Does OpTic Chicago Need New Blood To Rediscover Success?
Throughout Call of Duty esports' history, very few names have stood the test of time in the same way that the synonymous OpTic Gaming brand has done. Despite founder Hector “HECZ” Rodriguez selling the brand to Immortals before regaining control of it, the Green Wall has transcended competitive COD ever since the organisation made its debut.
With multiple championship victories in its possession, including an emphatic victory at the 2017 World Championship against long-time rivals Team Envy, the Call of Duty League (CDL) era has been a mixed bag despite several Home Series victories back in 2020. Looking forward to Stage 3 of the 2021 season, and OpTic Chicago is heading into the third Major tournament of the Black Ops Cold War season in the loser’s bracket, a place that has regularly been avoided by a team packed with talent and a wealth of experience.
After scoring just two out of a possible five victories during the third stage of competition, is it time for the current line-up to call it quits in favour of some new blood that is hungry to re-establish OpTic as a frontrunner in competitive Call of Duty?
Time For Change
Despite scoring victories against the London Royal Ravens and Seattle Surge, the Green Wall was humbled at the hands of the Los Angeles Thieves, New York Subliners, and the Atlanta FaZe, with the latter of the three handing out one of the most dominant performances seen in Black Ops Cold War so far. Both New York and the LA Thieves, alongside many other teams, have made the decision to utilise up-and-coming talents rather than relying on the same set of names in order to see success.
For the Subliners and the Thieves, the results are showing. The likes of Paco “HyDra” Ruciewiez and Carlos “Venom” Hernandez have instantly made an impact on the highest level of competition, with Venom assisting in the resurgence of the Thieves while HyDra is cementing New York’s position as one of the very best teams in the game. Is it about time that OpTic started to look at the amateur talent pool in order to avoid another disappointing Stage?
Throughout the stage, there were some signs of the Green Wall showing what they are truly capable of, much to the delight of the passionate fans who wouldn’t want to see the formidable T2P duo of Seth “Scump” Abner and Matt “FormaL” Piper split up again. Scump has arguably been the most consistent player for OpTic Chicago throughout Stage 3 while Brandon “Dashy” Otell has tried almost everything, including bringing out the FFAR 1 assault rifle, in order to find some kind of form.
Starting in the loser’s bracket for the Stage 3 Major is far from ideal, with just one loss required in order to be eliminated from the tournament with no prize money or CDL Points. If either Seattle or the Los Angeles Guerrillas manage to topple the Green Wall, is it time for the current line-up to admit defeat in favour of players at the top of the highly competitive Challengers scene in North America?
An Almighty Turnaround
Click to enlargeIf the team decides to stick together, something needs to change for some of the most successful players in recent years to return to the top of the Call of Duty mountain. It certainly won’t be easy, but with four exceptional players all knowing what it takes to win championships, there is every chance that OpTic Chicago can evade a potentially embarrassing exit from the Stage 3 Major and eventually work towards competing with the likes of Toronto, Dallas, and Atlanta.
The stakes could not be higher for this iteration of the Green Wall. With immense pressure coming from representing one of the most recognisable brands in all of esports alongside the need to find success, if the team manages to run the almost impossible gauntlet of the loser’s bracket and make it into the top three at the very least, there may not be a need to make any hasty changes just yet. However, if the Green Wall does crumble at the first hurdle, the calls for change will continue to grow.
Images via Call of Duty League | MLG