal Event on May 17th, various personalities had a chance to play the game’s multiplayer for the first time, allowing them to learn more about the upcoming release. Popular YouTuber NoahJ456 posted a picture on Twitter which featured all eight Specialists, including all of their equipment and abilities which can be viewed below. Black Ops 4 Specialists – Image: NoahJ456 Battery – ‘ Equipment – A grenade that sticks to surfaces and releases several smaller grenades. – Ability: – Grenade launcher that fires bouncing grenades which detonate after a short time or by hitting an enemy directly. – Crash – ‘ Equipmentk – Deploys ammo magazines that provide bonus score for taking down enemies. Available to everyone on the team. – Ability – Heals, boosts max health, and removes wounds for the user and up to four targeted allies. Works through walls. – Ajax – ‘ Equipment – Tactical grenade that flashes and stuns. Can be cooked to detonate multiple times. – Ability– Durable transforming defensive shield with a built-in machine pistol. – Recon – ‘ Equipment: Sensor equipment that reveals enemies within its proximity on the minimap. Visible to everyone on the team. – Ability: Pulse the surrounding area to reveal enemies for a period of time. Visible to everyone on the team. – Torque – ‘ Equipment: Place razor wire to damage and slow enemies that attempt to cross it. – Ability: Deploy reinforced cover protection while securing objectives. Built in microwave field slows and damages enemies. Owner can deactivate cover at will. – Ruin – ‘ Equipment: Quickly move to elevations and other locations. – Ability: A short, aggressive leap that delivers a lethal blast in radius around the point of impact. – Firebreak – Equipment: Emits a damaging radiation field that wounds enemies, reducing their maximum health for a period of time. – Ability: Flamethrower that shoots a steady gout of flame, scorching enemies in close range. – Seraph – ‘ Equipment: Deployable beacon that allows your teammates to re-deploy to the surrounding area. – Ability: Massive high caliber revolver that fires devastating rounds with increased bullet penetration. – A short cinematic titled ‘Power in Numbers’ was also released by Call of Duty, which appears to include a mix of the Specialists throughout Black Ops 4. As of writing, it is unknown if more Specialist characters will be included at launch, or added as DLC following the launch of BO4.

Fan-favorite mode added in Call of Duty Mobile for a limited time Tencent / ActivisionFollowing Call of Duty: Mobile’s roaring early success, the developers have added the iconic mode Free-for-All mode, which will be available for only a limited time. While the launch of Call of Duty Mobile on iOS and Android set new records in terms of download numbers in the first week, not much has been added to the game since its release. That’s not to say the game wasn’t properly developed by any means, as it came with a lot more features that many were expecting, such as a ranked playlist and even a battle royale. However, to avoid things getting stale, Tencent have added Free-for-All as the game’s first LTM, and it became available to play on October 11. Read More: 12 best weapons to use in CoD Mobile – The mode has been added for only one week, as it will be disabled on October 17, according to the in-game announcement. Free-for-All is, of course, one of the more iconic game modes in the Call of Duty franchise, as it gives players the rare opportunity to try and win matches without having to rely on teammates. In this mode, players spawn in all as teams of one, meaning that everyone is each other’s enemy. The game ends when someone hits the target number of eliminations and is deemed to be the winner. Read More: Hacks are already an issue in CoD Mobile – Free-for-All will feature eight maps that are currently available in CoD Mobile: Crash – Crossfire – Killhouse – Firing Range – Hijacked – Nuketown 2 – Raid – Standoff – The addition of this mode will likely be very positively received by most of the player-base, considering that the skill-gap in the game is so massive, and the higher-skilled players are probably tired of losing matches due to having poor teammates. This is undoubtedly a good sign regarding the future of CoD Mobile, as it proves that Activision are standing by their promise to periodically bring a lot more new content to the game. Considering how much success and popularity the title has garnered already, things like this will only continue to help it grow and stay prominent the mobile gaming world.

First gameplay of Crash remake in Modern Warfare reveals new area added Early Modern Warfare Season One gameplay of the remade-version of Crash has surfaced, revealing major changes made to the iconic Call of Duty map. When it comes to the most well-known maps in Call of Duty history, there are not many more recognizable than Crash, which debuted in the original CoD4: Modern Warfare title. It was brought back in 2016 with Modern Warfare Remastered, and developers Infinity Ward have decided to feature it yet again – this time in their 2019 installment of the popular series. While the map won’t be available to the public until December 3, some YouTubers got early access to the Season One content, and were able to capture gameplay on the remade map. Here is one video, courtesy of New York Subliners pro player Dillon ‘Attach’ Price, showcasing how Crash looks in this year’s Modern Warfare multiplayer. New area added to 2019 version of Crash Compared to its classic counterpart from 2007 and 2016, the 2019 version of Crash is both a remaster and remake. Not only do all of the textures and visuals look a lot better, there has also been a new area added in the form of a courtyard. This new courtyard is located towards the western edge of the map, where one of the teams usually spawns, behind what is commonly referred to as broken blue building. While it’s not the biggest change that could have been made, it’s still pretty significant because it offers a new vantage point towards the middle of the map, and even a head-glitch that players can hide behind or mount. In the original version, that area was covered in grass and shrubs and was out-of-bounds, inaccessible to players. When will this new Crash be available in Modern Warfare? Crash, and the two other classic MW maps that have been remade, will be releasing as part of the massive Season One content launch on Tuesday, December 3 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET. As with all post-launch content in Modern Warfare, these maps will be available for free to all players on the three major platforms – PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC – meaning PS4 will not have an exclusivity period. For more information about everything coming in the December 3 update, make sure to check out our info page on Season One, as well as a look at all of the rewards that will be offered in the Battle Pass.

First Four Teams For Ghosts Throwback Tournament Revealed – Former OpTic Nation, compLexity and More The first four teams for the the CoD: Ghosts Throwback Tournament, hosted by OpTic Gaming’s Hitch, have been revealed, with fan favorite teams from the 2014 Ghosts season reuniting. Throwback tournaments have become a tradition of sorts during the competitive Call of Duty off season, as pro players reunite on previous rosters to return to classic CoD titles. Organized by Davis “Hitch” Edwards of OpTic Gaming, four teams have been announced, bringing back the storied rosters of OpTic Nation, compLexity, Team Kaliber and Team Envy, from the 2014 season. OpTic Nation: MBoZe, KiLLa, MiRx, Ricky This squad may not have won a major event during the Ghosts season, but this roster is all about the personality. Both MBoZe and MiRx are now retired from competing professionally, but this team reuniting will bring back memories for fans, especially of their unrivalled trash talk. compLexity: ACHES, Karma, Crimsix, TeePee This legendary roster should need no introduction. In eight events during the Ghost season, they won five, one 2nd place and one 3rd. Of course one of these events was their World Championship win, securing the players their first rings – and Karma his second. Kaliber: Theory, Goonjar, Neslo, Sharp Team Kaliber may have had their best season yet in CoD: WWII, but long term fans will still recall the Ghosts season as the tK glory days somewhat, despite not winning a major event. They were always challengers however, with four runner up finishes (although two of these were with Clayster and Apathy on the squad respectively). Team Envy: Rambo, NAMELESS, StuDyy, MerK Although none of these players still compete (although StuDyy has revealed plans to return for Black Ops 4), this team shouldn’t be dismissed. They weren’t expected to get to the grand final at 2014 Champs, but they did, and it reignited many of their careers. The chemistry on this squad should be interesting as NAMELESS and MerK now work together with MLG/CWL, and Rambo has been helping develop CoD titles with Sledgehammer. The tournament will be held on September 22, played on the UMG website, with a $5,000 prize pool. Here’s the full details from Hitch: On September 22nd, UMG and myself are bringing the community an 8 team, Ghosts invitational for $5,000. The entire purpose of this tournament is to try our best to reunite past rosters from that year one last time on this particular game. More team announcements coming soon! Get your vectors ready. Another four teams are still to be announced, and there are still plenty of legendary rosters to establish, from OpTic Gaming, Strictly Business, FaZe Clan and Team JusTus to name few.

First four teams eliminated from CWL London pro tournament The first four CWL Pro League teams have been eliminated from CWL London on day two of the $325,000 tournament. The new format for the CoD World League in 2019 means no more Open Bracket teams filtering into Pool Play or the Championship Loser Bracket, with only Pro League teams playing each other. The change in format has only gone on to highlight some glaring issues with a number of teams, many of which featured in high profile roster transfers prior to the tournament. Denial’s new look roster was the first to bite the bullet early on Saturday May 4. The organization controversially dropped their French team prior to the event, but their new squad failed to live up to the expectation the players had promised. Winning just one game of their three matches in pool play, they were eliminated by a struggling Midnight team in loser bracket round one with a 3-1 scoreline. Evil Geniuses lived up to their billing of the least likely team to win the event (according to the betting odds), after becoming the second team to be eliminated from the pro element of CWL London. The addition of two-time world champions, Jordan ‘JKap’ Kaplan and Bryan ‘Apathy’ Zhelyazkov, wasn’t enough to turn the fortunes of this struggling team around, and were eliminated in swift fashion 3-1 by Reciprocity. Enigma6 have failed to really make their mark on the Black Ops 4 season, and unfortunately for their management, CWL London won’t go down as one to remember. Placed in the group of death with 100 Thieves, OpTic and Reciprocity, the likelihood of getting out of the group was slim, and their one win out of three games was more than many expected. After dropping to the loser bracket they faced a resurgent Team Envy, who dispatched of them in 3-1 fashion to eliminate them from the event. The final elimination match to finish featured CWL Fort Worth winners Luminosity Gaming and Elevate. The match went to round 11 on the final map, with LG narrowly avoiding an early exit at the hands of a team who many had written off. Elevate came into this event with people questioning whether their French players could even speak English, so to win a game at all in pool play, and take the reigning champs all the way to round 11 will be seen as promise for many. The tournament for Denial, EG, E6, and Elevate may be over, but the remaining twelve teams in the competition still have everything to play for with elimination matches continuing to take place throughout Saturday. CWL London Final Placements 13th/16th: Denial Esports – 13th/16th: Evil Geniuses – 13th/16th: Enigma6 – 13th/16th: Elevate –

First four teams eliminated from CWL Anaheim pro tournament The second day of CWL Anaheim is officially underway and the first four CWL Pro League teams have been eliminated from the $325,000 tournament. Following the new format for the 2019 season, the playoffs of CWL Anaheim only features teams from the CWL Pro League, with the amateur squads playing in a separate tournament at the event. While some teams stumbled during the first day of competition, they certainly came to play at the start of Day Two, leading to some interesting results to open the day. Envy had the worst showing of the weekend after failing to win a single map during CWL Anaheim. Unfortunately for Team Envy, they were the talk of the afternoon following a 3-0 loss to Team Reciprocity. With the team failing to pick up a map once again, they closed out the event with an abysmal 0-12 record. With only a couple of months left until Champs this August, Envy will certainly need to make some adjustments to keep the season from slipping away completely. Following behind Envy was Midnight Esports, who has yet to make it past the second round of a tournament all season. While they finished with a 1-2 record from Pool C, they were no match for a rejuvenated UNITS squad that torched them to the tune of a 3-0 sweep. Much has changed for Luminosity Gaming since winning the CWL Fort Worth Championship. The final two series of the first Losers round were much closer, with both going to absolute distance of Game 5 Round 11 Search & Destroy rounds. Despite taking a 2-0 lead early on, Evil Geniuses were unable to hold on against Splyce and met an early exit for the second straight event. Meanwhile, Luminosity narrowly escaped an early defeat by holding on with a 3-2 win over the scrappy UYU squad. The two teams traded wins back and forth all series long before LG stood tall with one final clutch 1v2 from Richard ‘Ricky’ Stacy. CWL Anaheim Final Placements 13th/16th: Team Envy – 13th/16th: Midnight Esports – 13th/16th: UYU – 13th/16th: Evil Geniuses –

First ever Black Ops 4 CWL 2K claims a number of top teams on day one The first CWL 2K tournament of the Black Ops 4 season has reached the final stages in Europe and North America, but some big names will not be advancing to the second day of play. Due to the sheer number of teams that signed up in the EU and NA regions, the 2K was split into two days of competition. In Europe, teams played up until the semi-final stage, while North America reached the quarter-finals. Read More: Tainted Minds take down Mindfreak to win first APAC CWL 2K of Black Ops 4 – Final Placements – While some of the biggest names are still standing, numerous others fell early on both sides of the pond, including the reigning world champions. Round of 32 – NA Team Envy have looked strong online since the game’s release, performing exceptionally well in most of their scrims. However, they fell in the round of 32 to Dylan ‘Envoy’ Hannon’s ‘gold bullets’. The current World Champions had coasted through the earlier rounds of the tournaments, despite Patrick ‘ACHES’ Price’s comments about the current 2K format, but were stunned by their opposition in a game that they would have felt supremely confident about. Envy weren’t the only ones to fall short in the round of 32, though, as Evil Geniuses were taken out by ‘ReactGaming’, Steve ‘Mochila’ Canle’s team lost to G2. Michael ‘Swarley’ Carter’s team and Rush Gaming’s ‘C2C Gaming’ also failed to make it to the round of 16. Round of 16 – NA The matches started to really heat up in the round of 16, with a number of big names facing off against each other. In the top half of the bracket, Adam ‘KiLLa’ Sloss’ team fell to 100 Thieves in a hard-fought 3-1 series. Without a doubt, the biggest upsets came when FaZe Clan were knocked out by Michael ‘Beehzy’ Said’s team and Luminosity dropped to Tanner ‘Mosh’ Clark and Paul ‘Tisch’ Tischler. G2 continued to impress after looking shaky in scrims, elimination Christopher ‘Parasite’ Duarte and Adam ‘GodRx’ Brown’s team, and Michael ‘SpaceLy’ Schmale’s squad eliminated golden bullets. One of the more interesting matches on paper saw Splyce take on Enigma6, but E6 fell in 3-0 fashion to Jordan ‘Jurd’ Crowley, Lamar ‘Accuracy’ Abedi and co. The quarter-finals will be even more interesting, with 100T taking on G2, Splyce facing off against SpaceLy’s team, eUnited playing Beehzy’s squad and OpTic Gaming meeting Mosh’s roster. Round of 16 – EU In Europe, results were pretty much business as usual throughout the earlier rounds of the competition but the round of 16 proved to be a difficult one for some of the top Spanish teams as Heretics, Movistar Riders and Vodafone Giants all dropped to British opposition. Wailers ‘Wailers’ Locart’ team also dropped to Niall ‘Niall’ Sunderland and company, meaning that the quarter-finals were dominated by UK teams except for Gone Gaming’s French and British mix team. Quarter-finals – EU Even Gone Gaming couldn’t keep their 2K hopes alive in the quarter-finals, though, as Billy ‘Hawqeh’ Harris’ team took them out to secure a top four spot. The biggest shock of the EU 2K so far came when Red Reserve fell to Niall’s team. Widely regarded as the best team in Europe, Red’s failure to make it to day two will come as a surprise to many, including themselves. On the other half of the bracket, Thomas ‘Tommey’ Trewren and Denholm ‘Denz’ Taylor’s newly formed Reciprocity roster fell to Gurdip ‘SunnyB’ Bains’ team and Dylan ‘MadCat’ Daly’s squad lost to Dylan ‘Dylan’ Henderson’s team following a controversial map five that saw the teams have to play a sudden death round 11 after David ‘Dqvee’ Davies used one of his scorestreaks. With so many big names falling in the quarter-finals, the EU 2K semi-final matches consist of four teams that currently have no organization backing them. Jordan ‘Reedy’ Reed’s team, Shea ‘QwiKeR’ Sweeney’s squad, SunnyB’s team and Niall’s roster will all be hoping that a win on day two will catch the eyes of potential orgs.

First Black Ops Cold War competitive ruleset announced: modes, maps and bans TreyarchActivision-Blizzard has announced the first set of Black Ops Cold War competitive settings ahead of the Call of Duty League 2021 season, with more tweaks and changes expected to come as time goes on. [jwplayer ElBaSB7r] Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has officially released around the world now. There’s still a couple of months until the next Call of Duty League season is expected to kick off though, with a full schedule yet to be announced. However, to get the ball rolling, a list of all the competitive settings has been revealed. Naturally, it sets the rules for the upcoming season and includes everything from maps and modes to more nuanced things such as restrictions and bans. Keep in mind, though, that these rules aren’t permanent. They are subject to change as time goes on and feedback from players is taken on board. Still, they have to start somewhere, and the first draft will serve as the foundation ahead of the upcoming season. Competitive Rule Set V1.0 Maps & Modes: Hardpoint Cartel – Checkmate – Crossroads – Garrison – Moscow – Search & Destroy: Checkmate – Crossroads – Garrison – Miami – Moscow – Control: Checkmate – Garrison – Moscow – 🚨 Official maps & modes in the first #BlackOpsColdWar competitive ruleset! pic.twitter.com/rhfipO4hIg — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) November 21, 2020 Restricted Items: Primary Weapons: All LMGs – Secondary Weapons: All Shotguns – All Launchers – All Special Weapons – Attachments Body SWAT 5MW Laser Sight – Ember Sighting Point – Stock Dual Wield – Tactical Stimshot – Decoy – Lethal C4 – Semtex – Tomahawk – Field Upgrade Proximity Mine – Field Mic – Gas Mine – Perks: Perk 1 Paranoia – Forward Intel – Perk 2 Tracker – Wildcard: Danger Close – Scorestreaks: Combat Bow – Spy Plane – Counter Spy Plane – Care Package – Sentry Turret – Air Patrol – These competitive rulesets are always subject to change. These are only the baselines rules as well: the Gentlemen’s Agreements that players form between each other will also be in place. If and when that happens, the list will be updated to reflect those changes. For more information, you can visit the official Call of Duty League site here.

First Black Ops 6 Prestige reward is a World at War throwback ActivisionThe first Prestige reward in Black Ops 6 has been revealed months ahead of launch as Treyarch pays homage to its iconic World at War era in the CoD franchise. After years of experimenting with revamped versions of the Prestige system, CoD is finally returning to its roots. With Black Ops 6, we know for certain the game is rolling back to the classic layout. Rather than new levels arriving with each seasonal update, meaning Prestiges are time-gated, Treyarch’s upcoming release is reverting to the original formula. Black Ops 6 launches with 10 tiers to work your way through, with each Prestige resetting your experience back to level 1. This is exactly how it used to work before CoD adopted a seasonal model. Going back to basics, this means with each go around players are set to unlock some unique rewards. Where in previous games, each Prestige unlocked a snazzy icon to display your grind for everyone in the lobby – who could forget the iconic Modern Warfare 2 10th Prestige emblem? – Black Ops 6 does more than just that. For starters, each Prestige gives a new Prestige Token, a one-time use Token that can be used to permanently keep any piece of equipment, rather than having to level up and unlock it again. But the cherry on top, each Prestige also looks set to hand out a unique Operator skin. The first up, according to our sister site CharlieIntel, is a cosmetic inspired by 2008’s World at War. By Prestiging for the first time in Black Ops 6, players can nab this unique Zombies-themed cosmetic. However, it is worth noting, the only image we have to go off so far appears to be that of a level icon, not the Operator skin itself. We’ll have to wait and see how the classic Zombies look translates over to a modern-day character, but given the reception, it’s clearly something the community wants. As devs previously confirmed, we know each of the 10 Prestige levels are set to be themed around earlier Treyarch titles. This means all the way from 2005’s Call of Duty 2 through to Black Ops Cold War, we could be in store for plenty of throwback looks.

First Black Ops 6 Nuke already dropped before the Beta goes live Twitch: JustHazzardous / ActivisionWe’ve already seen what the Nuke looks like in Black Ops 6 thanks to content creator ‘JustHazzardous’ getting the world’s first 30-kill streak at the 2024 CoD Next event. With each new Call of Duty release, it’s always a question of whether the annual installment will feature the iconic game-ending killstreak. While in some titles it simply isn’t present, we now know for certain this year’s entry goes back to normal. Black Ops 6 is confirmed to have the Nuke killstreak, this we know for certain as one player has already called one in. Going on a tear at the CoD Next event, with lobbies full of pro players and full-time streamers alike, JustHazzardous kept his cool to cement another world first. Having been the first to drop a nuke in last year’s Modern Warfare 3, they managed to go back-to-back, becoming the first to drop a nuke in Black Ops 6 as well. Loading into a round of Domination on the new Scud map, JustHazzardous was testing out a new weapon for the first time. Wielding the AMES BS Assault Rifle with the Plague Doctor Blueprint, it was just a matter of moments before the streak began. With a Stim Shot at the ready, they were able to bob and weave lethal damage, for the most part. While they died near the beginning of the match, a hot streak quickly kicked off, with the content creator calling in all their bonus killstreaks in short order. Playing at a ferocious pace, they even continued hopping on the objective at times, moving around the map rather than just camping in one spot as nuke hunters often do. Picking up an enemy SMG when running low on ammo, it was at the 30th kill when the ‘Nuclear’ medal flashed across the screen, yes we counted. “We did it again!” JustHazzardous yelled with excitement. “The world’s first Nuke again. I told y’all.” While this confirms the Nuke indeed returns in Black Ops 6, ending the game if you can nab 30 kills in a row, there are still plenty of other streaks that remain under wraps. We’re sure to learn more as the Beta gets underway from August 30.

First Black Ops 4 CWL rule set features new game mode and only one Specialist restriction The first version of the official rule set to be used in Call of Duty esports during the 2018/19 Black Ops 4 season has been released by the CoD World League. Competitive fans of the popular FPS title have been crying out for the rules to be revealed since the game was released in order to practice anything but Search and Destroy. The official announcement on Friday, October 26 gives professional players just over a month to practice with these competitive rules, with the first competitive event of the year scheduled to take place on December 7 – 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Notably, the rules feature a lack of restrictions with only the Nomad Specialist banned, however, there have been a number of perk and weapon bans. It has been made clear that following CWL Vegas, the rules regarding Specialist’s will be extensively reviewed. It was also confirmed that new game mode Control will be added in replacement for Capture the Flag that featured during the WWII season. Maps and Settings Search and Destroy Maps: Arsenal – Firing Range – Frequency – Gridlock – Hacienda – Payload – Seaside – Search and Destroy Settings: Time limit decreased to 1:30 – Round Win limit increased to six rounds – Select Spawn disabled – Silent Plant enabled – 15-second pre-match timer – Five second pre-round timer – Hardpoint Maps: Arsenal – Contraband – Frequency – Gridlock – Seaside – Slums – Summit – Hardpoint Settings: Two second respawn delay – Three-second suicide penalty – 15-second pre-match timer – Control Maps: Arsenal – Frequency – Gridlock – Jungle – Payload – Seaside – Control Settings: Two second respawn delay – Three-second suicide penalty – 15-second pre-match timer – Five second pre-round timer – Specialists The following Specialist is restricted from use in CWL competition: Nomad – Specialists in the game can be used by one player on each team, just like in regular Multiplayer lobbies. Specialist Equipment The following Specialist Equipment is restricted from use in CWL competition: Sensor Dart – Tac-Deploy (Restricted in Hardpoint and Search & Destroy only) – Weapon Restrictions The following will be restricted for competitive play. Titan – Hades – VKM 750 – MOG 12 – SG12 – Hellion Salvo (temporary restriction, see below for details) – Rocket Launchers have traditionally been restricted from competitive Call of Duty due to free fire functionality and the damage that they apply to other players. However, they will be permitted in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 competitive play after a tuning adjustment has been made to significantly reduce damage to players. The ultimate goal of keeping Launchers in play in competitive is to serve as a tactical counter to equipment and scorestreaks exclusively, and not affect player-to-player combat. For that reason – specifically, when selecting Esports settings in custom games, which will be added to the game in the near future – damage to players from Launchers will be dramatically reduced, such that it will be insignificant. Hellion Salvo until the tuning update is released. Since some online events may occur before the update, we want to make sure Launchers are only used as intended. We will announce when the update has been made and launchers have been removed from the restriction list on Twitter. Other Restrictions: The following will be restricted for competitive play. Attachments: High Caliber – High Explosive – Laser Sight II – Max Load – Rapid Fire – Rocket Cache – Steady Grip – Optics: Fast Lock – Perks: Gung-Ho – Skulker – Team Link – Tracker – Wildcards: Overkill – Primary Operator Mod – Secondary Operator Mod – Scorestreaks: UAV – Care Package – Counter-UAV – Sentry – Mantis – Gear: Acoustic Sensor – Lobby Settings In all modes, some standard game settings will be changed, including: Friendly Fire enabled – Battlechatter disabled – Revenge voice disabled – Announcer disabled – 3 Person Spectating Disabled – 3 Person Gestures Disabled – Gesture Camera Controls Disabled – Team Assignment – Open – Back in early October, Activision PR Manager Xav de Matos revealed that Treyarch had flown in professional Call of Duty players like Gunless, Enable and Attach to Los Angeles to help work on the rule set. Read More: Full format for Black Ops 4 2019 CWL Season and Pro League – pool play, qualification and roster rules – The rule set will be used on MLG’s Gamebattles site and other competitive platforms, and will be used on LAN for the first time during the CWL Las Vegas Open. The Call of Duty World League began in January of 2016 on Black Ops 3, with the upcoming Black Ops 4 season being the fourth year it has ran. The CWL for Black Ops 4 features one Pro League tournament which will take place in early 2019, culminating at the 2019 CWL Finals, with the 2019 CWL World Championships set to take place later in the year.

