For years, Call of Duty has been one of the most exciting and popular esports franchises. It attracts millions of viewers, competitors, and creators, and thanks to its highly accessible nature, there are thousands upon thousands of prospective esports professionals just waiting for their time to shine. Today, we’re answering an all-important question as we take a look at all the Call of Duty pro players throughout history – which of them can be called the best Call of Duty players of all time?
It has been more than a decade since Call of Duty esports started becoming truly popular. By today, it’s a multi-million-dollar ecosystem, boasting a top-flight league that features some of the world’s most valuable gaming organisations. It’s a franchise that undergoes constant evolution, and each year, players find themselves competing on an entirely different platform.
Call of Duty: Best COD Players of All Time
When it comes to the top COD players, some of the names on this list are quite simply iconic. They’ve been instrumental in the increasing popularity of Call of Duty esports, and they’re instantly recognisable among the thousands of competitors in the space. By the time you’ve finished this breakdown, you’ll know which of them are the best Call of Duty players in the world, and, more importantly, you’ll know what makes them worthy of the title.
While building this list, we’ve looked at everything from tournament wins, chips, and rings to total money earned, and from social media following to the player’s impact on the development of the COD esports scene. From the millionaire superstars to the most electric entertainers in the history of Call of Duty, this definitive list really does have it all.
If you’re a fan of Call of Duty and want to learn about the history of some of its finest competitors and potentially pick up some Call of Duty League betting tips, look no further than this list.
15. Austin ‘SlasheR’ Liddicoat
LiddiGOAT, as he’s affectionately known in the Call of Duty space, is a veteran powerhouse of the esports industry. He has been competing at the highest level in Call of Duty since 2014, entering the fray with FaZe Clan when COD esports arguably began to peak. He’s a contender for the title of best Call of Duty player, without a doubt. In 2016, he picked up his first championship ring, and six years later, he proved he still had the talent to succeed, landing a Major tournament win over Atlanta FaZe in the CDL.
As one of the older players on the scene, SlasheR effortlessly takes control of the battlefield. He’s a leader amongst the younger players, and a familiar face to the veterans. While he’s been around the table, he has contributed massively to the teams he has been a part of. By 2022, he’d racked up a whopping $787,800 in earnings, and going into 2023, he’ll be competing with Atlanta FaZe. This is a remarkable position for SlasheR, and he enters the squad as the first new player on the team since 2020.
There could be another ring in store for SlasheR in 2023, and the chance for him to add to his collection of eight chips.
Watch SlasheR on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/slasheral
14. Dillon ‘Attach’ Price
Attach is a world championship player with one of the most storied backgrounds in Call of Duty esports. He was a member of FaZe Clan for a whopping four-year period, and in 2015, he picked up his first championship ring, winning big on Advanced Warfare. He became the youngest Call of Duty world champion in history, securing the ring at 18 years and 84 days old. He’s held that record for seven years.
By 2022, he’d picked up $544,148 in Call of Duty winnings.
On the battlefield, Attach is a master SMG player, but he remains as versatile as a player could possibly be. In 2021, while playing with Minnesota Rokkr, he secured a Major victory in one of the closest-fought tournaments of the year. It’s as though nothing can disturb Attach, who is one of the most level-headed players around. There are few players that make a better contender for the title of the best Call of Duty player.
Despite changes being made to almost the entire roster, Attach remains with Rokkr in 2023, assuming something of an in-game leader role. He’s looking to add to his collection of eight chips as the season kicks off, and ultimately, it’s anyone’s game.
Watch Attach on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/attach
13. Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag (Retired)
While Nadeshot wasn’t ever able to secure a world championship title in Call of Duty, it wasn’t for a lack of trying. There may be players more broadly decorated than Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag, but there are so few Call of Duty personalities that have had the impact on the industry that he has. As a competitor, Nadeshot secured eight chips and a couple hundred thousand dollars in prize money, but it’s what came after he retired that is so much more important.
In 2016, following his retirement from actively competing in Call of Duty, Nadeshot founded his own team, named 100 Thieves. This organisation rapidly rose up the ranks and became prolific in a relatively short period of time, and in November 2020, Nadeshot created the LA Thieves and secured a buy-in to the Call of Duty League. During the 2022 season, the LA Thieves dominated before ultimately securing a world championship title.
So, he’s the only player on the list of the best Call of Duty players to boast that accolade. He’s also an extremely accomplished content creator, and across both YouTube and Twitch, he boasts a collective following of more than 5.5m users. And, fortunately, he’s still quite a capable player, even more than six years after he retired from the game.
