Matthew ‘FormaL’ Piper is a legendary competitor synonymous with the controller-based FPS scene. He has dominated in both Call of Duty and Halo esports over the years and is one of just two competitors on Earth to have won a world championship title in both games. Recently, FormaL answered a question while streaming, clearing up exactly why he left Call of Duty esports at the end of the 2021 season.
FormaL, who has represented OpTic Gaming in one way or another for years, is often considered to be one of the best Call of Duty competitors in history. His iconic career in Call of Duty spanned more than seven years and took him from pillar to post and from one game to the next, and he almost always remained consistent. Alongside Seth ‘Scump’ Abner, FormaL was one half of what must be considered one of the best duos in Call of Duty history.
So, why did he leave Call of Duty esports?
‘I Just Didn’t Care Enough to Fight for It’
Image Credit: Call of Duty League
FormaL was a member of the Call of Duty League side, OpTic Chicago. It was never a hyper-successful team and didn’t generate any big wins during its tenure in the CDL, and at the end of 2021, it pivoted and was rebranded to OpTic Texas following the merger between Envy and OpTic Gaming. Before that, FormaL left the team – in August 2021 – and in the following year, it was revealed that he was making a grand return to Halo esports to soak up the resurgence of the Halo Championship Series.
That was where FormaL cut his teeth in esports – he was a Halo competitor before he was a Call of Duty competitor, so it was arguably a return home for the legendary player.
In a clip captured during a recent stream, Matthew ‘FormaL’ Piper revealed exactly why he left Call of Duty esports:
In this clip, he says quite bluntly:
‘I got dropped off my COD team (laughs), and I just didn’t care enough to fight for it.’
It seemed for a while before FormaL departed Call of Duty esports that his love for the scene was certainly ebbing away. There were some tough seasons for the iconic player that likely impacted his passion for Call of Duty, and when he was dropped from OpTic Chicago in 2021, it must have been the final nail in the coffin.
Related: FormaL Still Wins MVP Titles After 13 Years
Turning Things Around
Since returning to Halo esports, FormaL has proved that the ‘OpTic Curse’ transcends Call of Duty. This curse is a phenomenon where a player dropped from OpTic goes on to win a world championship – and it has happened several times in Call of Duty. In the last couple of years, FormaL’s gameplay has gone from strength to strength, and for OpTic Gaming in the Halo Championship Series, he’s a stalwart presence – a true leader in the league.
In 2022, he and his team claimed the top prize at the North America Super, the Orlando Major, and then they lifted the trophy at the Halo World Championship 2022. In 2023 (so far), the team won the Kickoff Major in Charlotte and the Fort Worth Major, beating FaZe Clan and Spacestation, respectively.
Between the 13th and the 15th of October, the Halo World Championship 2023 will take place – will FormaL pick up another ring in Halo esports?
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