First Black Ops 4 Competitive Event Announced Plus Season Reveal Livestream at Treyarch The first CWL event of the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 season has been announced, set for Las Vegas on December 7-9, as well as the reveal livestream for what the competitive season has in store for 2019. Black Ops 4 is set for release on October 12, giving players and teams almost two months to gear up for the first event – a month longer than is typical – but details on how the game will play in competitive are still sparse. The ruleset, team sizes (possibly 5v5), map sets, and any major changes to the competitive scene will be revealed on September 19, live from Treyarch Studios. The announcement was made just before the grand final of the 2018 CWL Championship, where Evil Geniuses and Team Kaliber faced off in the final event of WWII. Watch the announcement from CWL commentator Clint “Maven”Evans below. The reveal will be live streamed on Twitch, and fans, community figures and players will be braced for some potentially major changes to competitive Call of Duty. CWL Las Vegas is the first return to Sin City since the first event of the Infinite Warfare season in late 2016. The community has been speculating that a possible change to five man rosters may come into effect, as public matches in Black Ops 4 have been made 5v5, as opposed to the traditional 6v6. Treyarch’s co-studio head Dan Bunting earlier hinted at the potential for 5v5 competitive play, saying he thinks that “5v5 will appeal to competitive players”. But it would be a very drastic change, that could possibly have a negative effect on gameplay, and of course roster decisions. September 19 should answer all the questions, and given Treyarch’s track record of being very involved with the esports side of Call of Duty, fans will be optimistic for a good season.

Fired Treyarch employee posts Zombies leaks on Reddit A Zombies Quality Assurance tester at Treyarch Games was fired and immediately took to Reddit to answer questions about the mysteries in the popular Black Ops 4 mode. The disgruntled former employee claims they were unfairly let go after a miscommunication involving when the QA team was set to take a lunch break. The poster even described an altercation with security after initially not being allowed to pick up personal belongings after being fired. Since Call of Duty Zombies has always included secrets and mysteries that can take months for players to solve, a QA tester with detailed knowledge of those Easter Eggs was a goldmine for the Zombies community. The employee’s misfortune was quickly turned into a benefit for players. A number of previously unknown Easter Egg steps were revealed in the thread, including the missing steps for the Viking Boat puzzle on IX. Warning: the following may contain spoilers for the Zombies mode in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. The poster commented on Voyage of Despair as well, revealing the purpose of the valves located in the Engine Room. Use an upgraded elemental kraken to shoot the four center-most moving pistons. They will smoke and stop moving after being shot. Six blinking red light lead to six wheel to turn. After turning all six, go in the Turbine room and interact with the switch on the wall next to the door. This unlocks the PAP at all locations. Stay under water for 30 seconds and there will be about a 5% chance every three seconds of a verse playing. After a verse plays, you have to wait three minutes to hear another. To see all of the questions and answers from the former Treyarch employee, you can find the Reddit thread here.

Firebreak’s Purifier was spotted in Call of Duty’s newest Blackout teaser A new promotional video for Black Ops 4 appears to show off a specialist weapon coming to Blackout that wasn’t in the beta – Firebreak’s ‘Purifier’. Black Ops 4 features 10 specialists at launch, all of which were available in the multiplayer beta, but specialists are not a thing in Blackout, Call of Duty’s first battle royale mode. That isn’t to say that all trace of specialists was gone however, as you could still select their character models to play as, and Battery’s ‘War Machine’ was available in care packages. Seraph’s ‘Annihilator’ pistol was also spotted in boxes around the map, but it couldn’t be picked up or used. Still, the hints are there that more specialist weapons – perhaps even abilities – could be coming to Blackout in the future, and it looks certain that the Purifier will be. In one of the new CODNation short videos, uploaded by Call of Duty, three characters near the Estates area of the Blackout map can be seen using the Purifier at the 19 second mark. Treyarch have said that launch is only the half way point for Blackout, saying they have lots of plans for future content, new playlists and features. More: Treyarch showcase two new multiplayer maps for Black Ops 4 – brand new ‘Icebreaker’ and remastered ‘Jungle’ – Considering these specialist weapons already exist in multiplayer, it would make sense for Treyarch to add them to Blackout, given how easy it would be to implement. And they have more creative license in Blackout, with specific weapon balancing less of a constraint with the RNG nature of battle royale modes.

Fire shotguns are back in Modern Warfare 2 and causing havoc already ActivisionModern Warfare and Warzone players will be all too familiar with the Dragon’s Breath shotguns that have caused so much frustration over the years — and it appears Infinity Ward have brought them back with just as much firepower in Modern Warfare 2. Dragon’s Breath shotguns caused a huge controversy in MW2019 and Warzone, as they started to take over the meta and frustrate players, the sound of the “doof doof” shotguns resonating across Verdansk for example. Before long, the devs had to nerf the shotguns and the Dragon’s Breath rounds attachment, as complaints continued to mount against them. For the most part, many players simply believed that fire rounds had no place in the game anyway, so it wouldn’t have been a complete surprise if they were simply struck into the CoD history books and forgotten about forever. That is not the case, however, as players have found the Dragon’s Breath shotguns in Modern Warfare 2, and are melting players in the beta. As shown by Jaxon in this clip, who unlocked the gun in the beta through modding (the weapon is still meant to be hidden to players), the Expedite 12 with Dragon’s Breath rounds definitely exists and can take out enemies in two quick shots — perhaps just one, depending on how the other shotguns in the gameplay. With the weapon options limited in the beta, except for modders or exploit glitches, most players won’t get their hands on fire shotguns until the full game launches on October 28. That does also mean that if these shotguns do end up being insanely powerful again, we’re not likely to see them nerfed until after launch, which could cause some headaches for some players in the opening days.

Final Blackout beta update adds IX Zombies experience, bug fixes and more – Full Patch Notes The Blackout beta has less than 24 hours left at the time of writing, but Treyarch aren’t finished yet, as they have release a final update with various bug fixes, performance improvements, plus a brand new Zombie experience. There has been a full week of Blackout beta already (if you are on PS4 that is, Xbox and PC users only got access for the weekend), and Treyarch have certainly learned, and changed, a lot. The increased player count, from the original 80 up to 88 remains the same for the final day, as Treyarch continue to evaluate what works best for the mode. The main addition for the last 24 hours is the new ‘Blightfather’ Zombies experience, which is a teaser from the upcoming ‘IX’ Zombies that will be in the full Black Ops 4 release. “Today’s update brings a terrifying new game event to the Graveyard, just south of the Asylum. A new horror seeks to destroy all who approach its domain. The Blightfather has been temporarily transported from the upcoming Zombies experience, IX, to the proving grounds of Blackout. Great rewards await those ready to challenge themselves…” They will also be keeping a close eye on a number of performance issue and bugs reported by players, mainly on PC and Xbox: Crashes/Performance Issues on PC: With so many variables at play on the PC platform, we’re always tracking and investigating new reports of crashes and other issues on PC. As we mentioned yesterday, your new best friend is u/TreyarchPC on Reddit and @TreyarchPC on Twitter for all PC-specific updates. Please keep an eye out for those here on r/BlackOps4. – Xbox Button: We’ve gotten reports that some Xbox One users may lose controller input after pressing the Xbox Button while playing the Blackout Beta. We’re aware of this issue and will have it fixed for launch. – Mystery Box: Some players have asked about the precise interaction between the blue column of light on the map and the Mystery Box. In the Beta, the light denotes that Zombies have spawned at that location. Players must kill the last zombie in an area for the next box to spawn. At launch, the Mystery Box will initially spawn at Zombies-themed locations and will appear to be locked. Once the last zombie is killed that area, the box will unlock and can be looted. Write that one down for October 12th. – Redeploy: It’s been suggested that we allow players to Redeploy when the game is over for their team without needing to go back to the lobby. We like this idea too, and have added it to the To Do list for evaluation. – Finally, some minor updates have also been added to the game in a Global hotfix, which has gone live on September 16 for the final 24 hours of the beta: General: Blightfather event added (all playlists) – Removed Close Quarters Frenzy from available playlists – – Miscellaneous: General stability fixes – – We’ve also made the following general updates to PC: Miscellaneous: General stability and UI fixes – Fixed various controller issues – Fixed Inventory issues when disconnecting from the server – – Source: Reddit

Fighter Planes return in Warzone Season 4 update months after devs silently removed them ActivisionMonths after their surprise removal in Warzone, Fighter Planes have now returned as part of the Season 4 update. Here’s everything there is to know. When Warzone transitioned into the Pacific era, players were greeted with loads of new content. This included Vanguard Royale, an exclusive battle royale experience with World War 2-themed vehicles including planes. However, these flying machines were quickly deemed extremely overpowered. Pilots would abuse them to boost their K/D, win games, and even end up banned for doing so. Randomly on March 4, Raven Software revealed that they would be turned off while they “investigate an issue.“ Ever since, devs remained silent. That was, until the Warzone Season 4 patch arrived three months later, marking the return of Warzone’s aerial vehicles. Planes finally return to Warzone Fighter Planes had been missing in action for 16 weeks in total. While a timetable for their return was unclear, devs locked in their surprise comeback as part of the enormous Season 4 update. Read More: Top 10 most viewed Warzone Twitch streamers – At first, Planes were exclusive to Vanguard Royale, but in the Season 2 Reloaded update, that mode was removed from the game to create one large BR experience for all players. Now, these Planes are accessible across all standard BR playlists in Caldera. Players will once again need to be cautious of enemies raining down fire from the skies thanks to these Fighter Planes. While they’ve returned in their nerfed state, they’re certainly still a force to be reckoned with. While they’ve returned in their nerfed state, they’re certainly still a force to be reckoned with.

Fifth team revealed for OpTic Hitch’s CoD: Ghosts Throwback Tournament, and they’re called the ‘eGirl Slayers’ OpTic Gaming content creator Davis ‘Hitch’ Edwards has revealed the next team that will participate in his upcoming Throwback Invitational Tournament for Call of Duty: Ghosts. The team, which is the fifth to be revealed so far, is called ‘eGirl Slayers’ and features a roster of Steve ‘Mochila’ Canle, Jeremy ‘NexXx’ Scarfino, Matthew ‘Burns’ Potthoff, and John ‘Revan’ Boble. The four players reunite after teaming together under the same team name for a single Ghosts event four years ago – UMG Philadelphia 2014, where they placed fifth and earned $1,000. Of the four, Mochila is the only one who is still an active player in competitive Call of Duty; he last competed as a member of WrangleR Gaming, but failed to qualify for CWL Champs. Burns has gone on to become the co-General Manager of eUnited, Revan has become an analyst for the CWL, and NexXx has remained retired since 2014. They’re the fifth of eight total throwback teams that will be participating in Hitch’s tournament. The first four were revealed several weeks ago and feature the likes of OpTic Nation, compLexity Gaming, and more. The throwback tournament, which Hitch has organized in collaboration with UMG, will take place on September 22 and will feature a $5,000 prize pool. This means that there will be three more team announcements within the coming days, in addition to details about scheduling, competitive format and rule-set, and more.

Fifth player announced for Luminosity’s CoD team, finalizing their roster for Black Ops 4 season North American esports organization Luminosity Gaming have revealed the fifth member of the Call of Duty team for the upcoming Black Ops 4 season. Longtime competitor Nicholas ‘Classic’ DiCostanzo has officially joined LG, completing their five-man roster that also features Josiah ‘Slacked’ Berry, Johnathan ‘John’ Perez, Mathew ‘FormaL’ Piper, and Peirce ‘Gunless’ Hillman. The news of the roster move was announced via a post on LG’s official Twitter page, confirming the heavy rumors, leaks, and speculation that had been swirling around over the past two weeks. who had a messy departure from the org on his way to joining eUnited.LG had five top-five finishes at major events this past season, but was only able to secure victory at CWL Birmingham. They’ll hope that bringing back their former player will be what takes the team over the top. Classic’s move to LG doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Aside from the fact that most of the rumors hinted at him being JKap’s replacement, 100 Thieves CEO Matt ‘Nadeshot’ Haag accidentally revealed the move while talking about Rostermania. Furthermore, for the past few days, a command in Gunless’ Twitch chat had Classic listed as their fifth. Keep up with all roster moves, team changes, and player announcements by visiting our dedicated Rostermania hub here.

FFAR secretly nerfed in Warzone Season 2 with major attachment changes TreyarchIt was a surprise when the FFAR wasn’t mentioned in the Warzone Season 2 reloaded patch notes, with players expecting a nerf. But, the weapon was actually nerfed – because of major changes to attachments. Although it will require further testing to verify, players immediately noticed their FFAR loadout felt less effective. Specifically, ADS time on the weapon feels a lot longer. Warzone streamer and NRG member JoeWo was one of the first to spread the word about a possible FFAR nerf, posting “From one game it seems the AUG is still GOD LIKE and the FFAR is terrible now… complete opposite of the patch notes.” In the patch notes, the Cold war AUG was the only weapon specifically targeted with a nerf, and deservingly so, as it has been dominating the meta. FFAR stealth nerfed in Warzone? But, according to JoeWo, the change hasn’t been meaningful, while the FFAR – supposedly untouched – is “terrible now.” Read More: Best Cold War AUG Warzone loadout – And he wasn’t the only one. FaZe Clan streamer Swagg also said that it felt like the AUG hadn’t been “touched,” while the FFAR now had “slow ass ADS.” FFAR attachment changes According to YouTube JGOD, who has done his own testing, the FFAR has been nerfed “pretty hard.” The reason is that the Takedown barrel, a popular pick for the FFAR has been changed. “It no longer helps with bullet velocity, I tested this,” JGOD explains, “and it’s not helping you with strafe speed so it’s a lot slower.” The reason for the slower ADS time can also be attributed to the Salvo 50 Rnd fast mag, which now has huge ADS penalties. For this reason, you’ll want to avoid the Fast Mags and the Takedown barrel on the FFAR from now on. Read More: What is Foresight in Warzone? – The weapon’s damage appears to be the same, and so it’s just the attachment changes that are making all the difference in Warzone right now. These attachment tweaks will also affect the M16, so the same rules apply here too. It’s time to rework a lot of your FFAR loadouts.

FFAR secretly buffed in Warzone with attachments adding even more power ActivisionWarzone content creator and Twitch veteran Nick ‘NICKMERCS’ Kolcheff has revealed that the FFAR assault rifle received a “secret buff” in a recent patch for the battle royale. The FFAR, following Black Ops Cold War’s merger with Warzone, has proven itself to be a viable weapon at most levels of the game. While there’s still some unruly recoil to deal with, players have recognized that, if it can be controlled, the weapon’s fast fire rate can tear through opponent’s armor. However, NICKMERCS has now claimed that it received a covert buff in a recent Warzone patch, pushing it from a strong AR option to one of the best weapons in the game. It’s already one of the most popular Warzone weapons, but this could take it to the next level. In his February 12 YouTube video, the FaZe Clan creator explained that certain attachments for the FFAR have been massively buffed, specifically highlighting the Ranger Barrel. “In a recent update, Activision, Raven, whoever, they went in there and secretly made some adjustments,” he said. “Now I personally use the Ranger Barrel on the FFAR. Now Raven went in, the adjusted it and made it twice the bullet velocity, without anybody knowing.” Read More: Scump says Dashy is “here to stay” – Alongside the Ranger Barrel, the stats provided by Kolcheff also suggest the Task Force Barrel received a similar secret buff. Bullet velocity refers to how fast bullets travel after being shot. The higher the bullet velocity, the faster the bullets travel to their target, and the faster you can do damage. It has been largely unimportant in past CoD titles but Black Ops Cold War’s Gunsmith has seen it become another factor in choosing which attachments to use to best strengthen your weapon. “Even before this update the FFAR was one of the best guns in the game,” he continued. “But listen, after this update they really did tune it up, gave it kind of a buff.” Activision have, in the past, received criticism from the community for implementing secret changes to their games. It seems that players prefer to be fully aware of what changes are occurring in their favorite titles. Off the back of this, though, jump in and throw the Ranger Barrel on the FFAR, and see what you think.

FFAR “secret” weapon changes in Warzone debunked by YouTuber JGOD ActivisionPopular YouTuber JGOD run tests on the FFAR 1 in Call of Duty: Warzone, explaining that it remains unchanged despite rumors of secret adjustments made by developers Raven. Warzone’s incredible popularity means ongoing discussions around weapon balance are inevitable. Across the game’s first year or so, a number of weapons have risen to the top and then dropped back down the pecking order following nerfs. While not necessarily useless, the Grau and Bruen are certainly not as powerful as they once were. This has allowed other weapons, like the Black Ops Cold War FFAR 1, to rise to the surface. The moderate recoil, fast-firing assault rifle has proved itself incredibly powerful, especially at close to medium ranges. There have been some rumors of secret changes though, especially relating to the alleged weakening of the Bruiser Grip attachment. In a February 21 YouTube video, popular CoD content creator JGOD turned his attention to the recent rumors of alleged secret changes to the FFAR 1. Read More: Shoot House revealed for CoD Mobile Season 2 – Early on in the video, JGOD stated his frustrations with ‘stealth changes’, explaining that they mean players are left unsure over what changes have actually been made in the game. He joins other CoD YouTubers like Drift0r in condemning Activision over their recent move towards omitting details from patch notes. He investigated multiple ways in which the weapon could have been nerfed, including investigations over the recoil with different grips and the amount of damage it deals to different parts of the body. He finished: “The FFAR will likely get a nerf because it is very dominant. Maybe they’re going to remove it as a floor weapon when Season 2 happens. But as of now, the FFAR is still as dominant as it was a couple of weeks ago – no changes.” As JGOD states, a nerf for the FFAR seems likely given its incredible in-game strength in Warzone’s current meta. Whether it comes with or before Season 2 remains to be seen though. Barring any delays, fans can expect Season 2 to drop on February 24, bringing a number of new weapons, modes and POIs.

Fero sets record for most kills in CDL as Mutineers crush Huntsmen again MLG / MutineersFlorida Mutineers’s Maurice ‘Fero’ Henriquez proved to be an unstoppable force during CDL Dallas, leading his team to their first ever Call of Duty League event win in only his second event with the squad. After coming close to raining on FaZe’s parade at CDL Atlanta, Mutineers finally bagged their first event win of the season, despite falling short at the hands of Toronto Ultra in their opening match. With their tournament lives on the line, it was Preston ‘Prestinni’ Sanderson’s replacement, Fero who would step up to the plate and lead his team to their first event win — posting some unreal stats along the way. Let’s take a look at how Fero made the biggest impact on the server for his team. Florida’s Fero on fire Henriquez clocked in an astounding 477 kills — the most set by any individual player in a CDL event to-date, beating Cuyler ‘Huke’ Garland’s previous 407-kill record from CDL London. Granted that all five of Mutineers’ matches were four or five-game thrillers, meaning that there was an additional respawn game mode in each series to post more kills. However, that doesn’t take away from Fero’s incredible performance. 305 of his mammoth kill tally came from Hardpoint alone (the highest of the event by far), where he also clocked in with an average hill time of 56 seconds per game. Read more: When is CDL Chicago? Schedule, teams, more – Domination saw the 21-year-old post an average of 27 kills per game (135 over five games), which was, again, the highest by a substantial margin. Combine this with the fact that the Mutineers Flex had the second-highest positive kill swing with +91 kills-vs-deaths – beaten only by fellow teammate Cesar ‘Skyz’ Bueno with +101 – and it’s no wonder why Mutineers were a force to be reckoned with. More than just respawn Respawn game modes weren’t just Fero’s forte, as the youngster proved pivotal to Mutineers’ Search & Destroy success, as he won 62% of his opening duels which can be attributed to some of their round wins. So with an all-round performance that will likely go down in the books as one of the best we’re likely to see all season long, Fero has most definitely earned his spot in the Mutineers’ starting ranks. Huntsmen’s kryptonite Mutineers proved to be the proverbial thorn in Chicago Huntsmen’s side yet again, as they crushed the league leaders 3-1 — making them the only team to take down Scump and co. this season, and doing it twice. And who was leading that narrative? You guessed it, Fero racked up the kills yet again, as he was the only player on the server to break the 100-kill mark, while also putting in the objective work during respawn game modes. Of course, Fero wasn’t the only player to show up big for the Mutineers. Four members of the Florida squad each chalked up over 400 kills during the event. Plus who can forget Bradley ‘Frosty’ Bergstrom’s insane 1v4 S&D clutch against Los Angeles Guerrillas? Plenty of teams will be thankful that Florida won’t be back in action until May 8-10, where they will host their first home series event. Stats via: EasyMac.

Fero rumored to be subbing in for Mutineers’ Prestinni at CDL Los Angeles Twitter: Prestinni / ActivisionPreston ‘Prestinni’ Sanderson could miss the upcoming Call of Duty League Home Series event in Los Angeles, with Maurice ‘Fero’ Henriquez rumored to be in line for a spot in the team’s starting roster Hot off the heels of an impressive run at CDL Atlanta which saw the Mutineers topple the likes of the Chicago Huntsmen on their way to a grand final showdown against Atlanta FaZe, SMG superstar Prestinni could be missing the next Home Series event. While initially nothing more than speculation, Prestinni has since come forward and clarified the situation by commenting on the rumors himself. First reported by CDL Intel on Twitter, rumors have been circulating around Prestinni’s attendance at the Los Angeles event on March 7. Supposedly stepping back from the starting lineup during the next tournament run for the Mutineers, Fero has been eyed as a potential replacement. With content creator Nick ‘MaNiaC’ Kershner and coach Ricky ‘Atura’ Lugo the only official subs currently signed to the org, bringing in a top Challengers prospect and former 100 Thieves starter in Fero could make the most sense. 🚨 RUMOUR: @f3rocitys could be filling in for @Mutineers in place of @Prestinni this weekend. Reason unknown. — CDL Intel (@intelCDL) March 6, 2020 Additionally, CDL Intel also shared a lobby picture which appeared to feature Fero filling in for the Mutineers. Having consistently finished in the Top 4, with six first-place victories in online 1k and 2k Challengers tournaments, Fero has been actively competing since the latest title was released. His team even finished in the Top 12 of 168 rosters at the Launch Weekend Open in Minnesota. In a since-deleted Tweet from Prestinni, the veteran responded to a comment that the coronavirus was the reason behind his sudden absence from the LA event. “More to it than that,” he explained. “I won’t get into it though. Y’all can roast me for not going over a virus all ya want. Ima [sic] keep this one to myself. All ima say.” Proof of Fero with @Mutineers in place of Prestinni, credit to @TjHaLyBurner Intel 🤝 Fake TJ pic.twitter.com/Roges0WAE8 — CDL Intel (@intelCDL) March 6, 2020 While the Mutineers organization has yet to officially clarify the situation just hours out from the LA Home Series, Prestinni did reply to another post and added that he would “be back to [himself] soon enough.” As the top CDL lineups get ready for the next event, a number of drastic roster changes and roleswaps have come through. Catch up on our power rankings before the action kicks off on March 7.

Pro Call of Duty player Maurice ‘Fero’ Henriquez dies aged 21 Florida MutineersProfessional Call of Duty player Maurice ‘Fero’ Henriquez, who played for Florida Mutineers in the CDL, has died following multiple heart attacks, his team has confirmed. He was 21. Mutineers announced the news of his sudden death, which has shocked the Call of Duty community, on Twitter on November 11. “The Mutineers family sadly confirms today the sudden passing of Maurice ‘Fero’ Henriquez from multiple heart attacks,” the message read. “At his family’s request we report that his tragic death was not ruled a suicide. “This is an unfathomable loss for his family, friends and our Florida Mutineers team. He will be greatly missed every day.” His family also sought to clarify the cause of Fero’s death, as they thanked the Call of Duty community for their support. “This is Maurice’s, aka Fero, family,” the tweet read. “We are saddened to announce his passing. We would like to state that he did not take his own life and he was not battling depression. We appreciate everyone’s love and support. We would also appreciate privacy at this time.” This is Maurice’s, aka F3ro, family. We are saddened to announce his passing. We would like to state that he did not take his own life and he was not battling depression. We appreciate everyone’s love and support. We would also appreciate privacy at this time. — jay (@f3rocitys) November 11, 2020 Following the announcement, streamer NICKMERCS paid tribute. “Call of Duty scene lost a legend,” he tweeted. Fero began his Call of Duty career with Denial Esports in late 2014, but really took off during the 2017-18 WWII season when a stellar finish to the campaign with Team Kaliber resulted in him being recruited by 100 Thieves for their new Black Ops 4 team. His biggest win came at Stage 2 playoffs in 2018, where he and Team Kaliber took first place and the $200,000 prize. His short spell with 100T was followed by a similarly brief stint with Team Envy and after the season ended, he ultimately failed to land a spot on a Call of Duty League franchise for Modern Warfare, dropping down to the Challengers amateur circuit. However, he became a key midseason acquisition for Florida Mutineers. Since the roster change, Fero and the Mutineers went on to win three CDL Home Series tournaments – Dallas, Minnesota, and Paris – tying the league lead with the eventual champions, Dallas Empire. An aggressive SMG player who was willing to take risks with unusual weapon combos, Fero brought energy and flair to the teams he played for. He was regarded as a top tier player throughout his career, and even when he dropped down a level to Challengers, his dedication to perfecting his craft and ability to bounce back from adversity, meant that he returned to the highest level where he belonged. Tributes paid to Fero Following the shocking news, tributes poured in from the CoD community, as pro players, personalities and fans posted messages on social media. “I’m heartbroken, truly at a loss for words,” 100 Thieves CEO, Matt ‘Nadeshot’ Haag, tweeted. “Thank you for everything. Rest in peace, brother.” “Call of Duty scene lost a legend,” Nick ‘NICKMERCS’ Kolcheff wrote. “Wasn’t super close to Fero but we played a few tournaments together, never lost. Played a million tournaments against each other and I never f**kin’ won. Rest easy little bro. Take care of each other, life is precious.” Toronto Ultra star Anthony ‘Methodz’ Zinni posted, “My heart is shattered. When we spoke, it was nothing but jokes and laughter. I’m grateful to have teamed with and experienced such a lively passionate person. Rest in peace brother.” I can’t believe this – I became close with Jay over the past few years – I’m heartbroken. RIP @f3rocitys, we love you #f3f3f3 — 100T Muddawg (@Muddawg) November 11, 2020 My heart goes out to the friends and family of @f3rocitys. What a tragic loss of a young life with so much to accomplish. Gone too soon but surely will never be forgotten. Rest in peace. — Goldenboy 🇵🇷 (@GoldenboyFTW) November 11, 2020 The Call of Duty League paid tribute to Fero: “His absence will be felt throughout the league and the entire Call of Duty esports community.”