Watch Nadeshot on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/nadeshot
12. Tyler ‘aBeZy’ Pharris
It seems bizarre to find an entire roster on the same list, but that’s just how good the Atlanta FaZe squad was – before the end of 2022, at least. As we introduce aBeZy, we’re bringing in yet another ATL FaZe player (you’ll meet the rest later), and there’s no doubt that he was instrumental in the squad’s stunning performance in the Call of Duty League. He has been flying the FaZe banner since 2019, and at present, he boasts two championship rings.
In 2019, aBeZy stormed to victory with EUnited, and then in 2021, he won big again, slamming down Toronto Ultra to win his share of the $1,200,000 prize pool. However, if aBeZy had his way, he’d have a third ring in the bag, but in 2020, Dallas Empire proved to be too much for the team to defeat at Champs. Regardless, aBeZy is a part of the exclusive ‘million dollar club’, boasting $1,362,405 in winnings.
He’s a phenomenal player with many years of growth yet ahead of him, and by 2022, he’d already secured eight chips.
Watch aBeZy on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/abezy
11. Tyler ‘TeeP’ Polchow
Once upon a time, TeeP was instrumental in the development of the Call of Duty esports scene. His legacy can be traced back to 2009 when he first began competing at a professional level, and by 2015, he’d become a world champion while flying the banner of one of the hottest compLexity rosters of all time.
For many years, TeeP was considered one of the most talented assets for every organisation he joined. During his prestigious career, he fought for the likes of Luminosity, OpTic Gaming, Envy, EG, and compLexity, of course. Following his retirement, he became a capable coach, passing on his invaluable knowledge to the next generation of competitive gamers. Then, following a brief stint at Activision as a Call of Duty analyst, he became a top-tier streamer and content creator.
TeeP really has seen and done everything in the Call of Duty esports scene, but he isn’t finished yet. He may have retired from actively competing, but as of 2022, he regularly streams high-octane Warzone content to an audience of one million followers. With 16 chips in his pocket and hundreds of thousands of dollars secured in winnings, TeeP definitely is one of the best Call of Duty players of all time.
Watch TeeP on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/teepee
10. Chris ‘Simp’ Lehr
In 2018, you’d have been forgiven for not knowing the name ‘Simp’. However, just one year later, the name would be whispered among the halls of the best COD players of all time. Chris ‘Simp’ Lehr had one of the most remarkable and legendary glow-ups in competitive gaming, becoming a world champion within a single year of entering the industry. He played under the guidance of eUnited, jumping into the eUnited Cadets side in November of 2017 when he was just 16 years of age – and that’s where history started to be made.
In 2019, Simp fought alongside his companions to secure his first World Championship ring, at the 2019 World League Championship. It was Simp’s first event at this level, and remarkably, he walked away with an MVP medal. In 2021, during the second season of the Call of Duty League, Simp did it again, this time with FaZe. He claimed the top spot, landing a second World Championship victory and a huge amount of prize money.
During the 2021 season, Simp constantly secured massive wins and laid out some incredible gameplay. In 2019, he was named ‘Esports Console Rookie of the Year’, before turning official, legitimate professional. He has also claimed numerous MVP and even Player of the Year Awards. At the end of the 2021 CDL season, he was named the ‘overall leader’ by ways of k/d ratio.
And let’s not forget – as of 2021, Simp is just twenty years of age and, by 2022, had secured $1,323,000 in Call of Duty prize money and picked up eight chips.
Watch Simp on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/simp
9. McArthur ‘Cellium’ Jovell
Cellium is one of the youngest players on this list, but he’s by no means the weakest. Since entering the Call of Duty League in 2020, Cellium has represented Atlanta FaZe, being widely regarded as one of the best players on the squad. He’s an unbelievably talented player with a bright future ahead, and in many ways, he’s only just getting started. In 2021, he picked up his first ring, beating Toronto Ultra in the CDL Championship and snatching his portion of the massive $1,200,000 prize pool.
Cellium’s origins with FaZe Clan can be traced back to 2018 – he’s a loyal and determined member of the team, and one of the most gifted COD players around. By 2022, Cellium had picked up $1,107,000 in winnings, making him one of just seven players to break the $1 million mark. In the 2022 season, Cellium boasted the highest overall KD, and he topped the charts in the Hardpoint and SnD KD categories.
