OpTic Scump steps down from OpTic Texas, retires mid-season

OpTic Gaming legend Seth "Scump" Abner retires mid-season from competing in Call of Duty. He has stepped down from the OpTic Texas starting roster.

The Call of Duty legend had originally planned to retire at the end of the current season but team complications have brought the decision forward.

The announcement came on Twitter after Abner held an event celebrating his career with his closest circle.

At the end of such a long and successful career, taking a step away was always going to hurt. Scump's tears in front of his friends and family show just how much it means to him.

"Coming into the year I didn't know what to expect," Scump said in his retirement video. "There were high expectations and people expected a lot of us. We fell short, it happens, it's part of competing."

Scump is absolutely, unequivocally leaving on top. Just this weekend, he was shining for his team as they beat Boston Breach 3-2.

Stepping away now while on the top of his game removes any anxiety that the rest of the season cannot live up to expectations. It allows him the freedom to say that he went out on top.

It would take an age to detail all of the crazy plays that Scump has made over the course of his career. He was a constant highlight reel of fantastic quality and moments that turned games on their metaphorical heads.

OpTic Scump has been synonymous with competitive Call of Duty since the very beginning. His first tournament which is detailed by Call of Duty Fandom was in 2010. Scump was 14-years-old.

In the 13 years since that event, at which he finished with a T32 placement, the legend has gone on to have an illustrious career. The only Call of Duty game that Scump didn't win a Championship Chip on was 2020's Cold War.

Every single other year has had a tournament won by Scump and his teammates. From titles in Black Ops alongside Patrick "ACHES" Price, Tyler "TeePee" Polchow and Bob "Bobby" Hamwi to winning last year's Major 1 alongside the team he's saying goodbye to.

Every single era of competitive Call of Duty has been touched by Scump and each of them has been made better for it.

His career was topped when the OpTic dynasty won Champs in 2017. It was the crowning moment in the glorious career of the king. It solidified him as a legend. He's now bigger than a legend, he is an icon.

He even won $100,000 playing Warzone in the first edition of the World Series of Warzone. Scump won a solos match in the game where the winner took home that massive dollar amount.

Scump retires as one of the best players to ever compete at any level in Call of Duty. He consistently found ways to win throughout his career.

Ever since the offseason, OpTic Texas have gone through several changes and team issues. Initially, both Brandon "Dashy" Otell and Indervir "iLLeY" Dhaliwal were dropped from the team. Less than 24 hours later, they were back in the team.

Then, after finishing T12 at Major 1, OpTic Texas made the decision to drop Dashy and bring in LA Guerrillas SMG player Cuyler "Huke" Garland.

Dashy detailed issues with the coaching staff at OpTic during his time away from the team, including an instance where coach Raymond "Rambo" Lussier had left a set of scrims to go to bowling practice.

Those issues must have been resolved. Scump hands Otell another shot in the starting lineup as he retires.

After being dropped less than two weeks ago, Brandon "Dashy" Otell will return to the OpTic Texas roster. He will rejoin his former teammates Ant "Shotzzy" Cuevas-Castro and Indervir "iLLeY" Dhaliwal alongside newcomer Cuyler "Huke" Garland.

This new team of four will be in action this weekend as OpTic Texas continue their Call of Duty League Stage 2 campaign. The team have four qualifiers left to play before heading to Boston to play at Call of Duty Major 2.

"With the addition of Brandon back, I hope people are happy with the new roster at the very least. I think you guys are going to be absolutely disgusting," Scump added about the new team in his retirement message.

"After seeing [Shotzzy] and [Huke] as the sub duo with the pacing it was a kind of easy decision, I am not fast like that any more. These guys are different.

"Bringing [Dashy] back made sense. Life is too short to hold grudges or be mad at each other. I hope he uses this opportunity to be a good teammate."

After such a long career, it'd be hard for anybody to say goodbye. For Scump, it's just that little bit more difficult knowing what you leave behind is one of the greatest legacies that there has ever been in esports.

Over the years, Scump has managed to transcend competitive Call of Duty. Casual players know the name Scump. The know who he is and what he's done for Call of Duty and competitive gaming in general.

He is one of the founding fathers of what it means to be able to compete playing video games and that impact on the gaming world will never be taken away from him.

"I've learned so much through the bad decisions and the good decisions," Scump continued in his retirement video.

"This organisation has been like family to me. Ray winged me from the start and made my career what it is. I continued to grow stronger along the way with the bumps. The good decisions, and the bad decisions, have all led to now."

Scump is correct when calling OpTic a family and the wider competitive Call of Duty family is losing one of its most pivotal figures with Scump stepping down. It's a sad day for everyone involved but no doubt a decision that will lead to Scump being happier.

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