Following the release of an emotional, six-minute video on Twitter, Seth ‘Scump’ Abner has officially retired from Call of Duty esports. At the end of October 2022, Scump announced that the 2023 season would be his final year as a competitor, but owing to circumstances explained in his video, he has accelerated that timeline. As of right now, Scump is no longer an active competitor in the Call of Duty League and after more than a decade as an esports professional, he has officially retired.
At a gathering made up of friends, family, and organisation members from OpTic, Scump broke down his reasons for ending his journey early. Like Crimsix and his own retirement, Scump has cited a slowing down in himself as the main reason for the early departure. Through tears, Scump explained that he’s stepping down so others can rise up, and he stated that he’ll still be attending events going forward, but in the capacity of a fan and not a competitor for the first time in a decade.
The End of an Era, Absolutely
Scump has been the face of competitive Call of Duty for more than ten years. He’s one of the biggest earners in the space and he has been at the top of his game consistently since day one. He’s an accomplished competitor, a world champion, and a multi-talented individual. In 2021, he won the World Series of Warzone, proving that he really does have the ability to do it all, and his following on social media and streaming platforms makes him one of the most popular players in the game.
In his own words in the extremely emotional video, Seth explained partly why he’s leaving the scene and trusting a new roster to push on without him:
‘With the great team that I had, Ant (Shotzzy) being there, and the addition of Brandon (Dashy) back, I hope people are very happy with the new roster at the very least. I think you guys are going to be absolutely disgusting. After seeing Cuyler (Huke) and you as a sub duo with the pacing, it was kind of an easy decision. I’m not like that – I’m not fast anymore. These guys, they’re different, and it’s a hard decision.’
Here’s the full video that Scump uploaded on Twitter:
By way of a response, the competitive Call of Duty community and creators and personalities from beyond started pouring out their affections for Scump. From Dr Disrespect, one of the most popular streamers, to almost every player in the CDL, one and all came by to pay their respects to one of the best Call of Duty players the world has ever seen.
Now, Scump will push more into the world of content creation, where he has already cultivated a solid foundation. He’s also going to spend more time with his family, and friends, and learn to appreciate perhaps not grinding ten hours a day on Call of Duty to maintain a sharp, competitive focus.
Thank you, Scump.