Fero denies attitude rumors following 100 Thieves Call of Duty roster move MLGMaurice ‘Fero’ Henriquez has hit back at rumors suggesting he was removed from 100 Thieves’ Black Ops 4 starting roster due to his behaviour. 100 Thieves qualified for the CWL Pro League at the Pro League Qualifier, but made hard work of the process after a disappointing pool play performance meant they had to go through bracket play to secure their place in Call of Duty‘s only league tournament in 2019. This, coupled with a top 12 finish at CWL Las Vegas, saw the organization takes steps to change their roster ahead of the start of the CWL Pro League, which kicks off on Monday, February 4. 100 Thieves signed Preston ‘Priestahh’ Grenier on loan from FaZe Clan for the entirety of the Pro League season, moving Fero into the substitute position on their roster amid rumors of failing to show up for scrims and a toxic attitude with his teammates, however no one from 100 Thieves has come out and made these claims. Typing in the Twitch chat of Midnight’s Dylan ‘Envoy’ Hannon, Henriquez stated that the rumors are not accurate, and shared an anecdote to explain that wasn’t intentionally missing scrims. “We lost a match, so I went back to the hotel to change my pants,” wrote Henriquez in his chat. “On my way back to the venue, they were texting me about not being there to scrim, even though nobody told me we were going to scrim. This whole thing flying around about me being toxic and not showing up to scrims is just false, in my opinion.” 400Fero also gave an update on his future in Call of Duty, stating: “My plan right now is to wait until March [for the transfer window] and try to get on a team. Besides that, I sit here and watch scrims until we play pick-up games at night.” For 100 Thieves, their new look roster will head into the CWL Pro League hoping for much improved performances compared to their last two outings. The competition is set to kick off on February 4, and you can make sure you don’t miss any of the action with our CWL Pro League viewing hub.

Fennec hipfire loadout beams enemies in Warzone Season 5 ActivisionA new meta Fennec SMG loadout has emerged in Warzone Season 5 that is looking to challenge some of the game’s greatest loadouts. Warzone Season 5 has delivered another round of changes and updates that have swung the game’s meta in every different direction. So much so that the game’s ultimate weapons have had a bit of a rejig in the process. This is the final season before Warzone 2 drops and becomes the de facto CoD battle royale game and old-school Warzone players might be excited to hear about a new Fennec loadout that is making the SMG a beast once again. Warzone Reddit user BrunoJohn117 is the mastermind behind this unbelievable new Fennec build and they showed off just how ridiculously accurate and powerful the loadout is. In a brief clip, they showed off multiple examples of the Fennec absolutely decimating opponents with next-to-no respite for the enemy and displaying unwavering accuracy in the process. One commenter on the video feared for the gun’s status saying: “DELETE THIS PLEASE RAVEN IS GONNA NERF IT AGAIN.” With the likes of the Marco 5 still continuing to be an absolute beast in the submachine gun department, this Fennec loadout might help to make things more interesting in Season 5. Warzone Season 5 meta Fennec SMG loadout The OP didn’t keep the loadout to themself and was quite happy to share the build with the rest of the Warzone community, which you can check out below. Muzzle: Monolithic Suppressor – Laser: 5mW Laser – Stock: No Stock – Magazine: 40 Round Drum Mags – Perk: Sleight of Hand – It’s no surprise to see some of these attachments as the Monolithic Suppressor and 5mW Laser are favorites across many of the game’s top loadouts for accuracy. A lack of a stock will make you a veritable ninja hopping around at speed and the 40 Round Drum Mags and Sleight of Hand Perk allow you to fire off tons of rounds and reload in no time! As always, Raven is constantly monitoring the elite-level attachments and weapons, so you might wanna take advantage of this Fennec loadout before the devs decide to mess around with things.

Female CoD Mobile pro SOL reportedly murdered in Brazil Instagram: @solcodmA female CoD Mobile pro from Brazil named Ingrid “SOL” Oliveira Bueno da Silva has reportedly been murdered by another player in the esports scene. SOL, who was only 19 years old at the time of her death, was just beginning her career in esports and was playing with org FBI (Fantastic Brazil Impact) E-sports CoD Mobile team. On February 23, multiple sources including ESPN Brazil, reported that SOL had been found stabbed to death in the home of another CoD Mobile player known as Guilherme “Flashlight” Alves Costa in Pirituba, São Paulo, Brazil. According to reports, he met SOL online, and after being arrested he confessed to the murder, telling investigators he had planned it out beforehand. A CoD Mobile FEM player from Brazil was brutally murdered this week. It looks like the murderer also recorded videos and shared to his friends. This is beyond insane. Sending my most sincere condolences to her family and friends.😞 https://t.co/6suA1BTYdJ — C9 porti (@portilho) February 23, 2021 In a video posted of the suspect being arrested, he can be heard saying, according to translations, “My sanity is completely fit,” and “I wanted to do this,” while being handcuffed by police. Read More: Twitch bans disgraced YouTuber Mini Ladd – Alves Costa also reportedly uploaded a video of the crime to various groups he used to interact with, including gamerselite.codm on Instagram. A statement posted by the group and translated by Dexerto states that just after committing the crime, the suspected murderer posted video of it into their group WhatsApp, while also making nods to terrorism and including hate speech against Christians, which was quickly turned over to police. View this post on Instagram SOL was killed on Monday, February 22, but news of the tragic incident began to spread on social media the next day after Brazilian CoD organization Jaguares Gaming posted a tribute to her on Twitter. “It is with deep sadness that Jaguares Esports wishes strength to SOL’s family and the FBI Esports team,” they wrote. “We are all in mourning. Rest in peace and justice be done.” https://twitter.com/JaguaresGG/status/1364268429176414208?s=20 As the news broke, tributes poured in for SOL (Portuguese for “sun”) from around the Brazilian esports scene, including from her own team, FBI Esports. “She was an extraordinary person whom we will remember every day that the sun rises,” Krony, a member of FBI Esports wrote on Instagram. “Every day that the Sun touches us, every time we look at the Sun, we will remember her.” View this post on Instagram It is currently unknown as to what sentence Alves Costa is facing or will receive for the crime, but Dexerto will keep you updated as news continues to come out about this tragic story.

Fed-up Warzone players offer $1,000 to play original version of the game ActivisionWarzone players are out of patience with the current game and claim they would pay a lot of money to play the original version again. The first version of Warzone came out in 2020, and took the battle royale genre by storm, becoming one of the most popular options in the genre. Since then, the game has gone through a lot of changes and updates, to the point of being renamed Warzone 2.0 last year. However, players are not happy with the place the game is at right now and are asking for the opportunity to play the original again, even at a steep price. Warzone players want to pay $1000 for original game’s return A post was created on the Warzone subreddit looking back at the original title with fondness, saying, “Covid Warzone was a simpler time.” The post came with a variety of clips from the game, showing off the weapons, map areas, and more that no longer exist in the current version. One comment summed up the community’s response to the post best: “This was peak warzone…” Another user jumped in, saying: “It’s hard to grasp how special this was. The game had issues but it felt like a fairly even playing field. It was the most fun I’ve ever had on a game.” One fan even went so far as to assign a large monetary value to their desire to play the original Warzone again: “I would pay $1000 for this right now. No sloppy seizure movement and ridiculous skins.” Surprisingly, others were on board with paying this amount for the game, with one response agreeing: “I honestly would too.” It is important to note that the original Warzone released right as the global health crisis hit, and players had nothing to do but stay home and play it, so nostalgia is a huge part of it. However, the comments here show that there are legitimate parts of the first version that players are missing like the UI, the guns, the Verdansk map, and “better gameplay.” While the offer to pay $1,000 was mostly tongue-in-cheek, it is clear that the fans miss the game, and it is yet to be seen if the upcoming return of Verdasnk will help with that at all.

FBI say crypto thieves used Call of Duty to co-ordinate theft of over $3 million A group of criminals have been busted by the FBI, after reportedly stealing $3.3 million in various cryptocurrencies, using Call of Duty to co-ordinate their efforts. According to the Chicago-Sun Times, the ring of cybercriminals used a computer and mobile phone hacking scheme to access victims various types of cryptocurrency accounts. A man from Bloomington, Illinois, who was part of the criminal group, claims he met and was intimidated by the hackers while playing Call of Duty, and they forced him to participate under the threat of SWATting. According to the report, the criminals would communicate over Call of Duty to co-ordinate their efforts, stealing millions in the process. The Bloomington man says the hackers would give him names, phone numbers and other necessary info to grant him access to mobile phones of victims. He hacked over 100 phones, according to the FBI affidavit. He claims that if he refused, they would threaten to SWAT his home – meaning sending a false alarm to authorities in the hope of causing enough concern that a SWAT team raids the address. However, a real raid did take place, as the FBI searched a suspect’s home in Dolton, Illinois, taking computers and cell phones, according to the court records obtained by the Chicago-Sun Times. In December 2016, US company ‘Auger’ – a platform for betting using cryptocurrency – reported to the FBI that its employees and investors were being targeted by hackers for their crypto funds. Cryptocurrencies called Reputation or Ethereum Tokens, used by the Auger platform, were stolen by the hackers, in total estimated to be worth $3.3 million, over $800,000 of which was in Reputation Tokens alone. The FBI affidavit also includes transcripts of messages sent between the group. One exchange from January 2017 between the Bloomington man and another suspect shows them discussing a successful Auger account hack, with the other suspect writing “LOL, hack the world”. However, the Bloomington man, who met the hackers through CoD and was threatened with SWATting, told the Chicago-Sun Times he considers himself a victim. “I have done nothing but cooperate with Augur and the FBI,” he said, “I have never once profited from anyone [by] crypto-hacking, ever.” He also disputed the claim that he had helped hack more than 100 victims’ phones, contesting that this figure was an exaggeration.

FaZe ZooMaa reveals the most important step to go pro in CoD MLGFaZe Clan streamer and multiple-time Call of Duty champion Thomas ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto has revealed the one main thing aspiring pros need to do to make the step up. ZooMaa is regarded as one of the best CoD players of all time. Winning multiple championships before his retirement at the start of the Cold War season, ZooMaa will go down as one of the greatest players to end their career without a world championship win. He rose through the ranks all the way back in Call of Duty: Ghosts and, like the rest of his peers, knows exactly what a player and team need to succeed. With the increased prize pools and salaries on display, many aspiring players are trying to figure out how they can go pro or the steps they need to take — and while the challenge is hard, taking the right steps is actually pretty simple. As ZooMaa says, the key is simply participating in tournaments, from 1v1 Gamebattles tournaments all the way up to Challengers LANs. Read More: How to watch OpTic Texas CDL Major 1 – Answering a question about going pro in the upcoming 2022 release, rumored to be Modern Warfare 2 and with a two-year lifespan instead of just one, ZooMaa said that competing in tournaments is absolutely everything. “Tournaments, tournaments, tournaments!” he exclaimed. “If you guys want to get your name out there, you want to be the next big thing, you’ve got to f**king make a name for yourself. Get into online tournaments, meet players, make friends. Make a team and make some noise in Challengers.” In his impassioned answer, ZooMaa said that many players simply “don’t want to put in the work,” constantly reiterating that grinding out tournaments and meeting new players is the best way to work your way up the ladder. “This sh*t takes years and years of hard work, dedication, and grind,” he explained. “I’m telling you, this is the best advice you can get. Grind as much as you can.”

FaZe ZooMaa gets PSN account hacked days after FaZe Attach FaZe Clan’s Tommy ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto has seemingly fallen to the same fate as his teammate when it comes to his PSN account’s security but ended up with a different outcome. ZooMaa’s teammate Dillon ‘Attach’ Price had his PSN account hacked not once, but twice, in the space of a few days and now it looks as if ZooMaa’s account has been compromised too. Attach, who tweeted out “My PlayStation account just got hacked,” on November 23, lost his account that had reached Master Prestige rank in Multiplayer. The FaZe Clan Call of Duty professional player was then hacked again on November 25. The Twitter account who took responsibility for hacking Attach – EBKOwen – tweeted a photo showing ZooMaa’s account with a number of EBKOwen Social Media accounts in the bio. “Dm for your account back, not resetting you, only prestige 2 Lol,” reads the attached tweet from EBKOwen. However, a few hours later, ZooMaa took to Twitter to confirm he had his account back, saying: “Thank you @EBKOwen for giving back my account and not resetting me.” . @ZooMaa Dm for your account back, not resetting you, only prestige 2 Lol. pic.twitter.com/FYS4skxErR —  (@EBKOwen) November 26, 2018 Thank you @EBKOwen for giving back my account and not resetting me. — FaZe ZooMaa (@ZooMaa) November 26, 2018 ZooMaa and Attach are not the only FaZe Clan members to have their accounts compromised by this hacker. FaZe Agony and Testyment also had their accounts hacked by EBKOwen. Similarly to ZooMaa, Agony was handed back the account without any resets to his multiplayer records. A few scrolls through EBKOwen’s Twitter shows a number of other notable names seemingly falling victim to this particular hack – including popular rapper Travis Scott and YouTuber RiceGum.

ZooMaa explains why he’s “so tired of the negativity” in the competitive CoD community ahead of Black Ops 4 FaZe Clan’s is Thomas ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto has made a plea to the competitive Call of Duty community to “stop bitching” ahead of the release of Black Ops 4. The professional player took to Twitter to say that he is fed up of seeing negative comments and wants people to “look at positives and enjoy the game.” “So tired of the negativity in this community, the game is a lot of fun and it’s going to be a great year,” the FaZe man stated. “Don’t fucking ruin it.” Also, can people stop bitching and complaining for once. Look at positives and enjoy the game. So tired of the negativity in this community, the game is a lot of fun and it’s going to be a great year, don’t fucking ruin it. — FaZe ZooMaa (@ZooMaa) September 17, 2018 It wasn’t entirely clear what ZooMaa was referring to in his original Tweet because, as 100 Thieves owner Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag points out, most community members seem to be excited about both Black Ops 4 and Blackout. But the 23-year-old explains that he has “actually seen a lot” of negativity, and states that “most of it is about 5v5 which we haven’t even played yet,” before concluding with “I also think the game is great and we’re in for a good year. Just want people to enjoy what we have going, tired of the same bullshit every year.” Really? I’ve actually seen a lot and it’s kind of annoying… Most of it is about 5v5 which we haven’t even played yet. I also think the game is great and we’re in for a good year. Just want people to enjoy what we have going, tired of the same bullshit every year. — FaZe ZooMaa (@ZooMaa) September 17, 2018 The “5 vs 5 or 4 vs 4” debate has been raging throughout the Call of Duty esports community ever since the possibility of switching away from the classic 4 vs 4 gameplay was initially discussed. While there has been no official word from Treyarch or the CWL, it is beginning to look more likely by the day that the change will indeed happen. With opinions on the potential move being split, conversations about 5 vs 5 have often become heated, both on Twitter and Reddit. ZooMaa is clearly of the opinion that Black Ops 4 will still be a great year for Call of Duty esports and also thinks the community should adopt a “don’t knock it until you’ve tried it” approach to the potential rule changes.

FaZe Clan’s ZooMaa explains why Black Ops 4 is the “worst game” for SnD in years Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is the worst game for the Search and Destroy game mode in years. After 100 Thieves’ first major win at CWL London, head coach James ‘Crowder‘ Crowder started his own podcast to discuss his and other pro players opinions on the current events in Call of Duty. FaZe Clan professional player, ZooMaa, was among the few selected for this inaugural episode of Crowder Hours. As the discussion shifted to the state of the game itself, the FaZe player shared why he believes that Black Ops 4 is one of the “worst” Call of Duty games for Search and Destroy specifically. Crowder initially explained how crucial it was to be good at SnD during a tournament, “Obviously we weren’t the best search team at the tournament, but I think that’s super important to the team” before detailing how hard it was to win a tournament off respawn game modes alone. ZooMaa then added why he feels SnD in this game has been so different to past titles by saying, “I think this is the worst game in terms of SnD that we’ve had over the past five years.” Read More: Black Ops 4 May 10 update patch notes – Prop Hunt changes, revamped Ambush mode, and more – Much to everyone’s surprise, he then explained that it was the new stim shot feature he had a problem with during SnD because of the players ability to quickly heal after taking damage, “I think this game in SnD is just so hard to make plays.” Topic starts at 1:26:05 for mobile users After NAMELESS and Crowder agreed with ZooMaa’s assessment of the game mode, Maven then replied, “Yeah you’ve taken out every gun in the game you can make plays with” before jokingly imitating the pro players and their excessive gentlemen’s agreements list, “Let’s get rid of the Mozu.” They then went on to discuss if more plays would be made in SnD if some of the current GA’d weapons, such as the Swordfish, made a return to competitive play. As players return to the next stage of the CWL Pro League, many are wondering if the stim shot will be next in line for Treyarch to update, hoping that it may result in more exciting gameplay.

Atlanta FaZe win $500K CDL Stage 3 Major: Final placements, results, highlights The Stage Three Major of the 2021 Call of Duty League season has wrapped up with Atlanta FaZe being crowned champions for a second time after beating New York Subliners in the Grand Final. Catch up on all the action with the final placements, results, daily recaps, and highlights FaZe beat Subliners in Grand Final 5-2, take home $200,000 & 75 CDL Points. – Stage 2 Major champs Ultra finish third after losing to FaZe in Losers Final. – OpTic place 4th as Losers Bracket run ends with narrow loss to Ultra. – JUMP TO SECTION: Final placements & prizing – Grand Final highlights & recap – Final Bracket – Daily results, highlights, recaps – Format & info – Teams & rosters – CDL Stage 3 Major final placements & prizing The $500,000 prize pool is divided between the top-eight teams. Those who finished between 9th-12th did not receive any prize money. CDL Stage 3 Major Grand Final highlights & recap The best-of-nine series kicked off with Subliners flexing their Hardpoint superiority, never giving FaZe a chance on their way to a 250-185 win on Garrison. But just like how NYSL are incredible at Hardpoint, FaZe are just as stellar at S&D and that gave them just the slight edge they needed in Round 11 to tie the series up. OMG SIMP 😱 CLUTCH three-piece in Round 11! pic.twitter.com/B1NxOwj7a1 — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) May 16, 2021 Things were a lot more one-sided on Garrison Control as FaZe continued their dominance of the Control game mode with a swift 3-0 of Subliners for their first lead of the series. However, the script was strangely flipped for the next two maps: Atlanta cleaned up house on Moscow Hardpoint while NYSL answered back with a big win on Miami S&D, ensuring that the series would at least go to a seventh map. HYDRA IS INSANE! What a clutch from the star rookie 🥶 pic.twitter.com/enyLQuBDfK — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) May 17, 2021 What followed was a frantic and intense Checkmate Control, one that was mostly dominated by defense until the final round, which saw Arcitys win a huge gunfight at virtually the last second to secure the map win for FaZe. With the following game being Raid S&D, a map-mode combo that FaZe are very comfortable in, it almost felt inevitable that the series would end there and that’s exactly what happened. Atlanta steamrolled NYSL with some of the fastest rounds in S&D history to secure the series victory and the Major. https://twitter.com/CODLeague/status/1394099074429751296 CDL Stage 3 Major final bracket CDL Stage 3 Major results, highlights, recaps Match 1: Ultra slip past OpTic in five-map thriller A battle between two of the league’s biggest heavyweights lived up to the billing, as Ultra vs OpTic played a five-map thriller that was full of intense moments. Ultimately, it came down to game five, round 11, and Toronto clutched it out to keep them alive in the tournament while also eliminating the Green Wall. https://twitter.com/CODLeague/status/1394034212076933125 Match 2: FaZe deny Ultra a chance to go back-to-back Last Major’s two grand finalists clashed in the Losers Final, and it was FaZe who came out on top after a dominant final S&D. The back-and-forth series saw the two teams trade maps all the way to game five, but Ultra never came close in the final map thanks to stellar plays from aBeZy. https://twitter.com/CODLeague/status/1394060016206876673 Match 1: Thieves end Royal Ravens’ Cinderella run Any hopes that Royal Ravens of making an improbable Losers Bracket run were dashed by LA Thieves, who delivered a sweep to advance to the fourth round. The Express S&D proved to be a crucial point in the series as Thieves blew a three-round lead before Kenny saved their bacon in Round 11. https://twitter.com/CODLeague/status/1393632985329639425 Match 2: OpTic shred Empire to win second straight OpTic’s resurgence seems to be coming into fruition after they eliminated Empire with a big 3-0 sweep, winning their second-straight elimination match. The series was all about Dashy, who posted a mind-boggling 2.15 series K/D while also leading the lobby with 71 kills and almost 13,000 damage. Clutch-factor ✅ That’s back-to-back Round 11 wins now for @OpTicCHI! pic.twitter.com/TfZsqGRAGX — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) May 15, 2021 Match 3: Ultra eliminate Thieves on back of historic Hardpoints In a display of respawn dominance rarely ever seen in CoD esports, Ultra sealed a spot in the top-four with a 3-1 win over Thieves, eliminating them from the Major. The Hardpoints were especially one-sided, as Toronto 100-point clubbed LA in both, including a historic 250-14 victory in the opener. Match 4: OpTic stay hot to secure top-four spot Coming off a big sweep of Empire earlier in the day, OpTic maintained their much-improved form with another 3-0 against Mutineers, knocking them out of the tournament. Much like their two series prior, OpTic clutched up yet again in round 11 of the Raid S&D, thanks to a remarkable 1v3 from Dashy. Match 5: Subliners edge past FaZe in Winners Final thriller After going up 2-0 in the series, Subliners suddenly faced the very real threat of getting reverse-swept when FaZe dominated the next two maps to force a game five. Unsurprisingly, the final map went all the way to round 11, and it was the rookie HyDra who clutched the biggest 1v1 of his career vs a formidable foe in Simp. https://twitter.com/CODLeague/status/1393736478723874817 Match 1: Royal Ravens stun ROKKR with big sweep A massive early upset saw Royal Ravens eliminate ROKKR after beating them in dominant fashion, including a very one-sided 3-0 on Garrison Control. After the tight opening Hardpoint, London were the more aggressive and efficient the rest of the way, as Minnesota will now have to go back to the drawing board after such an early elimination. ANOTHER ninja defuse?!@ZachDenyer hops the bomb with FOUR ROKKR players still up 🥷 pic.twitter.com/25RRYo59O9 — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) May 14, 2021 Match 2: OpTic bounce back with much-needed win vs LAG A one-sided opening Hardpoint loss spelled danger yet again for the struggling OpTic, who dropped their sixth straight in the mode and fifth map overall. But championship experience took over as Scump led his side to three straight map wins the rest of the way to snap a three-match losing streak, while eliminating Guerrillas in the process. SCUMP 👑 A huge two-piece from the King breaks OpTic’s Round 11 curse! pic.twitter.com/qWW5u4D4oO — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) May 14, 2021 Match 3: FaZe snap Ultra’s winning streak in epic series win Two of the best and hottest teams in the league clashed in the second round of the Winners Bracket as FaZe avenged their Stage 2 Final loss vs Ultra with a narrow 3-2 win, ending Toronto’s nine-match winning streak. Ultra put on a serious reverse sweep threat after forcing a fifth map, but Atlanta’s S&D was simply too strong for the boys in purple to handle. SEVEN S&D wins in a row now for @ATLFaZe, who have Ultra on the ropes 😮 pic.twitter.com/GxY6EIl9a8 — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) May 14, 2021 Match 4: Subliners steamroll Mutineers to reach Winners Final Subliners made it to their first Winners Bracket final after handing Mutineers one of the most dominant losses in 2021. A 100+ point win in Hardpoint, a 6-0 in S&D, and 3-0 in Control is as close as it gets to total domination, with Clayster & HyDra really stepping up and leading the charge. Match 1: Royal Ravens throttle Legion in battle of Europe A first-round all-European affair saw the Royal Ravens take care of business and eliminate the struggling Legion 3-1. After splitting the first two maps, the key swing came on the Checkmate Control, which London narrowly won, setting the stage for them to grab the victory in the following Hardpoint. Match 2: Guerrillas pile on Surge’s struggles Guerrillas handed Surge their seventh consecutive defeat with a 3-1 win in the first round, thanks to a super showing from their new starter Cheen. The veteran dropped a 1.38 series K/D, including a whopping 1.52 in the two Hardpoints, helping LAG win all three respawns to eliminate Seattle in last place. Match 3: FaZe shred Empire apart in early matchup A matchup that was set much earlier in the bracket than most would have expected, FaZe got their third win over Empire this season in a dominant fashion, sending the defending champs down to the Losers Bracket with a 3-0 sweep. Cellium was the star of the show for Atlanta, putting up some huge numbers while also being a one-man wrecking crew in the Control. INSANE series out of @Cellium vs Empire ⚡️ • 1.61 series K/D • 11-2 in S&D • Over 9.6K damageOh and he was a one man wrecking crew on that A point: pic.twitter.com/FoFvGAW2Pz — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) May 13, 2021 Match 4: Mutineers stay red-hot with narrow win over Thieves Four-map series’ don’t usually get any closer than this after Mutineers eeked out a tight victory over Thieves to advance in the Winners Bracket. The story of the match was all about Neptune, as the Florida rookie closed out the first map with a monstrous streak before coming up clutch with a huge ace in Round 11 of the Express S&D. https://twitter.com/DexertoIntel/status/1393004702187540480 Watch now: Behind the OpTic & FaZe scandal CDL Stage 3 Major format & info Location: Online – Prize pool: $500,000 (see prizing section above for breakdown) – Format: Double-elimination bracket – Seeding determined by Stage 3 standings: 1st place teams start in Winners Round 2 – 2nd & 3rd place teams start in Winners Round 1 – 4th place teams start in Losers R2 – 5th & 6th place teams start in Losers R1 – – CDL Points: Based on placement (see placements section above for breakdown) – Series are best-of-five (HP, S&D, Control, HP, S&D) – Maps & Modes: Hardpoint: Apocalypse, Checkmate, Garrison, Moscow, Raid – Search & Destroy: Checkmate, Express, Miami, Moscow, Raid – Control: Checkmate, Garrison, Raid – – CDL Stage 3 Major teams & rosters For more information about the current Call of Duty League season, make sure to visit our CDL 2021 hub, where you’ll find a full schedule of all events, a breakdown of the season format, and more.

