??Wizzrobe joined Envy in June 2019 and became the first Super Smash Bros. player to ever play for the organization. He made multiple incredible runs at Melee events and is a Smash superstar through and through. ??He won at Smash ‘N’ Splash 5, using the Captain Falcon player which he is mostly known for. Wizzrobe’s victory at Smash ‘N’ Splash 5 made him the first Captain Falcon player to win a Major in a decade.

??Wizzrobe stated that he would not be joining OpTic Gaming now that Envy had made the transition to the organization fully. He took to his Twitter account to make the revelation and went on to announce his free agency. He was optimistic about his future and revealed that he is more motivated than ever to compete as he searches for a new organization.

??“With Envy now transitioning to OpTic Gaming, I will not be joining them,” Wizzrobe tweeted.

“Although it’s a very sad day for me, I still feel optimistic about my future in competing. Feeling more motivated than ever to grind and compete. With that being said, I am now a F/A looking for a new org.”??

As a result of this decision, OpTic is no longer actively involved in the community surrounding the fighting game. Wizzrobe was the only player on the team who played Smash, and the organization has not sponsored anyone who competes in a more traditional space.

??In his time spent under the Envy management, Wizzy broke into the top five of the 2019 Melee Panda Global Rankings. He did this by consistently achieving top finishes, the most recent of which was a second-place finish at the Smash World Tour 2021 Melee Finals. He had also secured a previous victory at another Major tournament, which took place at Mainstage 2021.??

He is now the only player from the top 10 in that MPGR 2019 ranking who does not have a sponsor, and he instantly becomes the top free agent on the market right now. This is the case despite the fact that he missed the majority of the major events throughout the year 2022 for a variety of reasons, including health complications.

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??OpTic founder Hector “H3CZ” Rodriguez and Envy founder Mike “hastr0” Rufail made the announcement in the most recent edition of H3CZ’s Eavesdrop podcast that the two franchises would no longer cohabit in the organization. Despite the fact that several teams within the organization had accepted the OpTic name after the merger – like OpTic Texas of the Call of Duty League, and the OpTic Valorant team – other teams within the organization kept the Envy identity. This change is to take effect instantly, as the organization’s Rocket League team has immediately been renamed.

??Over time it became abundantly evident that the separation of OpTic and Envy was no longer beneficial to the company in any way. According to Hastr0, the separation of the company’s resources and the attention paid to its two brands ultimately proved to be more detrimental to the business than beneficial. These problems reached a critical point at the beginning of June, hence the decision to retire the Envy name and adopt OpTic across board.??

Hastr0 revealed that the initial strategy for the merger was to keep going with the dual-branding, build both brands simultaneously, and just continue on the route that both companies had independently mapped out for themselves as their goal. He did note, though, that he had always had in mind the possibility of retiring the Envy name and placing utmost attention to OpTic.

??Because of the reputation that OpTic has earned over the years, this decision makes perfect sense. Although Envy has seen its fair share of success and has a significant amount of history, it does not have the same level of popularity as OpTic. Nevertheless, there will be a significant number of Envy fans who will be saddened by the disappearance of the brand’s name and insignia.

Hastr0 shared the same reservation as he spoke about the attachment that exists with the Envy name, stating that some fans have the brand logo tattooed on their bodies. He, however, agreed that it was important to keep the company afloat and it was time to let the name go.??

“There are guys out there with tattoos of our logo,” Hastr0 said.

“There are fans out there that have supported us for almost 15 years, and I’m thinking about these guys the whole time. But at the same time, we have to survive. This business has to continue to survive… I’m the one that’s more attached to that Envy brand than anyone, [but] I think it’s time we put all of our resources into one brand.”??

However, the name of one of the teams in the organization will not be altered in any way. The Overwatch League team known as the Dallas Fuel will maintain its current name and branding. Hastr0 stated that the team has one of the most dedicated fan bases in the competition and that the brand is “ingrained” in both the game and the league.??

Other teams that competed under the Envy banner will have their names changed to better align with the OpTic brand. This change also applies to the content creators within the organization, which includes streamers from Envy, such as the Botez sisters, Alexandra and Andrea, who play chess, as well as Justaminx, a regular on Just Chatting.

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Late last year, two NA heavyweights – OpTic Gaming and Envy Gaming – signed a merger. They both rebranded their Call of Duty teams to form OpTic Texas.

The deal with Oakley factors in the merger, as the fashion brand will provide eyewear for OpTic Texas as well every team and talent under the OpTic brand. OpTic is expected to use the gear during competitive play both online and offline.

It was also revealed that the teams will also be getting new jerseys, courtesy of Oakley. It will cover the joint CoD team as well as OpTic’s Halo and Valorant rosters.

