Call of Duty team Vancouver Surge has released its entire roster, despite reaching the grand final at four of six LAN events in the 2025 CDL season.
The team revealed on X has announced that Jordan “Abuzah” Francois, Jovan “04” Rodriguez, Byron “Nastie” Plumridge, Travis “Neptune” McCloud, and coach Raymond “Rambo” Lussier will be leaving for pastures new as the 2025 CDL season has reached its conclusion.
Vancouver Surge at Esports World Cup 2025 Image Credit: Esports World Cup
Vancouver Surge Fans Lament Owners’ “Cheap Business”
Fans are baffled by the decision, given the Surge’s incredible form across the Black Ops 6 season. The team reached four out of six LAN grand finals, including the Esports World Cup and CDL Championship, where they lost both finals to a reinvigorated OpTic side.
Their success in Black Ops 6 was night and day compared to the Modern Warfare 3 season, where their best placement was coming 3rd-4th at the Esports World Cup 2024.
Regarded as one of the strongest rosters in the whole of the CDL, their rise in 2025 was meteoric, and they catapulted themselves up the standings after the arrival of Neptune in February.
Fans were quick to express their disappointment with the decision to let the squad go in the replies to the organisation’s Twitter post, criticising the owners for “cheap” business practices comparable to the teams they own within traditional sports.
How Will CDL 2026 Rosters Look?
With limited spots available on CDL teams, it’s unlikely that the now former Vancouver Surge players will be able to stay together for the 2026 season.
There are already rumours to suggest that the team won’t even be looking to do so, as Atlanta FaZe are supposedly trying to sign Abuzah and 04. This comes as they head into a rebuilding process after both McArthur “Cellium” Jovel and Zachary “Drazah” Jordans were released at the end of their contracts, and Tyler “aBeZy” Pharris was benched.
With only star man Chris “Simp” Lehr remaining on the team, Atlanta FaZe would need one more player to fill the team. That player is rumoured to be David “RenKoR” Isern, who impressed during the 2025 season with Miami Heretics, however, with Heretics looking to keep hold of the Rookie of the Year winner, there’s also a possibility Drazah returns to the team.
As for Neptune, he will reportedly be part of a Gentle Mates rebuild for Black Ops 7.
Vancouver Surge themselves are looking to rebuild through the reported signing of the impressive OMiT roster, who placed in the top eight at EWC 2025 after beating Atlanta FaZe in the group stage.