FaZe Swagg’s “secret” AS VAL Warzone loadout could take over the meta Youtube: Swagg/Treyarch/ActivisionFaZe Swagg has showcased his lethal AS VAL sniper Warzone loadout which has the potential to compete with the meta mid-range weapons. If you’re looking to pick up as many kills as possible in Warzone and dominate your opponents, it’s usually best to run a meta loadout. At the moment, that involves building an MP5, FARA 83, or Kar98k setup, as they’re the best guns in the current meta for short, medium, and long-range. However, sometimes it can be fun to utilize unique loadouts that have the potential to break into the meta at a later date. This can often give you an advantage over your opponents as they won’t be used to playing against that specific weapon or setup. That’s exactly why it’s worth trying out Swagg’s new AS VAL sniper setup, as may be the perfect mid-range class to contest and disrupt the mid-range meta. FaZe Swagg’s “secret” AS Val Warzone loadout While the AS VAL hasn’t seen much attention in the meta for a long time, Swagg’s sniper loadout may have the potential to bring it back as a strong mid-range option. In the video, he tests the gun out in Solos, dropping a huge amount of kills and picking up the win. As the weapon only has a 10 Rnd Mag, it is worth knowing that this setup is not designed for squad modes. Attachments Barrel: VLK 200m Osa – Optic: Variable Zoom Scope – Underbarrel: Commando Foregrip – Ammunition: SPP 10-R Mags – Perk: Sleight of Hand – Swagg’s AS VAL sniper loadout focuses on maximizing the weapon’s already fast TTK and damage range. He achieves this by running the VLK 200m Osa alongside the Variable Zoom Scope, giving the gun an immense amount of power at medium range. On top of this, he uses the SPP 10-R Mags for extra bullets and the Sleight of Hand perk so he can reload efficiently. Read More: What is shadow banning in Warzone? – Don’t forget, it’s key to run this weapon alongside an AR or even better, a meta SMG. This will allow you to contest enemies at close range and aggressively push weakened opponents. Give this loadout a try and see if it nets you a few wins, it may become your new go-to mid-range setup.

FaZe Swagg’s “overpowered” Bullfrog Warzone loadout could replace nerfed FFAR Twitter, @Swagg / ActivisionWith nerfs to the FFAR 1 and AUG, Call of Duty: Warzone’s meta may be shifting — and FaZe Swagg’s deadly Bullfrog loadout just might be the best SMG to try out in your next class. The Bullfrog, much like Modern Warfare’s PP 19 Bizon, is a fan-favorite weapon from ground loot as a steady submachine gun with a big mag. It should be no surprise that top streamers and casuals alike have spent months hoping for an excuse to turn the Bullfrog into a legitimate Warzone loadout. Now, with the FFAR’s ADS (aim-down-sight time) getting nerfed in a recent update, the excuse to run the Bullfrog just might be here. Like the DMR and MAC-10’s initial nerfs, people still think the AUG and FFAR are lethal — but there’s more room for experimentation and that means a chance to zip down enemies with the Bully. While the NUKESQUAD, now all signed to FaZe Clan, have been experimenting with different Bullfrog classes, Swagg’s is a great introductory loadout. He calls it “overpowered” and, in a video where he dropped 34 kills running the SMG, it’s easy to see why. Swagg’s “overpowered” Bullfrog Warzone loadout As seen in the gameplay, Swagg pairs his Bullfrog with a ranged gun (in this case, the ever-dominant AUG). With such a hefty magazine size and easy recoil control, it proves to be a very versatile class. Muzzle: GRU Suppressor – Barrel: 6.7” VDV Reinforced – Laser: KGB Target Designator – Stock: KGB Skeletal Stock – Ammunition: Stanag 85 Rnd – Although Swagg’s teammate, GD_Booya, runs a slightly different class — Swagg has some good reasons for his choices. Booya opts for the VDV Speed Grip instead of a laser, but Swagg explains that the laser is worth adding because “it helps with hipfire accuracy and damage range.” With the nerfs to the FFAR’s ADS, the gun feels more like a traditional assault rifle and less mobile at close ranges — which is the typically SMG role that it dominated. As such, the Bullfrog becomes an excellent replacement since its TTK and mobility, especially with the laser added, should make it a close-quarters beast. As you can see in the screenshot above, the Bullfrog already has a faster TTK than the FFAR and MAC-10 up to about 17 meters. That’s ignoring ADS and hipfire mobility, so it should be obvious that the gun has real viable potential at close ranges. As Swagg summarizes this new class, “give this setup a go, guys. I promise you, you’ll absolutely slay.”

FaZe Swagg’s donation to small Warzone streamer ends horribly as cheats get activated FaZe SwaggFaZe Swagg attempted to help a small Warzone streamer but unintentionally supported a hacker instead. As a streamer and competitor, FaZe Swagg has taken it upon himself to support the Warzone community. On August 22, Swagg hosted a $100,000 Warzone tournament featuring content creators and athletes. The streamer also hosted a $5,000 open qualifier to get everyday players involved as well. Swagg’s attempt at strengthening Warzone’s competitive scene was a resounding success, as around 30,000 viewers tuned into the tournament. In the absence of Call of Duty League action, WZ content creators seized the window of opportunity to grow their own community. Activision went one step further by hosting a CDL vs. Warzone tournament to help combine both fan bases and attract new battle royale fans. Swagg tried in his own way to foster new community members, but the plan didn’t go quite as planned. FaZe Swagg blindsided by Warzone hacker CharlieIntel reported: “Swagg donated $50 to a smaller Warzone content creator to support their stream, and then, the streamer loaded in with cheats active.” Swagg couldn’t believe his eyes as the streamer he donated to had cheats clearly popping up on their screen. “His sh*t is popping up and showing on stream. Bro, he was cheating!” The donation originally came as a sign of respect, as Swagg got gunned down by an enemy during a match. However, the streamer watched the clip back, just to realize they had been cheating the whole time. After watching the evidence, Swagg screamed: “He was cheating, what the fu**, he was, I knew it.” Swagg was clearly displeased with his investment, potentially learning a valuable lesson to be more careful about vetting streamers first before he promotes them. Hopefully, such cheats won’t be as much of an issue in Modern Warfare 3, as the devs have added new features to its Ricochet anti-cheat system.

FaZe Swagg’s deadly XM4 Warzone loadout could be the best secondary in the game YouTube: SwaggFaZe Swagg has showcased his high-damage XM4 Warzone loadout that’s designed to be the perfect secondary alongside the Kilo or the AMAX. When it comes to the Season 3 Warzone meta, the Kilo, AMAX, and RAM-7 are by far the three most popular ARs in the game. This is down to their versatility and ability to take down enemies effectively at multiple ranges. However, a slot that often gets overlooked in Warzone is the importance of a strong secondary weapon, especially with so many players running Overkill. Well, FaZe Swagg’s loadout for the XM4 may be the perfect setup to run alongside your go-to primary weapon. The gun is absolutely lethal at close quarters and will ensure you’re never lacking in the damage department. FaZe Swagg’s lethal XM4 secondary Warzone loadout In the hopes of finding a new top-tier secondary weapon, Swagg decided to pull out the XM4 in a $100,000 tournament. In the end, he managed to drop a massive 30 kills with the gun during the competition and has now suggested his fanbase give the weapon a try. If you’re looking to replicate Swagg’s loadout, you can check his full setup and video below: Attachments Muzzle: Suppressor – Barrel: 13.5″ Task Force – Stock: Raider Pad – Laser: Tiger Team Spotlight – Ammunition: STANAG 60 Rnd – The main goal of this class is to create a high-damage secondary that can melt through enemies at close to medium range. While you will need to get used to the recoil on this setup, the XM4 is the perfect gun to switch to after you’ve run out of bullets on your Kilo or AMAX. Of course, the two most important attachments in Swagg’s loadout are the 13.5″ Task Force barrel for raw power and the STANAG 60 Rnd Mag to ensure you never run out of bullets in a gunfight. Make sure you give this secondary setup a try but keep in mind, loadouts are all down to personal preference, so feel free to make any changes to fit your playstyle.

FaZe Swagg’s deadly new PPSh Warzone loadout after Season 3 Reloaded buff Activision/YouTube: FaZe SwaggFaZe Clan Warzone phenom Swagg has unveiled his new PPSh loadout in Warzone, with the SMG becoming increasingly potent after its buff in the Season 3 Reloaded update. The mid-season update brought us the 80’s Action Heroes operators, with Rambo and John McClane now in the game, but as well as that there are new POIs and some big weapon buffs and nerfs too. With the meta being so open now, Raven is still finding ways to make every single weapon viable, and the PPSh buff contributes towards that. In fact, Warzone genius JGOD even said it’s “probably” now a top 3 SMG in the game, competing with the likes of the Modern Warfare MP5 and Mac 10 with its range and damage increases. Swagg’s PPSh Warzone class With that buff switching up the SMG meta slightly, Swagg decided to try out the PPSh, and he thinks it could work its way into the meta, and looks lethal in his hands. If you’re looking to switch things up, try using this build to get the most out of the PPSh, and pair it with a decent AR or sniper rifle to really maximize your efficiency at any range. Attachments Muzzle: GRU Suppressor – Barrel: 14.9″ Reinforced Heavy – Stock: Raider Stock – Underbarrel: Spetsnaz Grip – Ammunition: 55 Rnd Drum Mag – Swagg ended up dropping a huge 30 kills in this gameplay, following a fairly similar build to how most SMGs work best in Warzone. This class aims to bolster the weapon’s bullet velocity and range, while the stock helps with mobility. On top of this, the increased magazine size is vital for wiping out entire squads in Warzone. Of course, these things always come down to personal preference, so give this loadout a try but don’t be afraid to make a couple of changes to see what feels best to you.

FaZe Swagg’s “crazy” one burst CX-9 Warzone loadout melts SwaggThe CX-9 is the latest Modern Warfare weapon to hit Warzone in Season 4 and Kris ‘Swagg’ Lamberson has been dominating the competition with his deadly loadout. After months of waiting, the CX-9 is finally available to unlock in Warzone Season 4. This punchy SMG offers great mobility, lightning-fast fire rate, fantastic close-quarters damage, and an insanely quick reload. The CX-9 was originally meant to be released in Modern Warfare, but the gun was never officially added to the game until now. While it still may be early days for the CX-9, there are a number of streamers who have been demonstrating just how deadly it can be. One of those streamers is none other than FaZe Swagg. The Call of Duty pro has proven just how potent the CX-9 can truly be when it is kitted out with the best attachments. Swagg’s CX-9 Warzone loadout Barrel: CX-38S – Optic: G.I. Mini Reflex – Underbarrel: Commando Foregrip – Ammunition: 9mm Hollow Point 12-R Mags – Perk: Sleight of Hand – Unlike our own CX-9 loadout, Swagg’s build mainly focuses on the 9mm Hollow Point 12-R Mags, which greatly bolster the gun’s damage. This lethal attachment also speeds up the SMG’s ADS and movement speed, giving you the ability to aggressively rush down your foes. The CX-38S barrel is also an incredibly important part of this particular build as it enhances the CX-9’s damage range, recoil control, bullet velocity, and adds sound suppression to your shots. In fact, when the Modern Warfare SMG is kitted out with this barrel, it barely moves when fired. Pair this barrel attachment with the added recoil stabilization from the Commando Foregrip and you have a pinpoint accurate SMG that can down people outside close-quarter scenarios. The non-burst fire CX-9 loadout has a fair amount of vertical recoil, but Swagg’s loadout completely removes the need for any recoil adjustments. This enables you to purely focus on getting those all-important kills. Read More: Swagg explains what Halo Infinite needs – Lastly, the G.I. Mini Reflex gives you an unobstructed view of your surroundings. Simply snap onto your target’s head and quickly down them in a quick flurry of bursts. If you find yourself needing to reload, then the added speed from the Sleight of Hand perk will ensure you’re ammo supplies are constantly refreshed. It’s certainly not hard to see why Swagg picked up 22 kills in his game with the CX-9, so make sure you give this lethal loadout a go.

FaZe Swagg’s “broken” Cold War MP5 Warzone loadout has insane mobility Youtube: Swagg/Treyarch/ActivisionFaZe Swagg has showcased his Cold War MP5 Warzone loadout, and it’s designed to maintain a high amount of mobility to get up close and personal with opponents. Throughout Warzone Season 3, the MAC-10 reigned as the most popular SMG in the game, boasting a fast TTK and an unmatched rate of fire. However, now Season 4 has arrived, a new set of guns has taken over the meta. Currently, these are the Milano 821 and the Cold War MP5. Despite being overshadowed for a long time, the MP5 is finally making a resurgence as the premier close-range weapon. Below 10 meters, the weapon absolutely shreds through enemies and it’s become the go-to secondary in Overkill loadouts. What are the best attachments for the weapon? FaZe Swagg‘s loadout has the answer, and it doesn’t involve maximizing the weapon’s damage. Instead, the setup focuses on mobility, giving you the ability to push aggressively and take out your foes at close range. FaZe Swagg’s high-mobility Cold War MP5 Warzone loadout While maximizing a weapon’s damage is effective in some class setups, in others it’s not always necessary. Swagg’s Cold War MP5 setup is a perfect example. Instead of running a barrel to increase the SMG’s damage, he instead opts to go for a Rear Grip and a Stock. This makes things a lot easier to close the gap on enemies and put them under pressure. Unlike a lot of other SMGs, the MP5 does a serious amount of base damage at close-range, meaning it’s better to prioritize other stats like overall mobility. Attachments Muzzle: Agency Suppressor – Stock: Raider Stock – Underbarrel: Bruiser Grip – Ammunition: STANAG 50 Rnd Drum – Rear Grip: Serpent Grip – Swagg drops a massive 41 kills with this MP5 setup in the video, proving that this a weapon to be reckoned with in the right player’s hands. He even mentions that he believes the MP5 is the best close-range weapon in the game at the moment. Until the meta changes again, it’s worth taking advantage of its power while it lasts. The combination of the Raider Stock, Serpent Grip, and Bruiser Grip give this class an insane amount of mobility. If you decide to give it a try, make sure you’re pushing your opponents and playing as aggressively as possible. Remember that all class setups come down to preference, so if you think this gun needs a barrel or even a laser, don’t hesitate to make changes. Loadouts are all about matching your own playstyle, so give this class a try and rack up a few wins with it.

FaZe Swagg’s AK74u Warzone loadout is the “fastest killing SMG” Twitch: SwaggFaZe Swagg has showcased his new AK74u loadout for Warzone, claiming it’s the “fastest killing SMG” in close-range engagements. Although the Kilo and the AMAX are the current top-tier weapons in the meta, the Warzone community is continuing to experiment in an attempt to find better alternatives. That’s led a lot of players to begin using the AK74u, a deadly SMG added alongside the Black Ops Cold War integration. While the weapon doesn’t have the medium-range capabilities of an AR, it absolutely shreds opponents in at close-quarters. Now, Swagg has unveiled his loadout for the gun and it’s specifically designed for maintaining mobility and taking gunfights at close range. So, if you’re looking for an aggressive build that is perfect for putting pressure on your opponents, this is the setup for you. Faze Swagg’s deadly AK74u Warzone loadout After trying out the PPSh in mid-May, Swagg decided to kick-off June by testing out the AK74u with a loadout that focuses on doing as much damage as possible at close range. He went on to completely destroy his opponents in a Warzone match picking up countless kills with the weapon and even labeled it the “fastest killing SMG”. Attachments Muzzle: Sound Suppressor – Barrel: “10.3 Task Force – Stock: KGB Skeletal Stock – Laser: KGB Target Designator – Ammunition: Spetsnaz 50 Rnd Drum – The primary goal of this class is to maximize the amount of damage the gun does at close quarters. This makes the time-to-kill extremely fast and will put your opponents down before they even have a chance to fire a bullet. Of course, the biggest change is the addition of the “10.3 Task Force barrel which significantly increases the weapon’s damage output. However, it is worth noting that the recoil will take some practice to get used to, especially if you’re forced to take a medium-range gunfight. As always, loadouts are all down to personal preference, so feel free to tweak the setup and make any changes to fit your playstyle.

FaZe Swagg unveils insane SCUF controller worth over $2000 YouTube: Swagg/SCUF GamingTop Warzone pro and streamer FaZe Swagg has shown off his brand new unique SCUF controller, perhaps the most expensive in existence, costing over $2000. When you’re competing at the top level, using the right equipment is absolutely essential. You’ll see most Warzone pros who play on controller playing with third-party brands that offer more extensive options such as paddles. As these third-party brands, such as SCUF Gaming and BattleBeaver, become ever more popular in the space, Swagg has decided to one-up his competition by designing something truly insane. Complete with a military case, Swagg’s nuke-themed SCUF controller will be the envy of any Warzone competitor — but it won’t come cheap. Built using the new SCUF Instinct Pro Xbox controller as its foundation, the controller was packaged in an authentic military case with a UV torch, too, ensuring by all means that the device is built for battle. Those two products came to around $850 in total, with the remaining $1400-1500 entirely spent on the controller itself. This includes hand-crafted 3D parts, jelly button keys, and all of the regular trimmings you would expect from a SCUF controller. The design features not only Swagg’s logo on a ripped-effect faceplate, but it also features the nuke symbols on each stick to commemorate Swagg’s Nuke Squad, as well as the FaZe Clan logo emblazoned on the front. Obviously, these third-party controllers don’t usually come cheap, but $2000 definitely exceeds what you would expect to pay for a standard design. That said, Swagg has earned well over $100,000 from Warzone competition alone, not even including his huge content presence on YouTube and Twitch. If he can better his game with a $2k controller, he’s well within his right to do so.

FaZe Swagg & TimTheTatman accuse squad of cheating in $1M World Series of Warzone event ActivisionFaZe Swagg and TimTheTatman have “exposed” a player for cheating in the 2024 World Series of Warzone group qualifier with what looks to be wall and aim hacks. As the WSOW qualifier kicked off its first day, accusations of cheating were quickly leveled at several players, one squad in particular catching the attention of several streamers. Players chefgapparoni, Keriboh, and Onoy, who are currently ranked 43 in the NA group qualifier, have been accused of hacking on official WSOW match days. One of the first streamers to catch on to the squad’s supposed hacking was TimTheTatman during WSOW’s in-game open where his squad (which included DrDisrespect) was killed in a suspicious fashion. Spectating Onoy and replaying their kill cams, they point out how accurate their pre-aiming was and how good their tracking was while shooting through the smoke. However, he further noted that their gameplay in the impressive kill cams did not look like the same player when they were spectating them, leading Tim to accuse Onoy of turning off their hacks once they realized they were being watched. “I think I’m going hacker on that. I think he let it rip and I think he realized that we were spectating and I think he toggled it off,” Tim said of the alleged hacker. Later on during the group qualifiers, which other big streamers like FaZe Swagg qualified for, he too noticed the squad and claimed one of them was hacking. “Bro exposed himself,” Swagg said of the alleged cheater. This time it was another player, chefgapparoni, who Swagg highlighted was calling out the locations of enemies before they had appeared on their screen, which was taken live from their streamed POV. In another clip that has been shared around, chefgapparoni can be seen shooting at enemies with very good tracking, to which some claimed they were aim-botting. Of course, none of these claims can be verified until Activision takes action or if RICOCHET detects cheats on any of the players in the squads. However, as of writing, the squad is still in the World Series of Warzone group qualifier, ranked 43.

FaZe Swagg shows off the “best AR in Warzone after update” Youtube: Swagg/Treyarch/ActivisionThere’s a lot of great options in the meta when it comes to ARs in Warzone, but Swagg is convinced that the Cooper Carbine is definitely the best of the bunch. When it comes to picking an AR in Warzone Pacific, a lot of players immediately gravitate towards the STG44. With a 6.1% overall pick rate and a range of viable builds, the weapon still holds the top spot as the most popular AR in the game. Despite this, now we’re in 2022, Warzone YouTuber Swagg thinks the Cooper Carbine is a better choice on Caldera. Sitting slightly behind the STG44 when it comes to popularity, the Vanguard gun can be customized for both close and long-range engagements, making it incredibly versatile. In his latest video, Swagg transformed the weapon into a top-tier medium-range AR that deals a serious amount of damage, and he even included his full build for players to test in their matches. Swagg’s Cooper Carbine Warzone loadout Attachments Muzzle: MX Silencer – Barrel: “22 Cooper Custom – Optic: G16 2.5x – Stock: Cooper Custom Padded – Underbarrel: m1941 Hand Stop – Magazine: 9mm 60 Round Drums – Ammo Type: Lengthened – Rear Grip: Polymer Grip – Perk: Vital – Perk2: Fully Loaded – Unlike the majority of Cooper Carbine setups that maximize the gun’s damage at close-quarters, Swagg focuses on turning the weapon into a force at medium to long range. With the MX Silencer, “22 Cooper Custom, and Lengthened ammo the Cooper tears down opponents with ease, especially when using the G16 2.5x optic. Don’t forget to run the m1941 Hand Stop and Polymer Grip to bolster the gun’s recoil and allow you to lock onto targets from a distance. It’s worth noting that you may want to run Overkill with this loadout just in case any enemies push your position. We recommend taking the MP40 or even the MAC-10 just so you’re ready for any kind of gunfight. This is definitely a setup worth experimenting with in early 2022, and as the gun currently sits outside the top five most popular weapons, it may dodge a lot of the nerfs coming in future updates. Don’t forget, all class setups come down to preference so make sure to change any attachments that don’t fit your playstyle, it could have a huge impact on your performance in-game.

FaZe Swagg shows off new Warzone RAM 7 loadout after AMAX nerf Activision/YouTube: SwaggWith the Warzone meta being so wide open in Season 3, many top names have been testing out the RAM-7 — and FaZe Clan’s Swagg has given us a loadout that will tear through opponents. The RAM has been in Warzone since it launched, a Modern Warfare assault rifle that rarely got to see much action either in the battle royale or in multiplayer. Of course, it has had its fans over the last year or so, including Tfue who is seeing a resurgence with his return to Warzone. It’s never really been a meta weapon, however, but with how balanced the weapons are in Season 3, it’s definitely seeing a huge upheaval in use. Swagg’s RAM-7 Warzone class With the AMAX being nerfed and many viable assault rifles in Verdansk, the RAM-7 definitely offers something slightly more refreshing in comparison to other ARs. Excelling at medium range but with a real diversity to how you can use it, here’s how Swagg builds out his RAM-7 in Warzone. Attachments Muzzle: Monolithic Suppressor – Barrel: FSS Ranger – Optic: VLK 3.0x Optic – Underbarrel: Ranger Foregrip – Ammunition: 50 Rnd Mags – Swagg clocks up a 27-kill game in the video and does a great job showcasing how lethal the RAM-7 can be. So long as you control the recoil, it truly tears opponents apart, and can be utilized in just about any gunfight at any range. Perhaps the best part about the RAM, though, is that this versatility allows you to really try out other attachments and get a feel for what works for you. It’s definitely capable of laying down some serious damage in mid-range fights, so you could opt for the iron sight and add a Perk, Stock, or Rear Grip to your loadout. With the meta being wide open right now, it’s well worth giving Swagg’s RAM-7 a go.

