An exclusive with Taylor ‘Refections’ Noble the first emergency host in the history of CDL.
The most anticipated major of the year kicked off at the Esports Arena in Arlington Texas with a packed house. While competitors and fans from across the country readied for the start of OpTic Texas hosted Major 3, the desk host for the Call of Duty League would miss the event completely. Announcing the reason for his absence on Twitter, Puckett teased the reveal for a guest host, Taylor 'Reflections' Noble.
Nearly a decade later, a veteran face returns to the competitive CoD desk
Lucky for us, when it comes to big moments, Taylor "Reflections" Noble often rises to the challenge. Filling in as the first emergency host in the history of the CDL, Noble acknowledged the pressure of the role immediately.
"I’ve been humbled by how receptive the Call of Duty community has been with me entering back in to host for Puckett. I was expecting a lot of hate."
For his first professional CoD event in over a decade, Noble showed no signs of rust and tackled the weekend with a leave-it-all-out-there attitude. From the first match on Thursday morning to the Sunday evening grand finals, Arlington's Esports Stadium was electric. A core-shaking bass behind every bullet fired and a tensed crowd waiting to erupt dominated the venue atmosphere.
Taylor Noble takes a trip down memory lane
What may have been an unfamiliar face for newer fans of the CDL, “Reflections” made his professional casting debut a decade ago at UMG Atlanta during Black Ops 2. Citing the famous “Nifty Clutch” as his favorite moment, Noble would go on to cast some of the biggest moments in Black Ops 2 before leaving the scene for military service. Like much of the veteran talent from the “golden era” of CoD, Noble was driven by a love for storytelling and an unmatched passion for gaming.
“The only thing I would want was an [announcement] tweet… or a hoodie. That’s all it took to get me to the event because it was just special to be there.”
After returning to the scene during Advanced Warfare, he was blown away by the growth of the scene and the newfound opportunities for competitors and broadcast talent alike to make a living in esports. Resuming his work as on-air talent for UMG, Reflections would develop an impressive resume including over 500 shows across 21+ titles. Highlights include casting for the Gears of War Professional Circuit, TwitchCon San Diego, the Call of Duty Endowment Bowl, and Twitch Rivals.
“This was always my dream… to host a Call of Duty Major”
Much like the rest of us, Noble dreams big and chases what he loves. After the past weekend, I'd consider that dream more than fulfilled. His debut CDL event officially became the most-watched CoD event in history peaking at 335,170 concurrent viewers during the 'OpTic Texas vs Atlanta FaZe Elimination finals'. (Source: Esports Charts) Featuring a losers bracket run for the ages, the most dedicated fanbase in esports, and one of the most improbable hardpoint comebacks ever: the 2023 CDL Major 3 isn't leaving the history books anytime soon.
What's next for Taylor Noble?
Puckett will return to the desk for CDL Major 4 and the foreseeable future. While the fourth major will be hosted in Columbus, the absence of fans will be stark in contrast to the good 'ol fashioned Texas passion. As the CoD community celebrates a Toronto Ultra win paired with a memorable Optic Texas losers bracket run, Reflections reflects on the past weekend.
So while he may not be back on the desk this year, Noble is in high demand across a diverse range of broadcasts. Whether you're watching various Warzone events, TwitchCon, or TwitchRivals tournaments, you'll find Reflections facilitating the best storytelling in gaming.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest Call of Duty news and updates.