Atlanta FaZe Wins First CDL Major Since 2021

In a stunning display that led to record-breaking viewership, Major II unravelled in the most dramatic way possible. From the LA Thieves going on a remarkable elimination bracket run to six back-to-back sweeps, it was an unpredictable and hugely entertaining event that saw Atlanta FaZe secure the trophy. It has been eighteen months since FaZe last won a CDL event, picking up the 2021 CDL Championship while playing on Cold War.

Last season, FaZe was staggered and unable to gain any traction throughout the year, coming in at T3 in every event. This marks a huge victory for Atlanta FaZe, and it was one that saw Simp crowned the MVP of the tournament. With a peak viewership on Twitch of more than 301,000 users, Major II of 2023 is officially the most popular CDL Major in the history of the League.

FaZe Up, Finally

Simp had some incredible moments during Major II. (Image Credit: COD League)

It has been a tough road for Atlanta FaZe of late. Even though the organisation has been making money from Call of Duty esports, the company’s backing is wavering somewhat. In recent weeks, FaZe’s stock value has plummeted, and in almost esports title that the organisation competes, victories have been few and far between. This win brings Atlanta FaZe a $200,000 cash prize and nets them a thick chunk of CDL points, securing their spot in third place in the standings.

This was one of the busiest CDL Majors in history, and it featured a staggering number of sweeps. By the time the dust had settled, eight out of the eighteen matches played ended up with a scoreline of 3 – 0 – there were so few five-map games, taking Major II outside of the norm for Call of Duty esports.

For some, a crushing blow was dealt early on, with Vegas Legion, Seattle Surge, Florida Mutineers, and the London Royal Ravens crashing out of the event without a single win. Elsewhere, there was cause for jubilation – LA Thieves, for example. Last season’s champions were sent down into the elimination bracket by a hungry OpTic Texas, but the regain looked something like this:

• LA Thieves vs. Florida Mutineers: 3 – 0
• LA Thieves vs. New York Subliners: 3 – 0
• LA Thieves vs. Toronto Ultra: 3 – 0
• LA Thieves vs. OpTic Texas: 3 – 1
• LA Thieves vs. Minnesota Rokkr: 3 – 0

Ultimately, the team fell against Atlanta FaZe in the Grand Final, but it was one of the most memorable runs in Call of Duty League history.

Another Departure

During the Boston Breach-backed event, Methodz took to the stage to give an emotional farewell to Call of Duty esports. His announcement came just weeks after Scump revealed that he would be retiring, and a couple of months after Crimsix announced his own departure from competitive Call of Duty. It marks another veteran force to leave the scene, as Methodz’s legacy can be traced back a decade.

It has been a prestigious career that has been studded with periods spent flying the banner of some of the best esports organisations in the business, such as OpTic, FaZe, and most recently, Boston Breach. During his speech, Methodz confirmed that he’d be pivoting into content creation, but his road with competitive Call of Duty is now at an end. For the remainder of the 2023 season, he’ll be replaced by Beans.