FaZe Swagg shows off new “top-tier” Bullfrog Warzone loadout Twitch: Swagg/Raven SoftwareWith the Bullfrog becoming more and more popular each day in Warzone, FaZe Swagg has unveiled a “top-tier” loadout for the deadly SMG that can completely take over a game. Warzone’s huge mid-season update brought a series of new features for players to get stuck into. From the brand new Verdansk POIs to the 80s Action Heroes operators, there were certainly a number of exciting additions to check out. On top of this, since the update, the community has begun experimenting with a range of new weapons. Although the double AR loadout is the preferred setup for a lot of Warzone players, the Bullfrog is being labeled as a top-tier option in the SMG category. The question is, what are the best attachments and loadout for the weapon? FaZe Swagg’s “top-tier” Bullfrog loadout With the Warzone meta being relatively open at the moment, players are using a wide range of weapons across Verdansk. Although this is significantly better than the dark days of the MAC-10 and DMR-14, it can be difficult to choose which weapon to use in your games. Well, according to FaZe Swagg, it’s time you picked up the Bullfrog and began slaying opponents at close to medium range. This lethal SMG has been labeled as “top-tier” by the YouTuber and Twitch streamer, with him even sharing his own loadout for the gun. Attachments Muzzle: Sound Suppressor – Barrel: 7.4″ Task Force – Laser: KGB Target Designator – Stock: KGB Skeletal Stock – Ammunition: 65 Round Speed Mag – Swagg drops a 34 kill game with Bullfrog during the video showing why so many Warzone players are making this SMG their go-to weapon. Keep in mind, this setup is designed for players who are looking to push aggressively and take close-range gunfights with enemies. If you’re a player who prefers to sit back and take skirmishes from afar, you may be better off checking out Swagg’s RAM-7 loadout. However, if you’re looking for a dominant SMG class setup with a lot of mobility, you can’t go wrong with Swagg’s custom-built Bullfrog.

FaZe Swagg shows off new “meta” AK74u Warzone loadout Activision/YouTube: SwaggFaZe Clan’s Swagg has shown off his new AK74u loadout to dominate in Verdansk, and it could be set to shift the Warzone meta. Swagg is one of the most successful Warzone players in the world, regularly popping off in tournaments and single-handedly destroying lobbies alongside some of the best players out there. With the launch of Season 3, developers Raven Software have actually put the game in a solid position where there are a huge variety of viable weapons to win matches with, really opening the meta out to different players and playstyles. Now, the Black Ops Cold War AK74u could be set to pop up more across Verdansk if Swagg’s gameplay is anything to go by. Swagg’s AK74u Warzone class The Cold War SMG dominates competitive play in the CDL, with the likes of Atlanta FaZe’s Chris ‘Simp’ Lehr showing off his dominant multiplayer build. So, with top players seeking out the best new weapons to use and seeing how open the meta really is, Swagg’s given this AK74u a run-out — and it looks like it could be seriously impressive. Attachments Muzzle: GRU Suppressor – Barrel: 8.4” Rifled – Underbarrel: Spetsnaz Grip – Ammunition: VDV 50 Rnd Fast Mag – Stock: KGB Skeletal Stock – The AK74u isn’t particularly common in Warzone, with most players in Season 3 opting for a Mac 10 or Modern Warfare’s MP5. That said, with how open the meta currently is, it’s definitely worth trying out and seeing how the 74u feels, especially considering how well Swagg plays with it. So load into Warzone, take the AK74u into Verdansk, and see how you feel about it. If it can compete with the best SMGs up close, this could be a great differential weapon to catch your opponents by surprise.

FaZe Swagg shows off low recoil AUG Warzone loadout after Season 5 Reloaded buff Twitch: Swagg/Raven SoftwareFaZe Swagg has shown off his low recoil AUG loadout in Warzone after the weapon was buffed in the Season 5 Reloaded update. If you’re looking to dominate the competition in Warzone, it’s advised that you use a weapon that’s strong in the meta. With the Krig 6 and Kar98k currently being the most picked guns in the game, they’re usually best if you’re looking to farm kills. However, some players prefer to think outside of the box and try to find off-meta picks to surprise their opponents. Well, after a recent buff in the Season 5 Reloaded patch, it may be time to bring the AUG back out and start bursting down enemies from afar. FaZe Swagg tested out the weapon in his latest video and was impressed with the weapon’s power at medium range, and he’s even provided his very own custom loadout. FaZe Swagg’s low recoil AUG Warzone loadout Since the nerfs that ended the burst meta in Warzone, the AUG has been left to the wayside with ARs like the Krig and C58 taking the spotlight. However, after a reduction in recoil in the Reloaded update, it may be time to pick the AUG back up, and Swagg has the perfect loadout for you to try out. In the video, he drops 33 kills with the Tactical Rifle, noting that it’s still important to hit headshots with the AUG but it’s definitely easier to do so after the buff. Attachments Barrel: 17″ Titanium – Optic: Axial Arms 3x – Underbarrel: Field Agent Foregrip – Ammunition: 45 Rnd Drum – Muzzle: Agency Silencer – Swagg’s loadout focuses on boosting the AUG’s fire rate with the 17″ Titanium barrel, while also negating the gun’s heavy recoil pattern with the Field Agent Foregrip. This makes the weapon absolutely lethal at medium range, especially when it’s fitted with the Axial Arms 3x, making it easy to track and lock onto targets. Finally, he rounds off the loadout with the Agency Silencer for bullet velocity and the 45 Rnd Mag so you can take out a whole squad without having to reload. Don’t forget, loadouts all come down to personal preference so make sure to tweak the attachments if they don’t fit your playstyle.

FaZe Swagg roasts Michael B Jordan over his bizarre Warzone loadout Twitter, @SwaggIn an unexpected Call of Duty: Warzone crossover, FaZe Clan superstar Swagg got to ask award-winning actor Michael B. Jordan about his favorite loadout – and the streamer couldn’t help but roast the celebrity for his…unique class preference. Michael B. Jordan is a superstar in the entertainment industry. He’s won and been nominated for dozens of awards (and yes, you can count “Sexiest Man Alive” as well). He’s acted, produced, and even been crowned one of ’s most influential people in the world. But, despite voicing numerous characters in video games, MBJ might not be a superstar in the gaming world. At least, that’s the immediate impression from hearing Swagg’s reaction to the actor’s favorite Warzone loadout. Swagg, a member of FaZe Clan and Nuke Squad, is one of Warzone’s biggest streamers and among its highest earners. So when he heard that Jordan was running the AN-94 and PILA in Verdansk, he couldn’t help but crack up and roast the celebrity. Michael B. Jordan’s favorite Warzone loadout Swagg and MBJ’s talk touches on regular gaming topics like mouse and keyboard versus controller, until the streamer asks about Warzone. At that point, Jordan casually says he got a win recently and then reveals his preferred loadout: Primary: AN-94 – Secondary: PILA – From disbelief to outright laughter, Swagg goes through numerous stages of emotion in seconds before letting out a “no…you running with launchers?” The beloved actor did get a chance to explain himself, pausing intermittently as Swagg continues to crack up: “It’s the pleasure you get from blowing up a helicopter, you know what I’m saying? It’s the pleasure you get from shooting it down.” When MBJ began questioning whether his go-to loadout was frowned up, Swagg explained the main issue with his choice of weapons: “Look, man, in the Warzone community we look down on people who rock the launchers, man. We just don’t vibe with them, man.” But, as it turns out, Jordan might be an exception — as he and Swagg continue on, in good vibes, discussing the MAC-10 and weapon nerfs. To be fair, while the FaZe star did call it a “guppy” loadout, he’s also been seen dipping his toes in the AN-94, PILA water on stream recently (with somewhat tilting results). But if you want to feel like Michael B. Jordan in Verdansk, now you know how to do it.

FaZe Swagg reveals his ideal ISO Warzone Season 5 loadout Activision / Instagram: swagg_[jwplayer hIdb9BM6]Call of Duty YouTuber FaZe Swagg has revealed his ideal loadout for the new Modern Warfare and Warzone Season 5 SMG, the ISO, off the back of an impressive Warzone run. Season 5 launched on August 5 and made some huge changes to both Modern Warfare multiplayer and Warzone. In Verdansk, the Stadium was opened up and a train added to the southwest part of the map housing some top-tier loot. Obviously, as with each new season, a couple of extra guns were added to the weapon pool: the classic AN-94 assault rifle, and a new submachine gun called the ISO. While the AN-94 has already been picked up by a number of streamers and pro players, such as Seattle Surge’s Octane who is a huge fan, the ISO seems to have flown under the radar a little. Swagg decided to give it a chance though, and was left pleasantly surprised, saying the gun is a “solid” weapon choice for Warzone. The FaZe Clan member paired his ISO with a Kilo 141 assault rifle to help in those long-range gunfights, but the new SMG didn’t look entirely out of place in Verdansk. Here’s what he decked it out with: Barrel: FSS Nightshade – Stock: ISO Collapsible – Underbarrel: Commando Foregrip – Ammunition: 50 Round Drums – Perk: Sleight of Hand – Obviously, while this is what Swagg is running with, it might not necessarily be perfect for everyone. For example, you might prefer to opt for a Tac Laser or some kind of Rear Grip rather than the Sleight of Hand perk for increased accuracy and precision. Skip to 16:35 for loadout details Much of this loadout matches up with what you might expect from a good SMG class in Warzone. Commando Foregrip helps with recoil stabilization and aiming stability, while extended ammo mags are almost a necessity in Verdansk. So give this loadout a go and see how it feels — you might just find your new favorite gun for tearing up your enemies in Warzone.

FaZe Swagg reveals game-winning Warzone loadout from WSOW Stage 2 Final ActivisionFaZe Swagg qualified for the 2023 World Series of Warzone Global Finals, and the YouTuber shared the Cronen Squall loadout used in the process. 15 North American teams and 15 EU teams punched their ticket to the World Series of Warzone 2023 Global Finals during Stage 2. An additional 20 Trios from the Warzone 2 Last Chance Qualifiers will also travel to London on September 16 to compete for $600,000. Stage 2 dwindled the NA playing field from 25 trios down to 15, taking the best-performing teams based on their scores from six Warzone 2 matches. FaZe Swagg, SuperEvan, and Zcolorss needed 15 points in the final WSOW Stage 2 match to secure a top-15 spot. The trio went above and beyond to lock in their spot in the Grand Finals, and Swagg’s Cronen Squall came in clutch. Swagg qualifies for World Series of Warzone 2023 Global Finals A three-kill and zero-kill game put Swagg and company in a tough spot heading into the sixth and final Stage 2 match. The trio left it all on the battlefield with a 42-point performance. Swagg chipped in 5 kills using the Cronen Squall. In May, the Cronen Squall saw decreases in damage range, headshot multiplier, and maximum damage per shot against armor. A substantial nerf knocked the Cronen Squall out of Warzone 2’s meta, but Season 4 Reloaded restored the battle rifle to its former glory. A weapon-wide damage profile change gave the Cronen Squall the fastest TTK in Warzone 2 among long-range meta weapons. Best Warzone 2 Cronen Squall loadout Here is FaZe Swagg’s WSOS Cronen Squall loadout. Barrel: HR6.8 Barrel – Muzzle: Sakin Tread-40 – Underbarrel: FTAC Ripper 56 – Optic: SZ Recharge-DX – Magazine: 50-Round Drum – For other loadouts, check out our guide on the best Warzone 2 weapons in Season 4 Reloaded.

FaZe Swagg responds to Warzone 2 map leaks with prediction FaZe Swagg did his best detective work to decipher and piece together what the new Warzone 2 map will look like based on a leaked image. Industry insider Tom Henderson recently leaked the Warzone 2 map and multiple points of interest location names, along with the confirmation of a swimming mechanic. Henderson’s map has not been confirmed so it is best to take everything rumored with a grain of salt. That being said, rumors of classic Modern Warfare 2 maps such as Quarry, Terminal, Afghan, and Highrise getting added to Warzone are hard not to get excited about. CoD content creator FaZe Swagg has been playing CoD battle royales since Blackout on Black Ops 4 and based on the leaked image, he believes that the Warzone 2 map could be a “mix of Verdansk and Blackout put together.” Call of Duty Warzone 2 leaked map In Swagg’s video on June 1, he discussed the POIs that stand out to him and what they could look like based on prior iterations of Warzone. Swagg started by looking at the new POIs titled Modern City and Airport. The YouTuber predicts that Modern City will be similar to Downtown in Verdansk and he “doesn’t mind it” because cities provide “good diversity” for battle royale maps. While looking back on old footage from walking around Aiport in Verdansk, Swagg noted “I hope that the Warzone 2 Airport is designed after Terminal because that’s the only way it can be done right.” Quarry was a fan-favorite map from Modern Warfare 2 and Swagg mentioned that Quarry in Warzone was “one of my favorite places to fight in Verdansk.” The Warzone Quarry and Modern Warfare 2 Quarry are very different so it will be interesting to see what direction the developers decide to go in. As seen in the picture below, Henderson’s map shows several POIs and their titles. Swagg predicted that Fish Town may be inspired by the Blackout POI Rivertown and the YouTuber said “I really loved the way it played.” One thing that worries Swagg is how empty the middle map looks in the leaked image. The YouTuber said, “Verdansk was so good because everything was so cluttered in the middle.” Henderson’s leaked map could be the real deal, but we will provide an update when an official map is confirmed.

FaZe Swagg explains why MW2 Remastered Warzone integration would be so “crazy” Activision/YouTube: H3CZPopular Warzone streamer and YouTuber Kris ‘Swagg’ Lamberson has spoken with OpTic Chicago CEO Hector ‘H3CZ’ Rodriguez about the state of Warzone, and discussed how “crazy” it would be for a Modern Warfare 2 Remastered integration. Modern Warfare 2 is almost unanimously agreed upon as one of the greatest Call of Duty games of all time by long-time fans. It built upon a great standard set by Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, introducing some iconic maps, weapons, streaks and more to the franchise. It’s been 12 years since the game initially launched, but the hype for it has never truly died down, with rumors of MW2 Remastered constantly being bandied about — but Swagg actually thinks it would be perfect for Warzone. The two were discussing the current state of Warzone when the topic popped up. Many top streamers have departed to take on the world of Apex Legends, including Warzone poster boy NICKMERCS, and it must be causing concern for Activision. Read More: Everything coming in Warzone Season 5 – “I’ve already said this, let me break it down for you,” Swagg said, preparing to sell his ideas to H3CZ on the Eavesdrop Podcast. “Imagine they remaster Modern Warfare 2 and integrate it with Warzone? Modern Warfare 2 guns in Warzone, then you incorporate POIs from MW2.” He continued: “I can’t even imagine the feeling it would all bring back. It could be so crazy…” MW2 Remastered is perhaps one of the most requested games from the community, but there are actually some allusions to and POIs inspired by Modern Warfare 2 in the game. Boneyard, of course, is a copy of popular MW2 map Scrapyard, which was remastered for MW2019. Other maps such as Vacant and Broadcast are dotted across the map, in throwback references to CoD4. Whether we ever get MW2 Remastered remains to be seen. It’s clearly something the community wants, and dropping into Highrise or Terminal in Warzone would be seriously fun, but it comes down to whether Activision decides it’s worthwhile.

FaZe Swagg explains why he’s “worried” about Warzone in MW3 SwaggAfter playing the game and speaking with devs, FaZe Swag is “genuinely worried” about Warzone in Modern Warfare 3. In October, Sledgehammer Games invited over 100 content creators to play Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone as part of COD Next. Fans at home got their first look at gameplay before the eventual beta, while the content creators were able to share feedback with the development team. Next, the community had an opportunity to make first impressions and share their own feedback during the beta period. Sledgehammer Games responded to concerns by adding enemy nameplates to improve visibility, decreasing the slide to sprint delay, and balancing weapons. However, those changes only impacted Multiplayer, as that was the only mode available during the playtest. Players won’t get their hands on the new Warzone expansion until it goes live, and FaZe Swagg has concerns over how strong the final product will be. FaZe Swagg fears the worst for Warzone Modern Warfare 3 FaZe Swagg claimed that he and a few other content creators met with the MW3 devs at COD Next to discuss the upcoming game. The YouTuber shared his takeaways after playing the game early and speaking to the people behind it. Swagg’s first wishlist demand is making loadouts easy to acquire. Warzone 2 eventually added loadouts back but initially launched without a method to get custom weapons. Swagg argued it doesn’t make sense for the devs to push microtransaction weapon blueprints but not let players use them more easily. Next, Swagg urged the devs to be proactive with Warzone map changes. “Throughout the last two maps, they haven’t really made any map changes. The one thing about Fortnite is it always makes map changes.” Additionally, the YouTuber wants a more exciting pool of new weapons. “I think they really dropped the ball this year on bringing weapons to the game. With Warzone 2, it was so lazy. If it’s an ISO, they brought in an ISO 45 as a new weapon.” Lastly, it’s all about a first impression, as Swagg claimed: “So if Warzone 3 is trash at the beginning, we are cooked because that’s exactly what happened with Warzone 2 and why it failed. The game needed changes, and it took them two months to update the game because they were on Christmas break.” We won’t know for sure how the new Warzone experience is until its expected December release date.

FaZe Swagg explains why Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 feels like you’re in a movie ActivisionWarzone competitor and streamer Swagg sat down with Dexerto and explained why Black Ops 6 will exceed expectations for old and new players alike. Since Call of Duty launched its first battle royale, Swagg has been one of the top streamers on the scene. He regularly pulls off miraculous plays on the biggest stage in some of Warzone’s largest competitions. Omnimovement gives players a brand new tool to create highlight reel moments, and for Swagg, That’s exactly what makes this title worthy of the Black Ops name. Swagg What do you make of the design and the vibe of the game? “It looks so aesthetically pleasing, so vibrant, and honestly it’s set in the 1990s Gulf War, so I’m down to go back and see the vibe and I like the dark aura of Treyarch. I feel like I’m in a movie.” Which of the new Black Ops 6 features are you most excited about? “Omnimovement is what I’m most excited for, simply because its innovative. I’m excited for the clips and what people can do. That’s what Call of Duty needs. They need those viral clips and moments of cool things happening in the game that can draw people in.” It’s release day and you are in the menus. What’s the first thing you do? “The first thing I’d probably do is get gold camo. I’ll look for a specific gun and if I see a nostalgic gun I’ll gold it instantly and then the hype for Zombies is insane, so I’ll definitely play some Zombies.” Stay tuned for our next expert insight, as we had a chance to talk with Kalei, who shared her own thoughts and first impressions too. If you’re as excited for Black Ops 6 as these guys are, you’ll want to preorder online from Gamestop, then head to your nearest Gamestop store for an exclusive steelbook case to add to your collection.

FaZe Swagg, DiazBiffle and more set new Warzone world record on Caldera map Activision, FaZe SwaggWarzone Pacific’s Caldera map represents a new era for Call of Duty battle royale. An impressive new world record appears to have been set with FaZe’s Swagg and several top players all combining together to smash a kill record. Winning a game of Call of Duty: Warzone is always a special feat to achieve, but to the pros, it’s just another day at the office. This is why they need to test themselves by trying to drop stylish 20, 30, and even 40-bombs in each game where possible. Verdansk saw its fair share of truly mind-boggling world records, and to many, the slate has been wiped clean for Warzone Pacific’s tropical Caldera map. Meaning many new records are still relatively fresh as the meta continues to change and players are still trying to figure out the optimal way to approach the map. It seems the bar has been set in terms of Quads though with a new Warzone Caldera world record being set. Warzone Pacific Quads world record set Posting a Tweet that showed the captured end of game leaderboard, FaZe’s own Kris Lamberson, AKA Swagg, revealed the insane total of kills he and his teammates managed to achieve during a game of Quads. Swagg, along with FaZe Booya, DiazBiffle, and SuperEV, managed to drop a ridiculous 134-kill game on Warzone Pacific’s Caldera map! Swagg shared the squad’s final leaderboard statistics, with no player getting fewer than 33 kills. Just to reiterate, this is the new Quads world record for Warzone Pacific, but doesn’t topple the mammoth 162-kill game achieved by Aydan, Almond, ScummN, and Newbz, in Verdansk, on March 5, 2021. Regardless, this is still hugely impressive, and we are sure that this figure is only set to rise progressively as we journey through Warzone in 2022.

FaZe Swagg defends Dr Disrespect over “blacklist” from Call of Duty YouTube: Dr Disrespect, SwaggFaZe Clan’s Warzone star Kris ‘Swagg’ Lamberson has voiced his support of Dr Disrespect, as the top streamer has expressed his frustration about being “blacklisted” by Activision and Call of Duty. In September, the Doc slammed Activision for not inviting him to the COD Next event, asking if they’re “kidding” not bringing him out to the Warzone 2 and Modern Warfare 2 reveal event. Just a couple of days later, he explained why he thinks Call of Duty no longer want to work with him, saying that he believes it’s due to his criticism of the games in recent years. “I’ve done it just because I passionately love the game and I ain’t changing nothing,” he said at the time. “I ain’t changing how I feel. What, am I supposed to completely sell out my whole soul? Hell no, man. I say how it is.” Now, with the Doc already expressing his disappointment at his lack of involvement with the upcoming Call of Duty games, FaZe Swagg has shown his support. “If you don’t know, Dr Disrespect has basically been blacklisted from Activision and Call of Duty,” he explained. “They don’t invite him to play the game early or test it or anything like that, even though he worked on Call of Duty before. “And I come to say here: I stand with Doc. I really want them to involve him. He’s one of the greatest streamers, and entertainers of our time. I think they need to release Doc from the shackles and let him in.” Activision themselves haven’t spoken out about why Dr Disrespect hasn’t received invites to their events or been given early access to create content around their titles, and that’s unlikely to change. However, with the development of Doc’s game, Deadrop, ongoing, he may have bigger things to focus on as his own shooter starts to take priority and come to fruition.

FaZe Swagg creates Warzone loadout to beat RAM-7 with slept-on AR YouTube: SwaggThe RAM 7 is one of the most popular meta weapons in Warzone right now, but Swagg has found a new assault rifle that might be able to challenge its place in the rankings — and barely anybody is using it. The long-range meta in Warzone has been fairly open since the MW3 integration in December, with a range of predominantly LMGs, sniper rifles, and battle rifles being the go-to for players looking to take down enemies across Urzikstan. Most recently, the RAM 7 has become supremely popular. While it might not have the range of some of its competitors, the high fire rate and damage make it a brilliant weapon to utilize. However, if you’re looking to break out of the RAM cycle, Swagg’s understated M13 might just do the trick. Swagg M13B class The M13B isn’t often seen around Urzikstan or any of the Resurgence maps, not exactly a popular pick, but Swagg has built a loadout for it that might actually be able to deal some damage and push into the meta. Here’s how he decks it out: Muzzle: Casus Brake – Barrel: 14” Bruen Echelon – Optic: Aim Op-V4 – Underbarrel: Bruen Heavy Support Grip – Magazine: 60 Round Mag – The gun is pretty easy to control with a decent fire rate, and while it won’t break any metrics in that regard, it can certainly hold its own in gunfights at pretty much any range. As always, while we recommend trying classes like these, it’s worth nothing that what works for pro players might not work best for you, so you could try switching out certain attachments to better match your playstyle.

FaZe Swagg claims forgotten MW pistol could completely replace SMGs Activision/YouTube: SwaggWarzone demon FaZe Swagg has found an overlooked pistol from Modern Warfare that he believes could be better than every SMG in the game and might even compete with the Diamatti. It takes a lot for a player like Swagg to be impressed with a Warzone weapon. As a veteran of the scene, he’s watched everything from the days of the DMR and Dragon’s Breath to the current days of the Owen Gun and the Carl Gustaf (aka the H4 Blixen). While the Diamatti was previously able to muscle its way to the peak of the meta throughout Vanguard Season 2, the streamer thinks he might have locked down yet another pistol that’s headed to the tippy top. FaZe Swagg’s Modern Warfare pistol loadout In a June 16 video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Swagg broke down exactly why he thinks Modern Warfare’s Desert Eagle could be one of WZ’s best overall secondaries. Inspired by a video from another creator, he slapped together a loadout and tried it out for himself on Rebirth Island. After picking up a loadout, it didn’t take long for the high-powered handgun to become useful, as the Nuke Squad founder weaseled his way out of several close situations with it. “Alright, the Deagle is actually pretty good. It’s really fun,” he said. Throughout the video, the Warzone giant does have some complaints about the weapon, but at the end of the day its strength overshadow its weaknesses. Swagg doesn’t show off his particular loadout for the weapon, but this was the standard build for the gun back when it saw a small boost in popularity towards the end of the first year of the game. .50 GS Desert Eagle loadout Barrel: FORGE TAC Enforcer – Trigger Action: Match Grade – Magazine: 13 Round Mags – Rear Grip: Stippled Grip Tape – Perk: Sleight of Hand – While it lacks in the firing speed of its competitors, it packs a heavy punch and a big magazine, making it a solid option to take back-to-back fights. Its biggest disadvantage is in being a semi-automatic weapon, naturally making it more efficient in the hands of better players who might not need as much forgiveness as something of the full auto variety. For anyone looking to catch a break from the usual Owen Gun or Diamatti setup though, even Swagg believes that this could be the choice for the job.

