Dallas Empire release Crimsix and Vivid from Call of Duty League roster

❘ Updated: 2021-08-28T00:50:02

Call of Duty League

The Call of Duty League’s Dallas Empire have officially released the three-time world champion Crimsix, alongside highly touted midseason pickup Vivid from their roster ahead of the 2022 season.

Ian ‘Crimsix’ Porter is considered by many to be the greatest CoD player of all time, thanks to three championships and a long reign atop the esport. After helping the Empire to a CDL Champs first-place finish in 2020 and a third-place finish in 2021, the GOAT has been dropped.

Additionally, the Empire have released their eventual Cuyler ‘Huke’ Garland replacement: Reece ‘Vivid’ Drost, widely considered one of the better submachine gun players in the league.

While both players tweeted about their incoming restricted free-agent status, the Empire have also confirmed that this is no test of their market value. On their official Twitter account, the org has thanked both players for their time in Dallas — suggesting that the Empire do not intend on re-signing the pair.

Dallas Empire release Crimsix and Vivid from CDL roster

Confirmed by the @DallasEmpire

The 3x Champ is a free agent after placing 1st with Dallas in 2020 and 3rd in 2021 😳 pic.twitter.com/ostb1Zw6dn

— Dexerto Esports (@DexertoEsports) August 27, 2021

Many, us included, will be quick to hit refresh on the Empire Twitter page for the coming hours — but at the moment, the rest of the team’s roster appears unscathed.

Read more: LIVE: CDL 2022 Rostermania hub: all roster changes

With these announcements, as well as the Seattle Surge and Paris Legion both fully dropping their teams, the 2021 CDL season has thrown itself into 2022 rostermania with reckless abandon.

Here’s the Empire’s current roster at the time of writing: