This weekend, the Halo Championship Series descended on Fort Worth, Texas for the Major of the same name. It was a fantastic few days for all involved, and by the time the Texan dust had settled, OpTic Gaming was standing victorious, having clutched up to secure a $100,000 portion of the quarter-of-a-million-dollar prize pool. It was a monumental fight for survival for the boys in green following a less-than-perfect Pool Play stage, and at the end of it, OpTic’s Matt ‘FormaL’ Piper was handed the title of MVP of the tournament.

That’s a special achievement for a few reasons – most importantly because FormaL has now been competing for a whopping thirteen years. As time goes on, FormaL continues to stun esports fans the world over. He’s one of just two competitors in history to boast a world championship title across two different games – Call of Duty and Halo. There are many who will claim that he’s the best FPS-focused esports competitor ever, and he shows no signs of slowing down.

OpTic Gaming is Back in Control

Image Credit: OpTic Gaming

It hasn’t been a remarkable year for OpTic Gaming in the Halo Championship Series, which is surprising considering the team’s performance last season. Last year, OpTic claimed the top spot at the Halo World Championship, won the Orlando Major and the North America Super, and came in first during a few Pro Series tournaments scattered here and there. This season, outside of the Fort Worth Major victory, OpTic has won just one high-tier event – the Kickoff Major in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Regardless, it seems that OpTic Gaming is back to its true form, and being led by FormaL, there could be more wins in store for the squad.

This weekend, during the Fort Worth Major, OpTic Gaming went on a monumental spree during the Championship Bracket. Following two 3 – 0 wins against both Complexity and FaZe Clan, OpTic faced more resistance in SSG but the team still couldn’t be hampered, producing a 3 – 2 finish. From there, OpTic assisted in the elimination of Native Gaming, then returned to face SSG in the Grand Final.

It almost seemed destined for failure as SSG secured the first four maps ahead of the bracket reset, but OpTic – with FormaL at the helm – managed to clutch up after the refresh.

What’s In Store For OpTic Gaming in Halo Esports?

For a few months, the Halo esports scene has been in decline a little, with viewership dropping across the board. Recently, OpTic Gaming pulled out of Rocket League esports, and last year, the organisation dropped its VALORANT squad. It seems a little dire, but it’s important to stress that almost every esports organisation is trying hard to regain some finances in the current economic climate.

In the Halo Championship Series, there are expectations that OpTic Gaming will persist, but there could be drastic roster changes coming soon. In social circles, there are expectations floating around that are leaning towards FormaL announcing his ultimate retirement from competing in esports this year. It could be based on the team’s performance during the upcoming Halo World Championship, which is taking place between the 13th and the 15th of October in Seattle, Washington.

It would be a huge blow, but it’s the ebb and flow of esports. At 28 years of age, FormaL arguably still has a little left in the tank, but like many competitors before him, it may be time to turn to coaching and content creation.