Jonno is a writer for Esports Insider and has been part of the team since 2019. Over the past ten years, he's written for several outlets including Gfinity, GGRecon, and Radio Times. As an avid sim racer, he aims to provide insight on one of the fastest growing sectors in esports.
Olivia Richman is a seasoned esports journalist who has worked with Inven Global, Esports Illustrated, Esports.gg, and more. As an editor and writer at Esports Insider, she loves telling unique esports stories, especially within the FGC. When not working and gaming, Olivia loves collecting Kirby plush, eating sushi, and driving her cars at the track.
Following OpTic Gaming ’s successful defense of its Esports World Cup title in Paris, the curtain has fallen on the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 season. The latest installment of the Call of Duty League (CDL) featured everything from a much-needed return to Europe to several teams consistently battling at the top of the table for championship glory.
With franchises already revamping their rosters ahead of the new season, there was plenty we learned about the state of the ecosystem and what needs to happen for Call of Duty to reach even greater heights.
Image Credit: Esports World Cup Across the four Majors, Champs, and EWC, OpTic Texas stood out as the best Black Ops 7 team. Although it only won two out of a possible six trophies throughout the season, the Green Wall finished no lower than second place. For the first time since 2011, OpTic appeared in every single Grand Final, a feat the organization last achieved in 2011’s Modern Warfare 3.
The quartet of Mason “Mercules” Ramsey, Cuyler “Huke” Garland, Brandon “Dashy” Otell , and Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro has cemented itself as one of the best squads of the CDL era. Armed with a well-balanced combination of ruthless slaying aggression, mechanical mastery, and the ability to make high-impact plays at any given moment, the Green Wall has an edge over anyone standing in its way.
Throughout the year, Shotzzy displayed an incredible understanding of the Black Ops 7 movement mechanics. By utilizing various jump spots for better vantage points alongside wall bouncing to bamboozle opponents, he made space for his teammates to make an impact while the opposition was focused on tracking him down.
With rostermania in full swing ahead of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 season, OpTic Texas is expected to stick with its current lineup, and who can blame them? Regular Grand Final appearances, topped off with Champs and EWC victories, give the franchise no genuine reason to make any kind of adjustment.
Image Credit: Activision Despite containing a large arsenal of weaponry, Call of Duty esports is quick to dismiss any kind of rifle that’s deemed overpowered for competitive play. With almost all weapon categories hit with the ban hammer, it leaves a handful of viable options for the best players in the world to master.
Black Ops 7 began with the Dravec 45 submachine gun and the M15 Mod 0 assault rifle dominating the action. The Dravec quickly became stale despite possessing excellent damage output and low recoil. It even gave assault rifle players a run for their money at longer ranges.
In a bid to spice up the meta, the MPC-25 took its place in the second half of the season. Armed with additional mobility, players navigated the map at breakneck speed, significantly improving the viewing experience.
Following the en…