There are few players that do it quite so well as Cellium, who is easily one of the best COD players of all time. He was voted the 2022 Regular Season MVP for a very good reason, and in the approach to the 2023 season, a collection of top CDL players voted him the undisputed best player in the League.
Watch Cellium on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/cellium
8. Alec ‘Arcitys’ Sanderson
Arcitys’ journey began quite late but gave way to a rapid rise to success. Within a few short years, Arcitys had secured two massive world championship victories, earning more than $1 million and becoming known as one of the best COD players of all time. There’s no doubt that he’s an immense presence in the game, being regarded as one of the deadliest AR players in the business.
His career started back in 2015, but it wasn’t until 2019 that Arcitys really found his feet and started gaining momentum. Alongside Simp, Arcitys secured a 2019 World Championship win with eUnited, before transitioning out into the Chicago Huntsmen later that same year. In 2021, Arcitys proved he was a contender for the best Call of Duty player title, securing yet another world championship win, this time while playing under the Atlanta FaZe banner.
As of 2022, Arcitys is the highest-earning Call of Duty player in history, boasting $1,392,100 in overall winnings picked up while also winning nine chips.
Watch Arcitys on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/arcitys
7. Patrick ‘ACHES’ Price (Retired)
Patty ACHES, Patty ACHES, what a legend of the game. As a two-time world champion and a recipient of 17 chips, ACHES absolutely is one of the best Call of Duty players of all time. While his earnings are much lower than many players on this list at just $400,000, it can be explained by highlighting that his last championship victory was in 2018, and prize pools were much smaller then.
Regardless of that fact, ACHES is one of the best COD players to ever do it, competing across twelve individual titles from Modern Warfare 2 (2009) to Black Ops Cold War. He was a winning player since he burst onto the scene back in 2013, dominating the Call of Duty MLG landscape. His resume is extensive, and in the time that he was an active competitor, ACHES flew the banner of no fewer than 17 organisations, including 100 Thieves, compLexity, EG, FaZE Clan, and the Los Angeles Guerrillas.
While he’s retired today, he remains one of the most iconic competitors to ever grace a Call of Duty stage. He was an ever-charismatic player, just as gifted with his sharp tongue as he was his undeniable thumbs.
Watch ACHES on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/aches
6. Jordan ‘JKap’ Kaplan
JKap is a unique force to break into the list of the best COD players of all time. He’s the only individual on this list to have secured a world championship title as both a competitor and as a coach, proving that he really has the ability to do it all. He started his career with FaZe Clan way back when the organisation was basically still developing, and he became a key part of the expansion of the Call of Duty esports scene.
Today, JKap is a talented content creator, a capable Warzone competitor, and a world champion-grade esports coach. Following his success that enabled him to secure back-to-back world championship titles in 2015 and 2016, JKap ultimately started winding down, before finally retiring from a ten-year career in 2020. It wasn’t long after that he was snapped up by the LA Thieves, and little more than a year later, in 2022, he coached the squad to victory at the CDL Championship.
All-in-all, JKap secured an impressive ten chips during his career, and he made almost $700,000 in winnings. As we move into 2023, JKap remains with LA Thieves, and there are high expectations for another stunning season.
Watch JKap on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/JKap
5. James ‘Clayster’ Eubanks
There are expectations that Clayster will announce his retirement any day now, as he’s currently the oldest player in the Call of Duty League. However, that means nothing in terms of his ability, as time and again he continues to prove to fans and critics alike why he’s one of the best Call of Duty players of all time.
Clayster is one of the most decorated players in the history of the franchise, and he has been competing at a professional level since 2007. His career has taken him from pillar to post, and he has represented a staggering 21 teams since he entered the esports scene way back when. He’s a versatile player that has grown to become one of the most experienced in-game leaders in the business, and he’s a three-time world champion.
However, his age and seemingly unstable yet powerful character and ability mean that he’s a difficult one where Call of Duty betting is concerned. During the 2022 season, Clayster’s position wavered somewhat as he was benched and forced to compete in the Call of Duty Challengers circuit. However, he remains resolute, and as of yet, he hasn’t announced his retirement. In 2023, he’s representing the newly-formed Las Vegas Legion, and he’s intent on having as good a season as possible.
Today, Clayster boasts a massive collection of nineteen major wins and is one of the few Call of Duty pro players to secure more than $1,000,000 in winnings – $1,199,000 by 2022, in fact.
