LA Thieves CDL star Octane announces Call of Duty retirement

Sam ‘Octane’ Larew, multiple-time Call of Duty champion and 2022 world champion, has officially called it a day on his playing career, announcing his retirement following the culmination of the 2023 season.

Octane has been commonly regarded as one of the greatest assault rifle players in Call of Duty history, once one of the steadiest shots in the league before also becoming a vocal and efficient leader, taking his LA Thieves side to a world championship victory in Vanguard in August 2022.

In the most recent Modern Warfare II season, he put in stellar performances, including a final victory at Major 4, ending the season regarded as one of the top three ARs of the year alongside Toronto Ultra star Thomas ‘Scrappy’ Ernst and Atlanta FaZe’s McArthur ‘Cellium’ Jovel.

LA Thieves star Octane announces CDL retirement

LA Thieves had a rough end to their season, placing 5-6th at Major 5 and dead last at Champs, failing to live up to the team’s expectations from fans.

Octane cited wanting some more time with his fiancé as one of the biggest reasons he’s decided to move on, and he claimed that being an esports athlete requires that job to be “all you are”.

He’s decided it’s time to retire with a tearful announcement and has confirmed that he has no plans to return to the league.

This now leaves LA Thieves in a somewhat precarious position for the 2023/24 Call of Duty League season, on the hunt for a top-tier AR that can help replicate the success Octane has brought to the organization, though players that can match his abilities are very few and far between.

Octane ranks as the 11th highest earner in the CDL at the time of his retirement, having made almost $900,000 throughout his career, just behind his teammate Kenny in 10th.

The near-10-year veteran of the pro league will now turn his attention to focus on content by joining 100 Thieves as a creator, following in similar footsteps to fellow stalwarts Seth ‘Scump’ Abner and Anthony ‘Methodz’ Zinni, both of whom hung up the sticks mid-season to pursue their streaming and content creation aspirations.