FaZe Swagg addresses Warzone cheating claims again: “This is crazy” Activision / YouTube: SwaggAs one of the biggest names in Warzone today, FaZe Swagg is constantly under a microscope but the popular streamer has finally looked to silence cheating accusations once and for all. Warzone superstars are always coming under scrutiny for their gameplay. With thousands watching day in and day out, the occasional moment of sharp aim or big-brain movement can often raise some eyebrows among casual viewers. From DiazBiffle to ZLaner, no one is safe when cheating accusations are thrown around. Despite having NICKMERCS back him up in recent months, it was just Swagg’s turn to address such accusations once again. With speculation piling up, the mega-popular FaZe Clan member finally addressed cheating claims in a dedicated YouTube video. Caught you in 4K @Swagg 😅 pic.twitter.com/EQTQCtKQqr — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) January 31, 2021 “I just want to say that I am not cheating,” Swagg said, clear as day, in his latest YouTube upload. Despite the constant influx of “TikToks and YouTube videos saying that [he’s] cheating,” Swagg was quick to shut everything down once again. From wall-hacks to aimbots and everything in between, Swagg assured he’s never been the type to gain an unfair advantage in Warzone. Specifically, many in the community have even “called out” that Swagg uses a ‘Cronus.’ While he may be a “goofball,” he denied such accusations without a second thought. “I have almost 110 days played on Warzone,” he stressed. “It’s crazy that people can’t grasp that… you can’t be good enough. I’m here to say that I’m not cheating.” Not only was Swagg adamant against the cheating claims, but he even jokingly admitted he doesn’t view himself as “the best player.” Although he’s among the Top 10 highest Warzone earners, Swagg doesn’t see himself among the competitive greats. Perhaps with this admission, cheating accusations will finally calm down. Especially with Vanguard’s anticheat drawing close, these claims should be put to bed once and for all in the very near future.

FaZe Sniping is back in Modern Warfare 3 Rust Infinity Ward / FaZe ClanFaZe, the notorious clan built upon Call of Duty Quickscopes and Trickshots is back in Modern Warfare 3 as FaZe Temperrr showed off his skills with an insane sniping loadout. Sledgehammer Games Modern Warfare 3 brought all-new exciting elements to the Call of Duty franchise like Tac-Stance, and some old favorites like Modern Warfare Remastered movement mechanics. FaZe Clan wowed fans in the original Modern Warfare series by showcasing their sniping and trickshotting skills on maps like Highrise and Rust, but in recent Call of Duty games like the newer MW2, developers have nerfed sniping capabilities. However, in the new Modern Warfare 3 (2023), FaZe Temperrr highlighted that sniping could be back, and better than ever, as he demolished the enemy lobby in the classic, returning OG map Rust. FaZe Temperrr hit insane clip on Modern Warfare 3 Rust FaZe Temperrr posted this clip of him showcasing his sniping skills that brought fans nostalgia, reminding them of the old FaZe Clan which primarily focused on Call of Duty for content. In the clip FaZe Temperrr slide-canceled, no-scoped, and quickscoped quick succession to rack up an impressive 5-kill sniping spree. Fans immediately reminisced about the FaZe clan of years past, who used to post sniping montages that fans loved. “It’s back baby,” one fan raved in the clip comments, while another couldn’t believe the nostalgia of the gameplay: “Reliving 2011 again.” If you’re trying to hit clips like this in Modern Warfare 3 with the Longbow sniper used by FaZe Temperrr, try using this sniping loadout. Modern Warfare 3 Quickscoping Longbow Sniper Loadout Gun: Longbow – Barrel: Pro-99 Long Barrel – Laser: SL Razerhawk Laser Ligh – Stock: Stockless – Underbarrel: XTEN TX-12 Handstop – Rear Grip: Citadel LV Tactical Grip – Magazine 10 Round Mag – Enjoy blistering ADS speed and sprint-fire-speed thanks to the Stockless and Citadel LV Tactical Grip Attachments while still maintaining solid damage range with the Pro-99 Long Barrel, giving you the best chance to make clips of your own to match FaZe Temperrr’s. To give yourself multiple top-class loadouts to choose from, visit our weapon guides on the best Assault Rifles and SMGs, like the MCW and the Striker.

FaZe Simp reveals which retired Call of Duty pro he’d love to team with in CDL Call of Duty LeagueAtlanta FaZe’s Chris ‘Simp’ Lehr has revealed the retired Call of Duty pro he would most like to have teamed with, citing a multiple-time world champion as his number one pick. Since first entering the pro league back in Black Ops 4, Simp has been a standout player in every sense of the word. He’s not only been the best player in the game across different titles but often looks lightyears ahead of the competition, with the accolades to prove it. That said, since Simp is still so new to the pro scene, there are a number of legends he never got to team with or go up against in their prime, with years of history that he didn’t get to really experience as a player. But, looking back at the legends of the game, Simp singled out one retired pro as someone that he would love to team with: Canadian star and one of the most successful in the history of CoD, Damon ‘Karma’ Barlow. During a Q&A session on his YouTube channel, Simp answered the question about which retired pro he’d like to play with, and explained why Karma was his top choice. “If I had to choose, it would be Damon ‘Karma’ Barlow, just because I feel like he’s probably hilarious,” the two-time world champion explained. “I also feel like he was just super fun to team with.” He continued: “The guy was just GOATy back in the day when he was playing, and I don’t know, I feel like he could still have it in him if he wanted to.” Timestamp 12:57 There’s no denying that Simp and Karma in their primes playing together would’ve made for some great viewing — and Karma’s storied career may have lasted even longer if he managed to slide into a team with Simp in Modern Warfare, rather than the Seattle Surge squad. As one of the greatest to ever touch the game, it’s no surprise that Simp would pick Karma for this — but now fans can only wonder what might have happened if they did end up teaming.

FaZe Simp hits out at LA Guerrillas coach Bevils over scrim controversy L: Activision / R: laguerrillas (Instagram)Atlanta FaZe’s Chirs ‘Simp’ Lehr and LA Guerillas coach Embry ‘Bevils’ Bevils have locked horns on Twitter over the use of CoD Caster during CDL scrims. As the Call of Duty League continues to progress through its inaugural season, teams are knuckling down to put their stamp on the league. With the season currently poised in a three-horse race for the top spot, tensions are rising as each respective team attempts to clinch the top spot. Following Activision’s cancellation of all forthcoming CDL home series events in light of the coronavirus outbreak, the league is set to revert to an online format to ensure that the season progresses. With that in mind, online practice is more essential than ever. And while teams continue to put in the hours on the sticks, two were left toing and froing in a heated debate. FaZe’s reigning world champ, Simp, ignited the dispute after sending out a Tweet stating “some of these pro teams blow my mind.” There was no context to Lehr’s Tweet, until Guerrillas’ head coach responded. “You try to tell us we can’t spectate a scrim last minute out of the blue, because your coaches weren’t there,” Bevils retaliated. “Am I missing the mind blowing part?” You try to tell us we cant spectate a scrim last minute out of the blue because your coaches weren’t there. Am I missing the mind blowing part? — Embry (@Bevils) March 13, 2020 The crux of the issue appeared to be related to the use of CoD Caster while spectating the scrims, which essentially provides coaches with a more dynamic view of the map as the battle unfolds. Sorry bro you dont get to tell 3 people they cant do their job because you dont feel like it. Tough concept to grasp im sure — Embry (@Bevils) March 13, 2020 Of course, the tool is designed to be used by casters at events, to give spectators a more entertaining perspective of the action. The whole engagement was over in three minutes, and both parties appeared to go their separate ways and pursue another scrim. Nonetheless, some of their fellow CDL pros tried to see the lighter side of the debate. With the CDL season effectively suspended until further notice from Activision, teams will be looking to cram in as much practice as possible. Stay tuned to our Call of Duty League hub as we bring you the latest as it unfolds.

FaZe Simp reveals “best” Automaton loadout in CoD Vanguard: Assault Rifle setup Activision / Instagram: SimpChris_Competitive Call of Duty star and 2021 CDL champion Simp has revealed the “best” Automaton loadout in CoD Vanguard to help you get ahead of the curve with the right attachments and equipment. Ever since Vanguard launched, a small handful of weapons have dominated the meta. The controversially powerful STG still reigns supreme, as does the MP40, the strongest SMG in the game today. Though one other option has stood out in the early weeks. The Automaton has been a popular AR pick, especially in the pro scene following the STG’s ban. With the optimal setup, it’s an extremely accurate gun more than capable of helping you top the scoreboards. So if you’re looking for a way to outclass the competition online, there’s no better place to start than with Simp’s Automaton loadout. FaZe Simp’s Automaton loadout in CoD Vanguard Muzzle: G28 Compensator – Barrel: Anastasia Sniper – Optic: Slate Reflector – Stock: Zac Skeletal – Underbarrel: M1941 Hand Stop – Magazine: Empty – Ammo Type: Lengthened – Rear Grip: Granular Grip – Proficiency: Tight Grip – Kit: On-Hand – The goal of Simp’s Automaton build is to craft the most agile AR possible. Given the pace of Vanguard, having an AR that can flex into a similar playstyle of an SMG is always helpful. Therefore, every attachment has a similar goal of boosting move speed while keeping accuracy on point. The most important pick to get that done is the Zac Skeletal Stock which gives you “really fast strafe speed,” Simp explained. Next is the Anastasia Sniper Barrel to help improve both bullet velocity and range. “You really want your guns to have the most bullet velocity possible,” he said. The “only downside” to this particular option comes in terms of hipfire reduction, but as Simp claims, “it doesn’t matter too much on an AR.” As for the weapon Proficiency, there’s no looking past Tight Grip. This helps reduce flinch “when getting shot,” assuring you win more gunfights than you lose. When building the rest of the Automaton loadout, there’s nothing out of the ordinary in Simp’s class. “It’s pretty much the basics for any competitive class at the moment,” he said. Read More: Top 10 most viewed Warzone Twitch streamers – From Ninja in the Perk 1 slot to the Ratt as your secondary weapon, you’ll be running all the essentials as you outclass the opposition.

FaZe Santana brutally humiliates Warzone trash talker by exposing his poor clips & stats FaZe Clan / ActivisionContent creators are no strangers to online trash talk, but Call of Duty: Warzone streamer Santana decided to clap back. In a brutal online roast, the FaZe Clan and Nuke Squad member absolutely exposed a TikTok hater with their less-than-stellar clips and stats. As the popular saying goes, “when you come at the king, you best not miss.” Well, FaZe Clan and Nuke Squad’s Santana may not be the king of Warzone — but, to random TikTok users, he most certainly is. And one trash talker learned that the hard way. When TikTok’s ‘abcmultikillz’ replied to a Santana play calling it “weak” and saying “wtf,” he probably didn’t expect the streamer to respond. And, in a way, Santana didn’t respond (directly, at least). Instead, he decided to put the hater on blast for the whole world to see. Santana proceeded to check out the trash talker’s profile, where he found an embarrassing gameplay video with a whole lot of missed shots — perfect for a public roast session. Nuke Squad’s Santana roasts hater’s gameplay In Santana’s video, he shows his entire revengre process: seeing the comment, checking out the profile, and then discovering how much of a bot his hater was. All that is summarized perfectly in his caption to the tweet above. But the streamer wasn’t done yet. Maybe he wanted to give his critic the benefit of the doubt and check if the play was an exception to normal talents. But JGOD sent him the player’s not-so-great stats and Santana proceeded to expose those too. AYE YOOOOOOOOO IM DONE!!!! https://t.co/0s97t83Jy0 pic.twitter.com/GxOw8YJLxy — FaZe Santana (@TheBoiSantana) April 30, 2021 It’s absolutely fine to criticize a streamer’s talent, almost all of their gameplay is public and therefore as open to critique as they are to praise. But, when your gameplay and statistics are also public, maybe you should be ready for a clap back. In this case, Santana had the time and decided that the trash talk goes both ways. Unfortunately for abcmultikillz, FaZe’s streamer simply had more ammunition to work with. The TikTok hater has never won a game of Warzone (despite being at Prestige 8) and has a 0.42 kill-death ratio (which is “Bottom 15%). Exposing that, and the clip of him struggling to get just a single kill, is possibly the most brutal streamer-on-hater roast we’ve seen in Warzone history.

FaZe reveal stacked FC Black roster for CWL Fort Worth FaZe/MLGCall of Duty scene after a four-year absence. That iteration of the lineup ended up with a 21-24-place finish at the event – securing a spot at the CWL Pro League qualifier where they finished 17-20th, missing out on the Pro League. Now, FC Black will be returning at CWL Fort Worth with a brand-new roster that is stacked with young talent. Like at Vegas, the team will be competing in the amateur bracket, but this time around, they are likely to be one of the favorites. The new-look team will consist of returning members Obey ‘Asim’ Asim, Thomas ‘GRVTY’ Malin and Timothy ‘Phantomz’ Landis but will be flanked by former FaZe Clan member McArthur ‘Cellium’ Jovial. They will also be joined by Chris ‘Simp’ Lehr as the rising star joins the squad on loan from eUnited. This will be Simp’s first CWL event appearance after he turned the age necessary to compete, 18, at the beginning of February. #FCBlack: Our roster this weekend @ #CWLForthWorth:@Cellium @GstaAsim @PhantomzTheGod @tomGRVTY @SimpTheSickJoke (on loan from eU)@RJTheSlothbear (Coach)#FaZeUp — #FaZeUp (@FaZeUpdate) March 14, 2019 With a roster stacked full of talent, FC Black has been handed the fourth-seed in the open bracket and will likely be one of the favorites to be crowned champions of the $75,000 tournament. There is $15,000 on offer for the eventual winner, alongside 5,000 pro points – so there is plenty of incentive for a strong showing from the new-look squad. FC Black Roster: Obey ‘Asim’ Asim – Thomas ‘GRVTY’ Malin – McArthur ‘Cellium’ Jovial – Timothy ‘Phantomz’ Landis – Chris ‘Simp’ Lehr –

FaZe Rain explains why pros are forced to like “garbage” Modern Warfare FaZe Rain (YouTube)FaZe Clan co-owner, Nordan ‘FaZe Rain’ Shat has voiced his opinion on the Modern Warfare beta, revealing why professional players will be forced to like it and how it’s “straight garbage” for trickshoters and snipers alike. The latest iteration of the Call of Duty franchise is still in its beta phase, with PlayStation 4 owners getting the first look. However, both competitive players and content creators alike have been keen to voice their opinion, regardless of the beta being in its infancy. The latest of which is FaZe Rain, whose YouTube channel was among the first to popularize trickshotting and sniping montages in the franchise. Nordan has soared to riches through Call of Duty, as he poses next to his McLaren. Although the prevailing consensus (thus far) among the Call of Duty community relates to dampened experience due to the lack of minimap, a different concern appears to have transpired in regards to the sniping experience. Any development team behind a Call of Duty title faces the almost impossible task of tailoring their game to please the casual player base, right through to the competitive scene. Somewhere in the middle of that are content creators such as FaZe Rain. Given the mixed bag of opinions that currently pertain to sniping in Modern Warfare, Nordan has attempted to set the record straight on Twitter. Rain began by stating how the game won’t work for trickshotters or snipers, as he detailed his experience: “It was straight garbage, and that’s my opinion. For trickshotters and snipers, there’s no way you can tell me that this game is fire. It’s trash, it’s literally just some hot garbage” The FaZe co-owner went on to explain that Modern Warfare will appeal to the masses. “For competitive players, tryhards, casual players, sure it’s probably a good game, enjoy it. Enjoy the year,” he said. Nonetheless, Rain went on to simplify his concerns by implying that he can just choose to set the latest edition of the franchise aside, whereas pros are required to play, regardless of their beliefs. “What are competitive players gonna do? Just throw their careers in the trash ‘cause CoD sucks? No! They have to keep playing it.” A previous from Rain even drew the attention of the winningest Call of Duty player, as Ian ‘Crimsix’ Porter responded with a confused gif. Although Nordan is stating the obvious, the 23-year-old raises a point which will be a concern among Call of Duty content creators and fans. A prime example is the willingness of the development team to make drastic changes to the multiplayer experience based off of community feedback, which up until this point, Infinity Ward appear to be listening and implementing changes where appropriate. Whether or not Rain’s opinion will snowball into changes remains to be seen.

FaZe players explain how CDL Atlanta was “easy” after home series win Austin AndersonAfter a dominant showing at their Call of Duty League home series, the Atlanta FaZe have revealed exactly what makes them tick and how they’re “trying to be the new dynasty.” Atlanta FaZe became the first team to defend their home turf, after going flawless in their home series event. While the road to victory wasn’t as plain sailing as many predicted, the squad did rally to get the victory that was expected. After a convincing win in the Grand Final, members of the FaZe roster spoke with Dexerto and delved into why the event was “easy” despite a little turbulence in the semifinals. Fresh off of his 3-0 win versus Mutineers, Tyler ‘aBeZy’ Pharris explained how they managed to turn things around after a close semifinal match against RØKKR. “We came out with the fire, we just completely flipped a switch,” Pharris said before acknowledging the crowd’s role in their home series defense. “The crowd was amazing, shoutout to all the people in the crowd – those guys are great, can’t thank them enough.” #EZAF superstar @aBeZy explains why this #CDL2020 Atlanta win felt “”just as good”” as Champs with @eUnited w/@GFuelEnergy | #DOCGFUELCAN pic.twitter.com/3DkxYH9LGD — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) February 24, 2020 FaZe’s AR, Michael ‘MajorManiak’ Szymaniak, also took time out to speak with Dexerto following the win. Reflecting back on their path to the final, the 21-year-old claimed that “It was a little easy,” before continuing: “That’s expected – we’re such a dominant team online.” In terms of the team’s recipe for success, MajorManiak put that down to knowing one another for a while alongside all being individually talented in their own right. “When you put those things together (and we vibe very well) and we’re fundamentally and mechanically gifted… I just think we’re a very scary squad,” Szymaniak explained. However, the squad isn’t looking to settle with their home series win, as they’re looking to follow in the footsteps of compLexity and OpTic Gaming by “trying to be the new dynasty.” “”It was a little easy, but that’s expected”” 👀@ATLFaZe star @majormaniak wasn’t lacking confidence heading into #CDL2020 Atlanta w/@GFuelEnergy | #DOCGFUELCAN pic.twitter.com/AFcI0LUJEU — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) February 24, 2020 Fresh from his lights-out performance in the Grand Final, Preston ‘Priestahh’ Greiner explained one of the main contributing factors behind their success to be bringing the ‘hype’ when it matters most. “For some reason, aBeZy and Simp just feed off of it,” Priestahh admitted. “If you hype them up, they’ll pop out three-pieces… So I started doing that and I’m losing my voice now.” “”We were taking them lightly in the beginning.””@Priestahh explains how @ATLFaZe came back from down 0-2 in semis of #CDL2020 Atlanta. w/@GFuelEnergy | #DOCGFUELCAN pic.twitter.com/D0doeBWqGX — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) February 24, 2020 Of course, FaZe prodigies Chris ‘Simp’ Lehr and McArthur ‘Cellium’ Jovel were on fire all weekend long, earning themselves a 1.24 and 1.32 K/D ratio respectively. Cellium’s efforts in the server were recognized, as he earned himself the MVP award. Read more: Is Wuskin the best Modern Warfare player? – Simp has been Jovel’s hypeman all season long and that didn’t change in the post-tournament interview as he acknowledged that “Cellium is always just doing what he does best, just killing everything in his sight – he plays the game right and he gets the kills.” Lehr also paid homage to the whole squad’s role after their win. “At any moment, any person can go off and just take us to victory, the 19-year-old shared. “”At any moment, any person can go off.””@SimpXO explains why @ATLFaZe look so much better than everyone else in #CDL2020 w/@GFuelEnergy | #DOCGFUELCAN pic.twitter.com/xMbmfsM4Bo — Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) February 24, 2020 While the professional team stole the spotlight, FaZe’s home series was an all-around success for the organization, as the FaZe Academy team also took top honours in the Challengers event. Atlanta will now be looking ahead to CDL Los Angeles, where Mutineers will be looking for redemption in the event’s opening match. For more information about the Call of Duty League, visit our season hub where we have everything rounded up in one place from the latest standings to full event schedules – and much more!

FaZe & OpTic suffer most from removal of Checkmate S&D in CDL map rotation ActivisionCheckmate Search and Destroy has been removed from the Call of Duty League map rotation ahead of Stage 4, with classic Black Ops 2 map Standoff taking its place. Now, teams like OpTic Chicago and Atlanta FaZe are among the biggest losers from its removal. While many fans and players alike are happy to see Checkmate making its way out of the competitive map pool, this doesn’t come without wider implications across the entire CDL. Players have been practicing Checkmate for months at this point, and some have become brilliant at it. On the other hand, though, some teams have had a dire experience on the map, and something new coming in would be hugely welcomed. So, with Standoff making its way in, we take a look at which teams benefit the most and least from Checkmate’s removal. It’s worth pointing out that every single team has played the map at least twice during the 2021 CDL season, except LA Guerrillas, who haven’t played it at all. They will likely be happy to see it removed from the rotation based on that alone. The story isn’t the same for all teams, however. London Royal Ravens have failed to win the map once out of the three times they’ve played it, and Toronto Ultra only have one win out of four. On the top side of the table, FaZe and OpTic have each played it eight times, with seven and six wins respectively. Here’s each team’s record on the map, courtesy of Atlanta FaZe analyst EasyMac: Perhaps the strangest stat is that of Toronto Ultra’s, considering their incredible S&D prowess and ability to take over maps. They’ll be hoping Standoff helps improve their map pool. Obviously, at this point, Standoff is pretty much an unknown quantity. While most players will have experience on it, Black Ops Cold War is a completely different game to Black Ops 2, and players will have to adapt to that rather than how they played it all those years ago. Whether it makes much of a difference on teams’ performances throughout CDL Stage 4 remains to be seen, but no doubt players will be split on the loss of the map.

FaZe LOSING to OpTic? | CDL Reverse Sweep Major Preview The CDL is diving into the second Major of the 2021 season and the Reverse Sweep panel of Ian ‘Enable’ Wyatt, Jonathan ‘Pacman’ Tucker and Katie Bedford run through the biggest matches that’ll rule the weekend. After the Reverse Sweep gang’s last review of the CDL, there are huge implications for league teams heading into the next Major – where everyone is expecting big upsets early on in the brackets. From the Round 1 matchup in the Winners Bracket between New York Subliners and Dallas Empire to seeing LA Thieves’ big (already-impressive) attempt at a Losers’ bracket run, there’s plenty to unpack in the $500,000 Major. Winners Bracket Predictions Two teams that have all the firepower to be in the Grand Finals, Empire and Subliners, are matched up in the first round of the Winners Bracket. This is the game that Pacman can see having ripple effects across the Major regardless who wins. Meanwhile, the panel thinks OpTic are a sure bet on the other side of Winners. Enable gave his perspective of the Green Wall’s drive in the lead-up to their game vs Toronto Ultra, especially since OpTic members have hardly been streaming in order to grind for the Major. Losers Bracket Prediction The rest of the teams in the Losers Bracket have a chance of making it far, but the Reverse Sweep crew were liking one group in particular to have the most impact. Pacman and Enable like the Seattle Surge as being an extremely dangerous team in the lower bracket. Ones to Watch Enable is still riding the RØKKR hype. The team did everything in their power to top out the LAG Home Series Group B standings and were rewarded with a prime position to go far in the second Major. But Pacman is also looking at OpTic’s frontman, Seth ‘Scump’ Abner. This is a big event for OpTic, who want to establish themselves as a top-three team in the league. As for Katie, she wants to see New York Subliners’ James ‘Clayster’ Eubanks take the next step in his leadership over his team to bring about meaningful results. Bold Predictions and Grand Finals The biggest prediction came from Pacman, who thinks FaZe Clan are going to go to the Losers Bracket at the hands of OpTic. But “FaZe is FaZe,” and Pacman can still see them taking the whole Major. As for Enable, he’s taking the RØKKR all the way to Grand Finals. While he’s not saying the team is a lock to take the entire tournament, he’s confident that Minnesota can break a few brackets in their run. The entire Reverse Sweep crew agreed on one thing: FaZe Clan in the Finals. But they were all split on who they were going to go up against. Make sure to check out the full preview show to see if your Grand Finals prediction stacks up with theirs. For all Reverse Sweep CDL news, head over to our dedicated page.

FaZe Kalei threatens to quit public Warzone events as cheating crisis continues Activision/ Instagram: kaleirenayFaZe Kalei has announced that she’ll no longer be competing in public Warzone events and has urged other popular streamers to follow suit amidst the ongoing cheating crisis. Despite more than half a million Warzone accounts being banned to date, the presence of cheaters and hackers in Verdansk has only reached new heights. We’ve already seen many of the biggest names like NICKMERCS and CouRage abandon the title— often to arch-rival Apex Legends, to boot — due to the recent cheating surge. With hackers appearing in almost every lobby, even xQc has bumped into a few during his rare Warzone streams. Despite warnings from popular figures, many of the latest Warzone events have still taken place in public lobbies, as the cheating crisis rages on. Now, another huge name is “done” competing in these events altogether, with FaZe Kalei revealing she’s taking a step back. In a public kill-race format, teams must drop into regular matchmaking. With the prominence of cheaters, this format leads to its fair share of issues. If teams encounter a suspicious player, they’re often allowed to restart and search for a new lobby to keep things fair. Kalei and her team were interrupted by 11 cheaters during a July 29 event. This led to three full hours of constant resets. Admins eventually stepped in and announced no further resets. However, they fell victim to yet “another cheater” in their final game, bringing their run to an unceremonious end. “I’m so heartbroken with what this game has become,” Kalei shared in a since-deleted tweet after the unfortunate loss. “I’m done with public tourneys,” she added. Moreover, she “[hopes] other streamers follow.” The FaZe star continued: “I just want people to understand the current state of Warzone and what us competitors are dealing with.” In order to run more appropriate events, Kalei demanded that private lobbies become the norm moving forward. Public events are “killing us,” she stressed: “I would’ve stopped a long time ago but my channel grew on Warzone. Warzone is going to get worse if nothing is done.” While Raven Software has been fairly quiet amidst the ongoing Activision lawsuit, it remains to be seen if a more effective anti-cheat is actually in the pipeline.

