The news about his retirement after the 2023 Call of Duty League season, was officially announce by the King of Call of Duty himself, much to the despair of longstanding competitive CoD fans.

On the day of Modern Warfare 2’s release, the 27-year-old revealed the news in a touching YouTube video where Scump looks back on just a handful of the numerous memorable moments from his illustrious career thus far.

Scump has won 30 major tournaments and amassed over $1.1 million in prize money as of the start of his final season as a professional. Even this past March, he took home Major One of the 2022 CDL season, demonstrating that he still has what it takes to go up against the best.

So what is Scump’s exact reason for retiring? Here is what he himself had to say on the subject.

The End of the Road

An important, life-changing choice like this always involves a number of different considerations. Some fans may wonder if Scump’s decision is being forced by the caliber of current Call of Duty games, while others may believe that he is simply ready to move on from the exhausting grind of professional competition.

Scump made it abundantly apparent that he believes he still has one strong season in him at the end of the day.

“Of course, I’m not going to leave the game entirely. I’ll still play a lot of Call of Duty,” Scump declared. “I’m not going to suddenly vanish into thin air or anything, it’s not like that. In terms of my mental, physical, and emotional resources, I simply believe that one more season is about all that I have left. I feel like I still have one more great year to give—not just to myself, but also to my teammates, my coaching staff, my incredible partners, the OpTic crew, and you guys.”

Scump put an instant end to the notions that some of his supporters may have had that he may someday alter his mind and opt to continue competing after 2023.

“Hopefully, we can give you guys a year to remember, but ultimately, it is unrelated… This is my last event folks, we could go win Champs, we could win every tournament this year,” Scump stated. “I believe it’s time for me to move on and begin exploring some other things that I have really wanted to pursue,” she said.

What’s Next for Scump?

Scump emphasized how challenging it has been to balance creating content with playing in the CDL, and he implied that once he participates in his final professional tournament, he will have more time to stream and make YouTube videos. For many of the King’s followers, who are surely disappointed by his retirement, this is probably a silver lining.

This isn’t farewell, but it is saying goodbye to a very long and important part of my life, according to Scump.

When the 2023 CDL season starts in December, supporters of OpTic and Scump will be able to begin watching the last season of a famous career.