Watch Clayster on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/clayster
4. Matthew ‘FormaL’ Piper (Retired)
FormaL is one of just two esports competitors in history to win a world championship title across two different games. He’s a Call of Duty champion and a Halo champion, and even after retiring from competing in Call of Duty, he has still maintained a lucrative and dominant esports winning streak. As another extravagant and well-liked competitor, the world of competitive Call of Duty was struck a blow when FormaL announced his retirement in 2021.
By the time he packed up and left Call of Duty behind, FormaL had secured 23 chips and one world championship title. He was an integral part of the OpTic dynasty that housed the likes of Crimsix, Karma, and Scump, and alongside these players, he became one of the most iconic, recognisable OpTic Gaming players of all time. It isn’t even fair to say that FormaL was (and still is) GOATed – he has transcended that level to become an absolute legend of the community.
He’s also one of just a handful of players to make more than a million dollars through Call of Duty tournament winnings.
Now, when FormaL isn’t competing in Halo esports, he’s a talented streamer, broadcasting his in-game abilities to an audience of more than 660k followers.
Watch FormaL on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/formal
3. Seth ‘Scump’ Abner
In 2023, Scump will retire from actively competing in Call of Duty esports to focus on other pursuits and family life. It’s a crushing blow to the scene, as for more than a decade, Scump has been synonymous with Call of Duty esports. For some, he’s the face of the vertical, and there are few players as universally appreciated or talented as Scump.
By the time the 2023 season had kicked off, Scump had secured an incredible 30 chips and one world championship title. As both an esports competitor and a content creator, Scump has picked up millions of followers during the last decade, and he’s proven himself to be a multi-platform machine, having secured grand victories on the Call of Duty: Warzone platform. There’s no doubt about it: Scump is an electrifying entertainer and arguably one of the most likeable personalities in esports today.
He’s one of the best Call of Duty players the world has ever seen, and there are high expectations that he’ll deliver great things in his final season as an active competitor. While his retirement means that he won’t equal or beat Crimsix’s record, he’s still a legend in his own right. He’s worked so hard to beat the Call of Duty odds time and again, and by late 2022, he’d secured well over $1 million in earnings.
There are few Call of Duty streamers that are as popular as Scump, and that’s where you’ll find him once he has retired from the Call of Duty League.
Watch Scump on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/scump
2. Damon ‘Karma’ Barlow (Retired)
There’s a reason he’s referred to as ‘GOAT’, and he only narrowly missed out on securing the top spot on this list of the best Call of Duty players.
While Karma retired from competitive Call of Duty relatively early, it was still following a remarkable career that spanned more than ten years. As one of the most iconic players in the history of Call of Duty, Karma enjoyed tenure with twelve of the industry’s most prolific organisations. He was an instrumental part of the famed OpTic dynasty, and during his career, he was the first-ever Call of Duty player to secure three world championship rings.
His competitive streak began on Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but it was during the Black Ops II era in 2012 that Karma truly cemented himself as an incredible player. By the time he had retired, Karma had picked up 24 chips and landed more than $760k in winnings. Like many other players on this list, once he’d retired from actively competing, Karma pivoted to become a prestigious content creator.
Watch Karma on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/karma
1. Ian ‘Crimsix’ Porter (Retired)
Toward the end of 2022, Ian ‘Crimsix’ Porter announced his retirement from Call of Duty esports, and an entire community fell to their knees. This truly was the end of an area; the withdrawal of a talent so impressive and commanding that it had been pivotal in shaping the scene for more than a decade. When it comes to the best Call of Duty players of all time, there’s no doubt that Crimsix sits proudly at the top of the table.
As a competitor, Crim has secured more chips than any other player in the business, boasting 37 major victories and three world championship rings by the time he’d retired. During his career, he’d secured more than $1.3m in prize money, with the majority of those earnings coming during a period when Call of Duty esports were less valuable overall. It took more to be a big earner in those days, and Crimsix simply excelled.
In his twilight seasons, Crimsix became a mentor to an entirely new generation of Call of Duty professionals. He became a guiding, inspirational light to many players, and maintained one of the most explosive personalities in the Call of Duty League.
He’s an award-winning player and a veteran team leader, and following his retirement, he has become a gifted and popular content creator.
Thank you, Crimsix.
Watch Crimsix on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/crimsix
If you’d like a change of pace, consider checking out our breakdown of the best Call of Duty Mobile players. Recently, Call of Duty Mobile has had a massive glow-up, and it’s now a valid and popular esports platform that welcomes millions of players.
