Scump hasn’t closed esports chapter for good yet, teases possible CoD return

Although Scump formally announced his retirement on January 17, months ahead of his initial target, there’s still a scenario that could see the King of CoD returning to the sticks once again in 2023.

Before the Modern Warfare 2 season got underway, OpTic veteran and face of the CDL, Seth ‘Scump’ Abner, announced his plans to retire. Initially, he outlined a roadmap that would see his competitive career end with the 2023 Champs event, giving fans one more season to watch the King fry.

However, amid role swaps, roster shuffles, and general CoD chaos, Scump uprooted that plan and announced his sudden retirement ahead of schedule on January 17.

In a teary video shared on Twitter, Scump made it official. His legendary career had finally reached its end after 12 years of legendary moments, iconic content, and dominant performances. In his place, we now see Dashy returning to the startling OpTic Texas lineup next to Huke, iLLeY, and Shotzzy.

But shortly after this emotional announcement went out, Scump couldn’t help but tease a possible scenario where he actually plays again. In fact, it doesn’t seem all that far-fetched either, as the King confirmed he’s still listed as OpTic’s substitute player for the 2023 CDL season.

Jumping into ZooMaa’s Twitch chat soon after the announcement, Scump added some extra details. “I’m a sub,” he confirmed. “I might be back. If they need me.”

So while his career as a starting player is officially in the history books, there is still a possibility, in an extreme situation, where Scump does grace the CoD league with his presence once again.

Obviously, there’s no guarantee this happens. In the more likely scenario, Scump’s final game was a 3-2 win over Boston Breach on January 15. But in the off-chance something goes awry in the OpTic camp this year, Scump would be all but required to step back in.

We’ve seen similar situations in recent years, even in relation to OpTic. With iLLeY’s ongoing hand issues in the 2022 season, we saw Prolute having to fill in on the AR role. Anything can happen through the year-long competition so the door remains open, for now, on a possible Scump return.