Roster changes happen quickly in the world of Call of Duty esports, and no one knows that better than Team EnvyUs who have officially acquired James “Clayster” Eubanks.
The move caps off a tumultuous week for one of Call of Duty’s longest running organizations whose roster was in constant flux last weekend while the team competed at the Esports World Cup. When the dust settled, EnvyUs was left with Anthony “Nameless” Wheeler, Joe “Merk” Deluca, and Jordan “Jkap” Kaplan with one opening on the squad.
Eubanks had been left teamless yesterday when Optic Gaming announced his release in favor of form EnvyUs member, Matthew “Formal” Piper. Wheeler took to Reddit yesterday afternoon to confirm the team’s acquisition.
Ironically, the move has turned EnvyUs from the most despised team in the league to one of the most beloved. Many in the community witnessed Envy’s lineup debacle during ESWC and lambasted owner Mike “Hastr0” Rufail for not keeping the players, who had seen the team through hard times.
With Eubanks’s addition, however, this ire has all but evaporated. Eubanks is a vocal player who has served the Optic organization for several months. His removal is seen by many as both unnecessary and unfair, given his contributions to the team throughout 2014.
Regardless of personal animosity, the deal is done. In the constantly shifting landscape of competitive Call of Duty, hoever, the move may end up being just another installment in the most frantic offseason to date.