Oakley has been eager to break into the esports scene, and this partnership will be a big boost in that regard. The brand has shown their commitment to gaming, previously signing professional CoD player Seth ‘Scump’ Abner.

While Oakley provides accessories, they are also committed to improving players’ health. They recently launched an eyeglass collection NXTLVL, primarily to help protect the eyes of gamers from blue light albeit being aesthetically appealing. The same will be provided for all of OpTic’s talent.

Speaking on the partnership, Oakley’s head of global sports marketing, Corey Hill, explained that the union will help them build on their offering in the esports scene.

“The world of esports is continuing to grow and It’s key that we continue to level up our commitment to the world of gaming.”

“New athletes are showing up in the scene every day and we pride ourselves in making sure we provide advanced eyewear for gamers of every level. Teaming up with a partner like Envy Gaming allows Oakley to reach talent and build on our offerings in the space.”

Envy Gaming’s CEO Adam Rymer also had things to say about the partnership, pointing out that both organizations have the same interests and there could be more collaborations to come.

“Oakley’s commitment to creating positive change, disruption, and the innovative spirit they bring to their products and partnerships is a great fit for what we embody. As more and more athletes, celebrities, musicians, and entertainers – look no further than Oakley’s roster of athletes – turn to gaming as a pastime and competitive outlet, we see an endless runway of opportunities for our partnership.”

Since Envy and OpTic joined forces, they have signed a couple of deals to help their players succeed. They have an active deal with gaming peripherals manufacturer Razer.

Meanwhile, the decision to join forces have borne fruits for the organization, as OpTic Texas is thriving. They won the 2022 CoD League Stage 1 Major, walking away with $200,000 of the $500,000 prize fund.

Their Stage 2 Major performance was not as inspiring as they got eliminated in the Losers’ Round 3, finishing 5th in the event.

In the Mid-Season showdown, Pro-Am Classic, they finished third behind the New York Subliners and Los Angeles Thieves.

OpTic have started the Stage 3 qualifiers on an incredible note, winning their first three matches. By May 29, their seeding in the Stage 3 Major will be known based on the outcome of their remaining two matches. The Major will commence on June 2, and 12 teams will fight for CDL points and a piece of the soon-to-be-announced prize pool.
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Although the sum is undisclosed, the multi-year deal will make SCUF the official controller provider for both esports entities and will have its logo featured on the jerseys of various teams within the organizations.

Speaking about the new deal, the Vice President of Marketing at CORSAIR, SCUF’s parent company, Diego Nunez, talked about the thrill of seeing the partnership flourish over the years.

“As a foundational partner for both the OpTic and Envy brands, we’re excited to see this long-standing relationship flourish and evolve.”

“Witnessing the growth of these brands over the years has been thrilling, and we can’t wait to continue this journey together, working side by side to provide gamers access to the best professional gaming equipment on the market.”

With this deal, SCUF will also have the first right of refusal for future teams created in both organizations. What that means is that they can choose to be the official controller of teams created by OpTic and Envy in the future.

Both organizations can only entertain offers from other brands if SCUF declines to exercise its right.

SCUF’s sister brand Elgato has also been included in the deal and will be responsible for supplying streaming equipment to creators in OpTic and Envy. Together, they will also coordinate live events and deliver various content campaigns.

OpTic and Envy announced a merger in November 2021, revealing that they will operate under a joint brand in the future. OpTic Texas was the first product of that merger, as the Texas-based Call of Duty (CoD) team Dallas Empire was rebranded ahead of the 2022 CoD League.

The newly formed team has had a bright start, winning the 2022 Call of Duty League Stage 1 Major and walking away with $200,000 of the $500,000 prize pool and 65 CDL points.

Unfortunately, they were not as successful in the Stage 2 Major. They lost 3-1 to the Florida Mutineers in the Losers’ Round 3, finishing 5th in the event.

However, both organizations have continued to operate their several other teams in different esports titles. Envy is still in total control of its Overwatch League team Dallas Fuel, as well as its VALORANT, Rocket League, and Halo teams.

OpTic Gaming has continued to operate its VALORANT team and has found success in recent tournaments. They are the winners of the just-concluded 2022 VCT Stage 1 Masters Reykjavik.

The NA team swept LOUD from the Brazil Challengers 3-0 in the Grand Final to clinch the title. For their efforts, they went home with $200,000 of the $675,000 prize pool and 750 circuit points.

OpTic currently has the most points in NA (750), and if they continue their impressive form, they could accumulate more points in the Stage 2 Challengers and Masters. If they finish first in the points table, they will be one of two NA teams to get a direct seeding to the 2022 VALORANT Champions.

In the 2021 edition, teams fought for a piece of the $1 million prize pool, and Acend won the tournament.

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