FaZe Kalei stuns 7-Eleven staff after calling for CoD Vanguard 2XP Doritos bags Activision/FaZeFaZe Kalei’s quest for double XP in Call of Duty: Vanguard literally had her calling up local 7-Eleven stores, leaving staff absolutely perplexed. Leveling up in Call of Duty can be a grind, especially with bugs causing issues, but Doritos has hardcore gamers’ backs, offering up codes for double XP points on select bags. Unfortunately, not every bag of Doritos has these codes, and while the chips are delicious, gamers hungry to level up quicker can’t make do without those codes. As such, FaZe Kalei embarked on a quest of legendary proportions: to contact 7-Elevens in the area to see if they had specially marked bags of Doritos in stock before ordering off Doordash. Needless to say, the results were hilarious. i’m really calling my local 7/11’s on stream rn asking them if their dorito bags have call of duty xp before i order from them on doordash LMAO — Kalei (@KaleiRenay) November 10, 2021 FaZe Kalei calls 7-Eleven on stream for CoD Doritos bags During her November 10 Twitch stream, Kalei started calling stores in hopes of finding if their Doritos had CoD 2XP codes on them. “Do your Dorito bags have Call of Duty double XP?” she asked staff at the store while trying not to laugh at the silliness of her inquiry. “Uh, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” a confused employee replied. “Okay, well, thank you,” she replied before breaking out in laughter. On Twitter, the FaZe clan star revealed she was desperate because she had used up all of her Warzone double XP tokens and that she was literally tempted to buy some off eBay. Alternatively, she even hatched an idea to just go into the store, take pictures of the bags and then leave, though it doesn’t seem like she went through with that nefarious plan. It’s unclear if Kalei will be able to get her hands on those tokens, but the fact she was willing to call stores on stream is a great indicator of the lengths she’s willing to go.

FaZe Kalei shows explanation for Warzone “hacks” that got her banned from TikTok Twitter: KelaiRenay/ActivisionFaZe Clan’s newest streamer, KaleiRenay, showed off the reason why people thought she was hacking in Warzone and it’s actually a pretty simple thing. Ever since Warzone first launched a touch over a year ago, players have had problems with cheaters and hackers ruining their experience. So much so that, if you grab even the most basic of kills, you might hear a “you’re getting reported” on the resulting death comms. Even though over half a million players have been banned for cheating in some way, most players aren’t cheating, despite some wild claims. FaZe Clan’s newest signing, Twitch streamer KaleiRenay, came under fire from some viewers who thought she was cheating because she was making loadout boxes appear as red in-game. It even got her banned from TikTok, but the reason is easily explained. The Warzone star isn’t cheating, but instead, she’s just marking the loadout boxes for her teammates. That makes it show up with a colored outline and appear through certain surfaces, which had some people assuming she had wallhacks. “Got to clarify it for TikTok, but see how far I go, I can see the red box. It disappears, but look at that, I can still see the red box at a certain amount,” she said, moving back and forth from the loadout drop. “The fact that I have to explain this because people think I’m cheating because they saw a red box on one of my clips because I have specialist but specialist is now removed from the game, so I had to equip spotter. This is the red box that people saw, that I just got permabanned for, and that’s it.” Of course, while her situation is easily explainable, there will always be some who are stuck in their ways and refuse to change their mind. Kalei will keep dominating in Verdansk regardless and she continues to grow and grow after joining up with FaZe.

FaZe Kalei left speechless after joining unbelievably chaotic Warzone lobby Twitch.tv/KaleiFaZe Kalei is known for her wild child personality but this Fortune’s Keep Warzone lobby started off too chaotic even for her taste. Warzone’s pre-game lobbies are one of two times that players can speak directly to other members of the game that aren’t on their team, and as expected, they’re known to get hectic from time to time. While Kalei largely grew her brand by creating chaos both in-game and on social media, even she got a bit overwhelmed this time around, but it’s easy to understand why after hearing the clip. FaZe Kalei enters one the most chaotic Warzone lobbies of all time The clip from Kalei’s stream picked up right on time and showcased all of the madness. From the moment she joined the lobby, the usually-outgoing and over the top streamer is stunned into silence as the noise from the other players is simply impenetrable. While there are too many different voices to pick all of them out, one player can be heard screaming while another rapidly repeats the classic “yo momma” phrase ad infinitum into their headset. More people chimed into the cacophony until it was all just a blend of mostly unintelligible noises, all while Kalei sat in her chair with her jaw dropped in disbelief. This kind of raucous back-and-forth is typically reserved for the post-game lobby where player can briefly chat amongst themselves but it seems like this particular Resurgence group didn’t feel like waiting to get their chatter off. With the news of proximity chat coming to Warzone 2, it’s easy to wonder if lobbies might be trending back towards being just as famously chaotic as they were back in the Xbox 360 & PS3 era of the franchise.

FaZe Jev says “CoD clone” is better than “trash can” MW2 Alfa Bravo IncIn search of a new FPS game to replace Modern Warfare 2, FaZe Jev tried Combat Master which pleasantly surprised him. XDefiant provided a refreshing breath of fresh air for some frustrated Modern Warfare 2 players wanting something different. CoD community members embraced a worthy competitor. Ubisoft’s free-to-play FPS title received praise for boasting a strong map pool, fluid movement, and enjoyable gun mechanics. The promising game’s closed beta ended on April 26, leaving fans to find a new FPS experience. FaZe Jev decided to try Combat Master instead of returning to MW2. After a few matches, he didn’t regret his decision, urging others to give the shooter a chance. FaZe Jev praises CoD clone Combat Master MW2 fans have been very vocal in their disapproval of MW2’s movement system. FaZe Swagg argued that removing slide canceling removed what made the franchise unique. Combat Master removes the shackles from players, allowing them to slide cancel, and mantle to their heart’s content. Combat Master is a free-to-play Steam title developed by the small development team, Alfa Bravo Inc. The FPS game went viral on social media as insane highlights emerged of players sliding and jumping across the map. In the wake of XDefiant’s beta ending, FaZe Jev decided to see what all of the hype was about. As Jev typically does, he picked up a sniper and was blown away by the game’s fast-paced gameplay. There are virtually no cooldowns on mantling or sliding. The YouTuber was blown away by players flying around the map. “This game is ridiculous; look at the movement. There is no way I could play this game for hours on end and not develop the most insane case of carpal tunnel.” He concluded: “This game is a work in progress but genuinely fun.” Jev noted that players would enjoy this game if they want a “super quick” arcade experience that embraces players using movement speed to win gunfights.

FaZe Jev explains why Vanguard is better than Modern Warfare YouTube: FaZe Jev/ActivisionThe Call of Duty: Vanguard beta has now finished ahead of its official launch on November 5, and FaZe Clan’s Jev is already convinced it’s a better game than 2019 title Modern Warfare. Modern Warfare was a pretty divisive game when it first launched. It’s one of the most successful releases in Call of Duty history, but made a number of changes to gameplay features that players still debate almost two years later. With the news that Vanguard would be staying on the same engine as Modern Warfare and Warzone, however, most fans were delighted. Now, they’ve got their first taste of Vanguard, and there’s a lot of discussion about the game — including how it compares to Modern Warfare. Jev, despite only playing the beta version of the game, already believes it’s better. Several players have suggested that this might be the case, but Jev is one of the first big content creators to come out and say that they think Vanguard will be better. “I think Vanguard’s better than Modern Warfare,” he said after discussing some comparisons between the recent Call of Duty titles. “With four maps and less than 20 weapons available, this multiplayer experience is better than Modern Warfare’s multiplayer experience. “Design-wise it blows it out of the water. It’s not even close. This game, even with terrible spawns and all the s*it that’s going on with it, still literally make it a better game. I would rather get spawned into gunfire than have my character get spawned across the map every single time I die to someone sitting in a window… The pace [in Modern Warfare] was the most disgusting thing.” Topic starts at 5:15 Jev doesn’t make it a secret that he disliked the Modern Warfare season, so it’s not a complete surprise to see him say he prefers Vanguard already. That said, it’s a pretty bold statement. Many players’ opinions change between the beta and the full launch of the game, and Jev could be the same, but he seems incredibly sure of what he’s saying. Vanguard launches on November 5, so we’ll have to wait until then for a full verdict but, if Jev’s thoughts are anything to go by, it could be a pretty good year.

FaZe Jev explains why Scorestreaks should replace Killstreaks in Modern Warfare 2 FaZe JevScorestreaks or Killstreaks is an age-long debate in the Call of Duty community, and YouTuber FaZe Jev explained why Modern Warfare 2 should have Scorestreaks. Leak season is in full swing for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. Recent rumors suggested that ranked mode is coming “shortly after launch,” while another said that the MW2 multiplayer beta may be arriving later than expected. Any leak has to be taken with a pinch of salt until confirmed by developers. The latest Modern Warfare 2 rumor reveals that Killstreaks are returning. Scorestreaks last appeared in Black Ops Cold War. Popular CoD YouTuber Faze Jev threw his hat in the Scorestreak and Killstreak debate and explained why he believes Modern Warfare 2 should include Scorestreaks over Killstreaks. FaZe Jev explains why Scorestreaks should return in Modern Warfare 2 In FaZe Jev’s July 11 video, the YouTuber discussed a leak that possibly revealed a few Killstreaks are coming to Modern Warfare 2. Call of Duty Leaker Reality datamined Call of Duty Mobile and revealed Killstreaks, Perks, Field Upgrades, and modes that may appear in Modern Warfare 2. Reality’s leak claims that Killstreaks are in Modern Warfare 2. The leak mentions five killstreaks. UAV – Fuel Bomb – Smoke Airdrop – Thermobaric Strike – Cluster Spike – The only recognizable Killstreak is the UAV. The other four are up for speculation. The Scorestreak system rewards players based on the number of points a player earns in a single life, while the Killstreak system rewards players based on the number of kills in a single life. Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War had a Scorestreak system, which Jev said was one of the “biggest issues” in the game. The YouTuber said, “In Cold War, it was pretty bad because it was a scorestreak system, but it didn’t matter if you died. You got a multiplayer the longer you stayed alive, and even the worst of the worst payer would get a VSAT or a blackbird.” Despite Cold War’s shortcomings, Jev believes that Scorestreaks are the better overall system. Jev claimed, “Killstreaks tend to result in people camping because your life matters a little more than Scorestreaks. The Scorestreak system rewards you for playing objectives that count toward your streaks.” The YouTuber noted that Modern Warfare 2019 favored “campers” at launch because of the Kill Streak system. Scorestreak fans will likely have to wait until Call of Duty 2024 in hopes of their preferred streak system returning to the franchise.

FaZe Jev explains why Roblox is better than Modern Warfare 2 FaZe JevFaZe Jev played a cod-inspired game within Roblox, and he explained why it made a few design choices that surpassed Modern Warfare 2. MAXIMILLIAN Studios created Frontlines, A Call of Duty-inspired experience within Roblox. The game launched on February 22, yet has flown under the radar within the FPS community. Frontlines boasts several features Modern Warfare 2 community members have begged for. For example, Frontlines includes a classic mini-map, shooting while sliding, slide canceling, and map voting. According to the Roblox official website, Frontlines only has an active player count of around 4,000 as of March 13. It’s always a struggle for mods and indie games to compete with industry giants such as CoD. FaZe Jev explained why Frontlines stands out among a crowded pack of contenders. Jev shares his first impressions of Frontlines FaZe Jev played a few matches of Frontlines and asked, “how is Roblox doing Call of Duty better than Call of Duty?” “I love how arcady these maps are, they feel like they are all designed with a flow in mind and everything. Unironically, it feels like old Call of Duty.” Jev praised the developers for adding an XP tracker at the bottom of the screen “They know exactly what they are doing. There are better game design choices right here than the current iteration of Call of Duty.” The Youtuber admitted Roblox falls considerably short in graphic performance compared to CoD, but that didn’t prevent him from having fun. “Everything is fast-paced, the TTK feels good, but looks wise, I cannot believe this is Roblox.” With a lack of resources, Jev claimed the game felt clunky in some areas, but he had a blast and recommended CoD fans download Roblox and try the experience out for themselves.

FaZe Jev explains why CoD’s new Obsidian camo challenge isn’t worth it YouTube: FaZe Jev / Infinity WardInfinity Ward updated Modern Warfare on April 28 to include a new mastery ‘Obsidian’ weapon camo. However, this new unlock has popular Call of Duty YouTuber Jason ‘FaZe Jev’ Eugene riled up already. Following in the footsteps of Damascus, Obsidian serves as an elite weapon camouflage. A skin for everyone else to envy as only the best players should be able to acquire the rare unlock. After putting in the effort and grinding for his first Obsidian camo, Jev had quite a few words for the developers at Infinity Ward as he slammed the time-consuming challenges needed to unlock the all-black skin. The first step in unlocking a single Obsidian camo is to have the golden camo already. Once the initial skin is unlocked, depending on your weapon type of choice, you’ll then need to get a set amount of kills over a large number of games. If you’re pushing for an Obsidian sniper, for instance, you’re going to need to tally up 15 kills across 125 unique lobbies. That’s exactly what FaZe Jev accomplished just days into the latest update. Upon completing the lengthy task, he was less than pleased with Infinity Ward, however. “If you really think that this equates to the amount of effort that we as players put forth…I don’t know,” Jev said, before firing up for a heated rant. “You went out of your way, to put a challenge in the game that so blatantly is there to just cause player-retention in multiplayer. You can show your investors, oh look, multiplayer is still doing well, it’s not getting hard-carried by Warzone.” Mastery camos are intended for the most dedicated players, but even Jev appears fed up with the Obsidian grind after smashing out just a single unlock. To make matters worse, he was also disappointed when checking out the skin-in game for the first time. “Well… here it is. I mean, it doesn’t look awful,” he joked when first loading into a custom game. Comparing the standard black camo in Modern Warfare to the new Obsidian black, he stressed that “[nobody] is going to be able to notice the difference.” For mobile readers, the related section begins at 5:35. Convinced that the latest challenge is purely in place to “keep people in multiplayer for as long as possible,” the Obsidian camo appears to have done more harm than good for FaZe Jev. There’s no telling if the developers at Infinity Ward might reduce the time-consuming requirements for each weapon type. For the time being though, it’s unlikely that many players will be able to show off Obsidian unlocks anytime soon.

FaZe Jev claims XDefiant’s worst map is better than any CoD map in years UbisoftFaZe Jev is ready to consider XDefiant a CoD killer after gushing over the game’s impressive map design. XDefiant has made a strong first impression during closed beta. Ubsioft’s latest FPS title dominated its Twitch debut, surpassing Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 viewership. CoD community members praised the free-to-play arena shooter for standing toe-to-toe with the industry giant. CoD fans specifically pointed out fast, fluid movement, a solid UI, and no skill-based matchmaking. FPS veterans likened XDefiant gameplay to Black Ops 2 and 4, two fan-favorite games. Since MW3, FaZe Jev has reluctantly and willingly returned each year to make CoD content. Recollecting all of his series knowledge, Jev considers XDefiant a worthy adversary. FaZe Jev praises XDefiant map design FaZe Jev expressed gratitude towards the XDefiant map design team in his latest YouTube video. The game is set to launch with 14 maps, all of which he thought stood head and shoulders above any recent CoD map offerings in his eyes. “Who is the lead map designer on this game? Who the fu*k made these because this person deserves the greatest praise.” “The worst map on this game is still better than the best map we have had on Call of Duty in the past five-plus years.” A major component in FPS titles is flow. The term refers to a video game’s Immersion and ability to create an enjoyable experience, and it’s a concept that Jev thinks XDefiant has nailed. “The flow of this game is impeccable. Call of Duty’s flow has been absolutely shot for years”, Jev claimed. “A part of it has to do with the maps and has a lot to do with how the spawns work.” Jev called CoD stagnant and random while claiming XDefiant has a consistent pattern that allows players to learn and get better at the game. He used the example of pushing out and an enemy spawning behind you in CoD because of squad spawns. With squad spawns, players spawn near their teammates, regardless of where their squad or enemies are on the map. This leads to players spawning directly next to enemies, as Jev referred to. MW2 used squad spawns at launch, but it was later switched to a point-based system that spawns players in set locations around the map. The YouTuber argued that even if CoD does make a good traditional three-lane map, squad spawns “completely cook it all.” The XDefiant closed beta ends on April 23, so players still have a few more days to log in and see what all the hype is about.

FaZe Jev claims Warzone Pacific Heartbeat Sensor nerf will make people quit Activision, FaZe JevThe Heartbeat Sensor has long been the bane of many in Call of Duty: Warzone. The sophisticated piece of technology provides players with crucial information on the position of enemy players. However, it’s confirmed that the hardware is set to be nerfed in Warzone Pacific, and FaZe Jev thinks this could repel players. Whether it’s an endgame scenario or a random point of a game, a Heartbeat Sensor will usually come in handy. At the press of a button, players can whip out a screen that automatically pinpoints any non-Ghosted players in a 50-meter radius. They are pretty much the go-to piece of equipment for Warzone players, and it seems to be time for a change in the Pacific update. The devs have confirmed a nerf is incoming, but haven’t described how. This could see the end of Heartbeat Sensors being used and will leave many players out in the cold. FaZe Jev thinks these changes will make players “quit the game.” FaZe Jev thinks Heartbeat Sensor nerf will turn players away In his December 5, 2021 YouTube video, FaZe Jev was spectating some Warzone gameplay and voiced his opinion on the Heartbeat Sensor. “You remove Heartbeat Sensors from this game and you remove any kind of awareness most players have, they’re gonna quit the game I’m telling you right now. They’re gonna find every excuse, if the Heartbeat Sensor truly does just run out of battery or something like that, they’re gonna straight up quit the game,” said Jev. Topic start at 8:25 It’s an interesting take for sure as many players are quite reliant on the Heartbeat Sensor. Jev thinks that many players will dislike Caldera, but blame other supposed failings to mask the loss of Heartbeat Sensors. “Warzone just isn’t it anymore, I don’t know, I’m just not digging the update,” Jev said in a mocking manner. Jev does go on to say that Caldera looks like it has “a lot more fields” and this could mean a lot more attacking gameplay. Warzone Pacific’s new Cladera map is set to go live on December 8, and it remains to be seen how much the Heartbeat Sensor nerf hurts the game.

FaZe Jev calls out CoD Zombies over basic feature still missing after months Activision, FaZe JevTreyarch have been called out by none other than FaZe clan member Jev. The conspicuous absence of an important Zombies feature in Vanguard has left the streamer curious and he has questioned the devs on the matter. Vanguard Zombies has had a bit of a rough time since its launch. Der Anfang has received nothing but scathing abuse from fans that have slated its “disgusting” holiday update, “dumpster fire” Season 1 update, and even Syndicate branded Zombies an L. One of the main reasons for this is the sheer volume of missing gameplay features in comparison to Black Ops Cold War’s Zombies launch. A ton of stuff has been left out, and FaZe Jev believes one omission is highly questionable so far into the game’s lifecycle. The ability to pause a game has been around for decades and is something you usually don’t even have to think about being included. However, Vanguard Zombies Solo play, which has always let players properly pause the game, doesn’t allow for any fully-fledged interruptions. Instead, it will bring up the various settings in a menu, but the game will still run in real-time. In response to a Treyarch Tweet about an upcoming Zombies update, FaZe Jev said: “Just got kicked out of my unpausable solo zombies run because I had to pee. Please add a pause feature. Why is this happening? How is this happening?” Just got kicked out of my unpausable solo zombies run because I had to pee. Please add a pause feature. Why is this happening? How is this happening? — Jev (@Jev) January 6, 2022 Many players have a theory that Solo Vanguard Zombies doesn’t have a pause option due to the game running on dedicated servers. Vanguard represents the first game where Zombies is running on completely dedicated servers. Meaning that, like a normal online multiplayer match, you can’t pause the game. Treyarch has promised that some kind of pause feature will be arriving midseason though. In a post outlining their plans for 2022, they said: “Server Pause Functionality, and more are planned for later in Season.” It’ll be interesting to see how they implement the concept with dedicated servers being enabled.

FaZe drops Call of Duty Challengers player after homophobic slurs Call of Duty Challengers / Katy Eyre/ESPAT MediaCall of Duty League organization Atlanta FaZe has released Daunte ‘Sibilants’ Gray from its Academy roster after a homophobic outburst from the Challengers player during online scrims against Chicago Huntsmen. AF Academy has been one of the most successful North American Challengers teams throughout 2020. The roster has finished first in five Open events during the Modern Warfare cycle, most recently winning the London event on July 19. The team will have to find a new fifth moving forward, however, as Sibilants has been removed from the organization as a whole. This shakeup comes following a controversial July 23 Twitch stream from the 18-year-old player. Not only did this broadcast result in a ban on Twitch, but it also led to his removal from the Challengers roster. Sibilants was streaming practice against the Chicago Huntsmen when the Academy team won a map of Domination. Before they made it back to the menu, as he gloated, Sibilants let out a homophobic slur directed towards Huntsmen fans. While the organization is yet to publicly address the matter, Sibilants was swiftly released from the team just hours later. “F*** everybody who is against me,” he followed up on Twitter. “You really only got yourself in this s***. I’m not in FaZe anymore this gaming s*** was a waste anyway.” Many Call of Duty League players responded to the issue. Some were surprised by the slur, while others offered support. “Mind blown right now,” Simp, of the Atlanta FaZe, said. Huntsmen star Prestinni told Sibilants he was “way too good to be doing all this,” and suggested he “learn from it and better yourself.” A few hours passed before Sibilants apologized for his actions in a statement. “I’m not going to sugar coat it,” he stated. “I messed up. I shouldn’t have said what I said and I lost everything because of it. I sincerely apologize to anyone I may have offended today with what I said. My intention wasn’t to offend any members of the LGBTQ community.” Read more: 6 players to watch during CDL Toronto – Despite originally implying that his time spent competing in Call of Duty might have been a waste, he appears eager to continue grinding. “I hope to move past this and learn from the experience. I’m sorry again to FaZe, the community, and for letting everyone who supported me down. I’ll be back.” The final Challengers event of the year prior to playoffs is set to kick off this weekend. AF Academy has a short window to find a suitable replacement ahead of the Toronto Open on July 25.

FaZe Dirty & BobbyPoff win Hitch Cracked Creators Warzone event: Results Activision / Call of Duty League / Team SummertimeTeam Summertime’s Davis ‘Hitch’ Edwards hosted another huge Call of Duty tournament and this time, Warzone was in focus as the best players came together in an entirely new format. [jwplayer L7zZP3SQ] From Black Ops 4 to Ghosts and even Modern Warfare 2, Hitch has been hosting an assortment of throwback CoD events throughout the offseason. However, his sights shifted over to Warzone for the next major competition. Call of Duty’s best pro players joined the top Warzone challengers and some of the biggest streamers in the ‘Cracked Creators’ event. 16 “cracked” players were thrown into the mix alongside 16 content creators with $10,000 on the line. The format was something completely new, testing every competitor in an entirely unique way. From where you can rewatch to a list of everyone that joined in, here’s what you need to know about the Cracked Creators Warzone tournament. Cracked Creators Warzone Tournament Recap Once Duos were all set for the first round of action, it quickly became clear that it wasn’t the best day to visit Verdansk. Many of the biggest names in the tournament were met with some poor luck early on. From DrDisrespect to CouRage, a number of popular content creators and their partners were knocked out instantly. The Doc encountered a wave of stream snipers in his first few lobbies, as did CouRage. Therefore, they were both unable to close out even a single map in the event. Other duos had some better luck, however. Di3eL picked his partner wisely as he and Symfuhny pushed through to a fourth-place finish. Meanwhile, Tfue & Aydan joined forces once again as they blitzed through the upper bracket without faltering. Ultimately, the Grand Final showdown pit Tfue & Aydan against Dirty & BobbyPoff. While the former had an advantage going into the finals, only needing to close out a single series, they let it slip. Dirty & BobbyPoff secured a lead in the first maps, resetting the bracket and forcing a final showdown. The momentum carried on in their favor as Dirty & BobbPoff won the second series in the final moments. Cracked Creators Warzone Tournament Results How to watch the Cracked Creators Warzone Tournament This next big Warzone event took place on Wednesday, October 21, having kicked off at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET. The tournament was organized and streamed live by BoomTV, and we’ve included their Twitch channel below for your convenience. Hitch also hosted the action on his own personal Twitch channel as well. You can find the full vod below, including the early draft segment to kick things off. Cracked Creators Warzone Tournament format Rather than having players form their own teams for this event, things were set up a little differently. Before the action kicked off, the 16 chosen content creators drafted a player of their choice from the list of 16 “cracked” Warzone stars. This meant that many of the duo could be playing together for the very first time as streamers chose their partners from the list of professionals. Once all duos were determined, they were put in a bracket in which the teams matched up queued together in a Quads lobby. So, while they were technically teammates in-game, they’re still opponents for the competition itself. As for the scoring, each Winners Bracket match consisted of two separate Warzone games while Losers Bracket will be just one. The duo with more kills after the game(s) advanced; if there were ties, an additional game was played until a team hit 10 eliminations, or whoever had more if both sides failed to reach that number. Creators playing These were the 16 content creators chosen to compete in this tournament, who all be picked their partner from the group of “cracked” players included in the section below. Headlining this list were some huge names, including the likes of Dr Disrespect, NICKMERCS, CouRage, Vikkstar, Tfue, and more. Dr Disrespect – NICKMERCS – Trevor May – CouRage – Blake TST – Jorge TST – Maven – FaZe Bloo – Vikkstar – Pamaj – Tfue – Holly – LEGIQN – Dirty – Di3sel – Censor – “Cracked” Warzone Tournament players Here are the “cracked” players that were drafted by the content creators listed in the section above Call of Duty League pros were well represented by the T2P duo of Scump and Formal, while some of the most successful Warzone competitors in Huskerrs and Symfuhny were also in on the action. Merk – Crowder – AverageJoeWo – Huskerrs – DougisRaw – Formal – BobbyPoff – MuteX – Rated – Jukeyz – Tommey – Symfuhny – ZLaner – Scump – TeePee – Aydan – While this event is now wrapped up, Hitch came with one last surprise during the stream. He announced a $20,000 Black Ops 2 throwback tournament as the final offseason event of the year. It all kicks off on October 28 so be sure to keep your eyes peeled over the coming days for further announcements.

