FaZe Clan Wins HCS Arlington Major As Halo’s Profile Struggles Continue

Final evening, FaZe Clan lifted the trophy on the stage of the Arlington Main in Texas, claiming a $100,000 prize. It was a hard-fought weekend for FaZe, with the group first topping the desk within the Pool Play stage after which battering all comers throughout the Championship Bracket. For some time, it appeared like Spacestation was going to grab the prize away – or that Quadrant would make a shock seize for the trophy – nevertheless it wasn’t to be.

Nonetheless, regardless of a comparatively entertaining Main, Halo’s esports profile continues to depreciate. Following 2022’s struggles that saw several teams leave the Halo Championship Collection, issues haven’t but recovered. From technical points throughout occasions, an absence of protection, issues with the sport itself, and a dipping participant depend on a worldwide scale, the Halo esports scene is as soon as once more underneath menace.

Get The Wins in Whereas You Can

It was a dramatic weekend, that’s for certain. As soon as once more, all eyes have been on OpTic Gaming going into the event, however regardless of a robust exhibiting within the Pool Play stage, the group flaked out slightly throughout the Championship Bracket. Since February and profitable the Yr 2 Kickoff Main in Charlotte, OpTic Gaming has failed to realize a lot floor within the Halo Championship Collection. That’s slightly shocking, because it’s the identical squad that devastated the scene final 12 months, profitable the:

Against this, listed here are the most important occasions that FaZe Clan gained throughout the 2022 season:

It’s not sudden to see a paradigm shift, although – and we nearly noticed a monumental one with Quadrant. This comparatively new esports organisation – backed by Method One’s Lando Norris – wavered within the Pool Play stage however got here again exhausting throughout the Championship Bracket. Finally, the group secured third place – which isn’t a nasty efficiency, contemplating the organisation is but to win something appreciable within the Halo Championship Collection.

Learn Extra: FaZe Clan Wins First-Ever Halo Title

May Halo Esports Die Quickly?

Towards the top of 2021, it was revealed that the Halo Championship Collection would return with the launch of Halo Infinite. It was a monumental revelation, contemplating the esport scene had successfully died a fiery demise in 2018 after working for a number of years. In fact, Halo’s esports scene carved the way in which for others to happen – even Name of Obligation’s esports grandeur was successfully spearheaded by Halo’s success.

Now, plainly the complete Halo esports ecosystem teeters on the sting of an amazing precipice, staring into an all-too-real abyss. There are a number of troubling signs which will spell the top for the Halo esports scene as soon as once more within the coming months:

1. There may be nearly no funding from the followers, and viewership is plummeting. There is almost no viewership at all exterior of the Main and Championship occasions.
2. There are painfully few folks enjoying the sport – using Steam as an example, the 30-day participant peak depend sits at simply 8,300 customers.
3. There’s nearly no buy-in from esports information websites, proper right down to the Halo Waypoint platform and websites like Liquipedia. Plainly updates are few and much between, and – on the time of writing, six hours after the top of the Arlington Main, these websites haven’t even been up to date with the ultimate outcomes.

It’s unhappy, however we might see the top of Halo esports by the top of this season.