New FaZe CoD pro Zer0 wants to blacklist OpTic Gaming for “wasting his time” Zer0 – Twitter / Xobe – TwitterFaZe Clan‘s new professional Call of Duty professional player Trei ‘Zer0’ Morris has been fed up with OpTic Gaming, calling for the Green Wall to get blacklisted from scrims ahead of the CWL London major tournament. After what was a tumultuous period of a few weeks for Zer0, he and his former Red Reserve teammates finally found a way out of their predicament, splitting up to join FaZe and Denial Esports. Zer0 and Skrapz were picked up by FaZe to join ZooMaa, Cellium, and Asim on their new roster after they had purchased a spot in the CWL Pro League from Red Reserve. Zer0 calls for OpTic to get blacklisted Wanting to build as much chemistry with his new team before the upcoming CWL London, Zer0 expressed his frustrations on Twitter with OpTic’s scrim schedule after they had apparently failed to show up on time. “OpTic Gaming, aka The Greenwall, has wasted my time three times in the past four days,” he tweeted. “Are we allowed to blacklist them?” 500 By suggesting to blacklist OpTic, Zer0 means to essentially have every CWL Pro League team refuse to scrim against OpTic as a way of punishing them for their scrim schedule. Unfortunately for Zer0, it’s highly unlikely for that to happen, considering OpTic are one of the best teams in the league and offer a good source for practice when other teams to play against them. Just one instance in a larger mess Zer0’s frustrations with another team’s scrimming habits is not an isolated case; over the past few days, there have been numerous complaints on Twitter about teams not being ready for scrims on time. One of those teams has been Midnight Esports, as their players has been accused of sleeping through the scheduled start time from scrims. In fact, even Midnight player Parasite himself tweeted about it on April 22, which is definitely not a good sign heading into a major tournament. Another day of scrims another sleeping teammate :smile::smile::smile::smile: — Chris (@Parasite) April 22, 2019 OpTic accused again of poor scrim habits This is not the first time that OpTic Gaming have been publicly accused of wasting time and not showing up to scrims on schedule. Several weeks ago, after CWL Fort Worth, 100 Thieves’ Enable called out the OpTic players for failing to show up on time for scrims in their own pre-LAN bootcamp. At the time, Crimsix shot down Enable’s accusations, maintaining that he and his teammates never showed up late, claims which 100T’s CEO Nadeshot has called “blatant lies.” While we may never know who was lying and who wasn’t in that situation, the fact that OpTic’s scrim habits have come into question again is concerning.

FaZe Clan’s ZooMaa Revealed His Least Favorite Thing About the Call of Duty Community Tommy ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto revealed his least favorite thing about the competitive Call of Duty community during a an ‘Ask Me Anything’ thread on Reddit. After breaking onto the scene during the CoD: Ghosts season, ZooMaa has established himself as one of the top players in the game over the course of numerous installations for his aggressive play-style. After playing for organizations such as Denial Esports and Team Envy, ZooMaa joined FaZe Clan alongside Dillon ‘Attach’ Price, Ian ‘Enable’ Wyatt, and James ‘Clayster’ Eubanks midway through the Advanced Warfare season, which was one of the strongest teams at the time. Although both Enable and Clayster have moved on, ZooMaa and Attach have remained on FaZe since AW, and won their first tournament in numerous years during the Stage One Playoffs of the 2018 CWL Pro League. While on a long flight, ZooMaa decided to host an AMA on the CoDCompetitive subreddit, where he answered a collection of different questions from community members concerning his team, the scene as a whole, and much more! What he finds most annoying about the competitive CoD community. Favorite event moment. Which players should be on a CWL Pro League team that aren’t. Opinion on ‘Gentleman’s Agreements.’ The player he looked up to the most. Favorite teammates of all-time Thoughts on the new OpTic Gaming roster. Most underrated professional player. Expectations for the remainder of the CoD: WWII season. Which teammate he would want in a 1v1 situation to decide the CoD Champs Grand Final.

FaZe Clan’s ZooMaa Releases Statement Clarifying His Position After Rostermania Leaks It has been a busy weekend for Call of Duty rostermania, as numerous leaks came out about top level teams including FaZe Clan. Although FaZe are now not expected to make any changes, reliable sources told Dexerto that OpTic had shown interest in Tommy “ZooMaa” Paparratto – which ZooMaa has since hinted they did. Overheard during a stream which players were unaware was live, ZooMaa explained that he had not been permitted to leave FaZe despite a team (presumably OpTic although it cannot be confirmed) offering to meet his buyout. The conversation obviously cast doubt over ZooMaa’s commitment to FaZe for some fans, however he has now released a statement to ensure fans he is focused on his current team. Posting in a Twitlonger, ZooMaa explains that despite the rumors, he loves the current roster and is confident in their ability to win championships, citing their recent win at Stage One of the CWL Pro League. “In the past week, there’s been a lot said about me and I just wanted to set the record straight. There were other players who had an interest in teaming with me and I was very transparent with FaZe / my teammates what options were presented to me. I’ve been with FaZe for 3 years, and me entertaining other offers had nothing to do at all with being unhappy with FaZe. At the end of the day, I made a commitment to my team and FaZe and felt that I needed to honor that commitment. I love my team and I’m confident we can win championships as we’ve already shown. Thank you to all the supporters for all the love, we will continue to work hard and make you proud. #FaZeUp” The statement will certainly help the faith which fans have in ZooMaa, whose ability in game was never in doubt – often regarded as one of the top sub machine players. However, it does shed light on the situation potentially involving OpTic, as he would certainly entertain such an offer. The ‘commitment’ he mentions likely refers to his contractual agreement, as well as his commitment to his teammates. ZooMaa and the rest of the FaZe roster will now begin gearing up for Stage Two of the CWL Pro League, where they headline Division A beginning May 15th. They will look to go for back to back Pro League championships ahead of the World Championship in August.

FaZe Clan’s ZooMaa explains why he’s not competing at CWL Fort Worth MLG / Images from TexasThe second major tournament of the CWL season will be taking place at Fort Worth, Texas, but Call of Duty pro player Thomas ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto has announced that he will not be competing. Despite participating in the CWL Pro League with OpTic Gaming, ZooMaa was never officially a member of the team, as he had simply been borrowed from FaZe Clan as a substitute player and nothing more. This meant that he would not be able to compete in at CWL Fort Worth unless he either joined a Pro League team that had a guaranteed spot in the pro tournament, or assembled a team for the Open Bracket of the amateur competition. However, the longtime competitior has chosen to do neither, choosing to sit out the tournament and focus on the remainder of the season instead. “Will not be competing at Fort Worth,” he tweeted. “I feel like it’s in my best interest to wait this one out and see what the future has in store for me come next roster change period. Good luck to everyone competing.” Will not be competing at Fort Worth I feel like it’s in my best interest to wait this one out and see what the future has in store for me come next roster change period. gl to everyone competing — FaZe ZooMaa (@ZooMaa) March 8, 2019 So what does this mean for ZooMaa’s future? First of all, with the roster lock put back in place on March 8, the FaZe star will have to continue being OpTic’s substitute until the next roster change window opens, which will be April 5-22. Judging by the fact that he took this long to make this announcement, it’s likely that ZooMaa tried his best to find the most suitable situation for himself before the March 8 deadline, but ultimately decided that playing the waiting game was better than rushing into something he may not have been totally comfortable will. ZooMaa will not be the only high-profile CoD player to skip out on CWL Fort Worth; 100 Thieves’ Maurice ‘Fero’ Henriquez made a similar announcement on March 7. Much like his FaZe counterpart, Fero cited his longer term goals as a reason for missing the tournament, as he will continue serving as 100 Thieves’ substitute in the CWL Pro League for the time being.

FaZe Clan’s ZooMaa calls out haters who target him when he plays OpTic FaZe Clan’s Tommy ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto has accused some OpTic Gaming fans of sending death threats, insulting his family and bringing up personal relationship issues whenever he plays against OpTic. Due to boasting the largest fan base in Call of Duty esports, OpTic Gaming also, by default, boasts the largest number of fans who are ‘toxic’ to other players and teams, taking their penchant for rivalry too far. Of course, within every fan base exists a portion of these fans, but OpTic’s are noticeably louder, as ZooMaa highlighted during a live stream on November 18. Generally a likeable player, ZooMaa’s charismatic personality has made him a fan favorite with not only FaZe fans, where he has been a player for over three years, but with most CoD esports fans. However, he explains that when he plays against OpTic, he receives noticeable more ‘hate’ from a certain portion of immature fans, who even send death threats. “You know how much hate I get when I play OpTic?” he asks, before explaining “I play Crimsix, I’m getting death threats, people coming after my family. Somebody says ‘ZooMaa, why you talking shit, you got cheated on!’ Like what does that got to do with CoD bro?” The cheating comment is in reference to the very public controversy surrounding ZooMaa’s previous partner becoming involved with the owner of Team Kaliber, Justin ‘KOSDFF’ Chandler. This occurred during the CoD: WWII season, shortly before FaZe took 1st place at Stage One playoffs, beating OpTic Gaming in finals and ZooMaa was awarded MVP for his performance throughout. ZooMaa later took to Reddit to clarify his comments, ensuring that fans knew this was no attack on OpTic or their fans generally, rather only to those specific fans who send him such vitriolic hate. ZooMaa and FaZe Clan will get their first opportunity to prove any haters wrong at CWL Vegas on December 7, the first major event of the Black Ops 4 competitive season. A FaZe vs OpTic match up isn’t guaranteed, but is always one of, if not the most, anticipated games at a Call of Duty tournament, with the teams’ rivalry almost as old as the eClasico of OpTic vs Envy.

FaZe Clan’s Replays Picks Up Insane 1 vs 3 Clutch Against compLexity at CoD Champs 2018 compLexity Gaming / YouTubeFaZe Clan’s Jams ‘Replays’ Crowder opened up his Call of Duty World Championships 2018 campaign with yet another incredible clutch in Search and Destroy. FaZe Clan’s first match against Doug ‘Censor’ Martin’s compLexity Gaming was a tough one but the CWL Pro League Stage 1 champions clutched up on map one, London Docks Hardpoint, to take the series lead. Next up was Sainte Marie du Mont Search and Destroy and it took Replays just four rounds to produce one of his incredible clutches that he has trademarked throughout the Call of Duty: WWII season. The FaZe Clan team captain was in a seemingly unwinnable one versus three situation but managed to produce the goods to pick up the first two kills, plant the bomb with milliseconds remaining and then close things out with a quick snap on Richard ‘Ricky’ Stacy. FaZe would go on to win the map 6-4 with Replays leading the way and producing an incredible 15-4 game for the 2-0 series lead. compLexity managed to bounce back with a win on London Docks Capture the Flag but FaZe once again proved too hot to handle in the second Hardpoint game on Valkyrie, taking the series 3-1 and getting their CoD Champs 2018 campaign off to a near perfect start. Read More: 2018 CWL Championship Coverage Hub – Streams, Schedule (International Timings), Matchups, and More! – Replays has been producing clutch plays all year long and was one of the key factors in their CWL Pro League Stage 1 Finals win over OpTic Gaming. If he can continue his current form against Morituri and Enigma6 in Thursday’s Group E matches, FaZe Clan should be a shoe-in for a playoff spot at the $1.5 million tournament.

FaZe Clan’s Priestahh and Lightning Pandas Xotic Predict OpTic Gaming to Dominate CWL Pro League Division B In anticipation of the upcoming Division B matches for Stage Two of the CWL Pro League, it sounds like the new look OpTic Gaming roster will be the team to beat – according to fellow professionals. Just recently, eUnited player James “Clayster” Eubanks explained that he reckons OpTic are currently the best team in the game, online at least, and will be top dogs in their division. And now, FaZe Clan player Preston “Priestahh” Griener and Lightning Pandas’ John “Xotic” Bruno have explained they also think OpTic is the most in form roster. The new team features former Luminosity player Sam “Octane” Larew, replacing the outgoing Matthew “FormaL” Piper, who moved to LG in his place. They also recruited former Rise Nation and Team Kaliber player Anthony “Zinni” Methodz, who it has been reported was not the team’s first choice, but seems to be settling in well. Of course, the new roster are yet to play together in a LAN environment, but based purely on their performances in online scrims, it sound like the moves have paid off. When asked who he predicts will come out on top of Division B, Priestahh explains: “Yeah, I heard OpTic has been fucking nasty.” And Xotic confirms, explaining that when scrimming, OpTic’s respawn has been peerless. “We have played ever team in that division, and OpTic in respawn are really fucking good. OpTic in SnD is, not bad. But their respawn, was really good.” Many predict OpTic’s toughest test will be up against CWL Seattle champions Rise Nation, who are a particularly strong Search and Destroy team. And of course the most anticipated match will be the grudge contest against Luminosity, as FormaL will be desperate to take down his previous teammates. Division B matches begin on Tuesday May 29th, with OpTic vs Luminosity scheduled for the last match of day one.

FaZe Clan’s Attach Smashes His Controller During WWII Ranked Play Rage Sometimes a controller can find itself in the line of fire after something frustrating happens in-game, as shown by Dillon ‘Attach’ Price of FaZe Clan. The world of Ranked Play in Call of Duty: WWII can often prove to be one of the most unpredictable areas for players of all skill levels, with the game mode having the ability to bring out a wide range of emotions for those who attempt to rise through the tiers. Attach, a veteran of the competitive CoD scene and a 2015 World Champion, appeared to have gotten swept up in the Ranked Play distress after losing a 1v1 gunfight in the middle of the map on Sainte Marie Du Mont Hardpoint. More: Rated’s Girlfriend Reveals Why the Red Reserve Star is Refusing to Take a Break from Playing Call of Duty – He proceeded to spike his controller down on the ground in a fit of rage after dying, causing him to go off-screen soon after in order to retrieve it. Especially with streaming becoming so commonplace within the esports world over the course of recent years, fans and viewers have witnessed players take their anger out in a collection of ways on various forms of equipment. Luckily for Attach, he revealed that his controller survived the impact and allowed him to finish out the match. FaZe Clan will be gearing up for the $500,000 CWL Pro League Stage Two Playoffs, which take place between July 27 and July 29. More content like this can be found on Attach’s official Twitch stream.

FaZe Clan’s Attach rumored to have joined CWL Pro League team Rumors are swirling around long time FaZe Clan Call of Duty pro Dillon ‘Attach‘ Price, as a number of hints suggest he has found a new team – in the CWL Pro League. Attach, along with the rest of the (now former) FaZe Clan lineup, narrowly missed out on the 2019 CWL Pro League, after losing to French team, Overtime Esports (now Denial). It meant that veteran pro players like Attach, Tommy ‘ZooMaa‘ Paparatto and James ‘Crowder‘ Crowder, would all be missing out on professional play in Black Ops 4 – at least under the FaZe banner. Crowder moved to a coaching position with 100 Thieves, and Preston ‘Priestahh‘ Greiner joined alongside him in a playing role, while ZooMaa filled in for OpTic Gaming as Brandon ‘Dashy’ Otell was out due to VISA complications. Attach meanwhile, was completely sidelined – but perhaps not for long. Rumors have spread suggesting that he has joined Evil Geniuses, possibly in place of Brice ‘Faccento‘ Faccento. These rumors first stem from Attach being spotted in a scrim lobby with the EG lineup, while Faccento was conspicuously missing. Of course, this was far from concrete evidence, as Attach could have simply been filling in, so not everyone was convinced. However, an updated roster for upcoming qualifiers for the 2019 Black Ops 4 World Gaming tournament, all but confirms that Attach is playing with the EG lineup – at least for this event. Thanks to @INTELCallofDuty for spotting this one. If Attach has in fact taken Faccento’s spot on the Evil Geniuses lineup, he will need to make an instant impact, as the team is currently wallowing in last place in Division A, with a 1-6 series record.

FaZe Clan’s ‘Attach’ Explains the In-Game Role Changes Within Their Call of Duty Team FaZe Clan professional Call of Duty player Dillon ‘Attach’ Price has provided an explanation for the apparent in-game role changes within their team. The former World Champion released a video on May 28th in which he described why he and teammate Preston ‘Priestahh’ Greiner have essentially swapped roles. Since the start of the WWII season, the roles within FaZe’s CoD team had been pretty much set in stone. Attach and Thomas ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto had manned the SMG Slayer roles, James ‘Replays’ Crowder was the main AR player, and Priestahh was the Flex, which meant that he could use an AR or SMG based on the map and game mode. However, after a disastrous 0-3 start in the first week of the CWL Pro League Stage 2, it appeared that the team had decided to make a major change, giving Priestahh the SMG role while Attach became the Flex. The move looked to have helped the squad in a big way as they bounced back nicely in Week Two to go 3-1 and improve to 3-4 overall in the Pro League. Read More: The First Image of FormaL in a Luminosity Gaming Jersey Has Been Revealed and It Feels Weird – In his video, Attach not only confirmed the change, but also offered the team’s insight and reasoning behind the decision. “We were just in a weird state after the first week of the League, when we obviously got destroyed. Second week we turned it around and went 3-1 […] Pretty much, it just felt like it fits the pacing of our team better. Priestahh plays faster than I do, so his pace plays better with a Sub, whereas I play a little slow, I would be able to anchor spawns more with an AR because I was already kind of doing that with the Sub, and that doesn’t really make sense. I’m in like AR positions and stuff and so it just screws kind of a weird pace. So we felt like the switch was needed and I think it’s been helping. I’m playing well, everyone on the team has been playing well. The way we play in game, everything is just like smooth the way we play in-game, so we’re all liking the change.” The remainder of the video is a recording of Attach’s gameplay with an AR weapon, primarily the STG-44, as he plays against fellow professionals in a competitive ‘Money 8s’ match online. Seeing Attach primarily play with an AR may be a sight for sore eyes as the veteran plays has manned the SMG role for most of his time since becoming a full-time professional. – The entirety of the video can be viewed below, or on Attach’s official YouTube channel.

ZooMaa shuts down rumors that Priestahh got sick from adderall at CWL Fort Worth FaZe Clan pro Call of Duty player Thomas ‘ZooMaa’ Paparatto has given his take on the heavy rumors surrounding former teammate and now-100 Thieves player Preston ‘Priestahh’ Greiner. During the third and final day of competition at the CWL Fort Worth major tournament this past weekend, Priestahh fell ill in the middle of 100 Thieves’ match against Enigma6 Group in the fourth round of the Losers Bracket. During the game two Search and Destroy, the young pro started vomiting on stage and had to be checked out by medical personnel, forcing 100T to bring in the Pro League substitute Maurice ‘Fero’ Henriquez as an emergency fill-in. Seeing as how Priestahh had been perfoming at an unbelievably high level over the first two maps, including a 50-kill performance in the game one Hardpoint, many began speculating that his illness had been caused by adderall. Adderall, of course, has been widely used in the Call of Duty esports scene for years, with players taking it to stimulate their central nervous system and sharpen their focus and reaction time during matches. Amid this rampant speculation that Priestahh had gone down that route at CWL Fort Worth, ZooMaa shut down the notion that his former teammate takes adderall, and instead offered his own theory for why he got so ill. “Put this on Reddit: I teamed with Priestahh, he does not take adderall man,” he said. “I don’t want him having that rep because he’s a good kid and doesn’t take that shit. People accusing him of taking adderall, that’s just bullshit.” “He takes energy drinks, and I think what happened at the event is he took an energy drink and he took Pepto-Bismol because his stomach was bothering him, so I think the mix got him sick.” Since his sickness, Priestahh has not publicly made any statements addressing the rumors that he took adderall at CWL Fort Worth. His tweets have just been about the “heartbreaking” way the tournament ended for 100 Thieves and how thankful he was to fans and his girlfriend for helping him get through the illness.

FaZe Clan Upsets OpTic Gaming in Round One of the CWL Pro League Stage 2 Playoffs FaZe Clan stunned OpTic Gaming with a 3-2 victory in round one of the CWL Pro League Stage 2 Playoffs. The first round of the CWL Pro League Stage 2 Playoffs featured a rematch of the Stage 1 grand finals between OpTic and FaZe, and once again it was FaZe Clan that pulled off the upset. OpTic Gaming came out hot in Hardpoint, cruising to a 250-181 win on London Docks to draw first blood in the series. Search and Destroy was very much FaZe Clan’s territory, however, with the same map playing host to a crushing 6-2 victory for the team in red, with FaZe taking five rounds before even allowing OpTic their first. The crucial map was a third consecutive London Docks, this time playing Capture the Flag. FaZe Clan came up clutch with a 3-1 victory, guaranteeing at least a fifth map, and a chance to close things out in Search and Destroy. A dominant game for Anthony ‘Methodz’ Zinni on Sainte Marie du Mont helped to lock in an even more dominant Hardpoint victory than the first for OpTic, forcing the first game five of the day in the final series. The last map of this series was the most intense of the day, with OpTic and FaZe trading blows all the way to a round eleven. There, it was James ‘Replays’ Crowder who came up clutch, a well-placed Artillery helping to seal the deal for FaZe Clan. FaZe Clan advances to the winner bracket semi-finals, where they will face Team Kaliber. OpTic Gaming meanwhile, still searching for a big result with their new roster, will now be battling through the lower bracket, starting with Unilad in round one. FaZe Clan 3-2 OpTic Gaming HP London Docks 181-250 SND London Docks 6-2 CTF London Docks 3-1 HP Sainte Marie du Mont 250-103 SND Valkyrie 6-5

FaZe Clan could make surprise return to Pro League following CWL London New intel has surfaced in the competitive Call of Duty community that points to prominent esports organization FaZe Clan possibly joining the CWL Pro League prior to the end of the season. The CWL Pro League consists of 16 teams that have all qualified via one of two ways – by either finishing in the top four at CWL Vegas or successfully advancing through the Pro League Qualifier tournament. FaZe Clan, who are not in the Pro League this season after winning Stage One of it last season, could be a part of the proceedings once again when the Pro League reconvenes after the upcoming CWL London major tournament. Whose spot would FaZe Clan take in the CWL Pro League? On April 4, Red Reserve pro player Matthew ‘Skrapz’ Marshall dropped a bombshell during his stream when he hinted that Red Reserve’s spot in the CWL Pro League could soon become FaZe’s. “What if I told you stream, what if I told you that the Red Reserve spot somehow becomes the FaZe Clan spot?” he said, curiously humming several times afterwards. How would FaZe Clan take Red Reserve’s spot? The way the CWL Pro League is set up, teams that qualify for a spot are allowed to transfer it to another organization for a price, as long as the new organization and the team it fields keeps at least one of the original players who qualified for the spot. This means that FaZe can purchase a spot from Red Reserve, allowing them to come into the Pro League and pick up right where RR left off, inheriting their 5-6 record and fourth placement in the Division A standings. Of course, since RR and the other 15 teams are already locked into the pools for CWL London, this transfer would likely have to take place after the tournament. FaZe Clan are looking to get back into the CWL Pro League after having won Season 1 last year with their roster of Priestahh, Crowder, ZooMaa, and Attach (left to right) What would this mean for Red Reserve’s roster? If Red Reserve to end up selling their CWL Pro League spot to FaZe Clan, then their roster will more than likely be split apart, as FaZe would probably want to bring in some of their own players, like ZooMaa. However, according to the rules, FaZe would have to keep at least one of RR’s players on their roster, although they could easily exploit the loophole of designated that player as their substitute. As for who the player(s) are that FaZe may want to keep, it’s unlikely that it’ll be either Skrapz, Zer0, or Bance, as all three have already announced free agency. This means that either Rated or Joee, or both, would have to end up on FaZe’s roster, if this deal is indeed set to go through. With Skrapz (middle right), Zer0 (far left), and Bance (middle left) having announced free agency, only Joee (middle) and Rated (far right) are candidates to join FaZe’s roster if the deal takes place. How likely is this to happen? Of course, this intel has to be taken with a grain of salt because Skrapz is, so far, the only one that has said something about it. However, that is not to say that it’s unlikely to happen, especially since three of Red Reserve’s players have already declared free agency, and there have been talks for months that the org could be on its way out of esports entirely. In short, it’s better to wait and see what happens before jumping to conclusions, but if something like this were to happen, FaZe Clan and Red Reserve would be the perfect candidates to strike the deal.