FaZe Clan
Corporate brand
UnclaimedAn American esports and digital-entertainment brand that grew from a Call of Duty trickshotting channel into a global creator and competitive-gaming organization.
Last updated October 25, 2026
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Overview
FaZe Clan is an American esports and digital-entertainment brand whose origins date to May 30, 2010, when FaZe Sniping appeared on YouTube as a Call of Duty community focused on trickshotting. Founded by Eric Rivera, Jeff Emann, and Ben Christensen, the group distinguished itself from tournament-focused gaming channels through edited gameplay, recognizable personalities, and a social-media-native presentation. Its early videos helped establish the model later used by many gaming creator organizations: combine competitive play, entertainment, fan identity, merchandise, sponsorships, and personalities under one name. During the 2010s, FaZe expanded beyond Call of Duty content. It recruited prominent creators, established shared creator houses, entered professional esports, and developed teams in games including Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Call of Duty. Its Counter-Strike operation acquired G2 Esports' international lineup in 2016 and later reached the final of the ELEAGUE Major: Boston 2018. The team also won the 2018 ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier. Alongside esports, FaZe built commercial partnerships with brands such as G FUEL, Champion, Nissan, Manchester City, New Era, Kappa, CLOT, and McDonald's, while pursuing apparel, films, branded content, and lifestyle products. The company increasingly presented itself as a youth-culture and creator brand rather than only a gaming team. In 2018, Greg Selkoe became president and Lee Trink became chief executive officer. Outside investors and celebrity backers participated in the company's financing, and FaZe closed a Series A round in 2019 led by Jimmy Iovine and NTWRK. In 2020, it announced co-ownership of the supplement company CTRL and released the film Crimson through FaZe Studios. The brand also attracted mainstream attention, including a Sports Illustrated cover in 2021. FaZe Holdings became a publicly traded company on Nasdaq in July 2022 after completing a merger with a special-purpose acquisition company. The transaction valued the business below the approximately $1 billion figure initially discussed. The public-company period brought financial pressure, including a falling share price, a delisting notice, workforce reductions, and operating losses. In 2021, several FaZe members were implicated in promoting the Save the Kids cryptocurrency token; FaZe removed FaZe Kay and suspended other members, while later reporting indicated that Teeqo was not involved and was reinstated. GameSquare announced an agreement to acquire FaZe Holdings in October 2023, and the transaction placed FaZe within GameSquare's esports portfolio. In 2024, GameSquare separated the brand's activities into FaZe Esports and FaZe Media. FaZe Media was designed as a creator-led internet-media business, with Richard Bengtson, known as FaZe Banks, as chief executive and Matt Kalish as a major investor. GameSquare retained the esports assets. Bengtson later left the FaZe Media leadership role in 2025 amid controversy surrounding the MLG meme coin. FaZe Media closed in December 2025 after a substantial departure of creators, leaving FaZe Esports as the continuing operating division identified with the brand. The organization's history therefore combines pioneering creator culture, professional esports, influencer marketing, apparel, and the risks of scaling a personality-led media company.
History
FaZe Clan began on May 30, 2010, as FaZe Sniping, a Call of Duty group created by Eric Rivera, Jeff Emann, and Ben Christensen. The founders became known for trickshotting in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The group’s breakthrough came through YouTube rather than conventional esports competition. Its videos emphasized editing, spectacle, and creator personalities, helping FaZe develop a large following at a time when gaming channels were becoming a major form of online entertainment. The organization expanded its roster and content formats during the early 2010s. The addition of Ted Fakie helped the group develop recurring video formats, including the ILLCAMS series. By 2012, FaZe had reached one million YouTube subscribers. It subsequently began entering competitive gaming while maintaining a separate creator and entertainment identity. FaZe France was announced in 2013 as a competitive Call of Duty sniping division and was rebranded in 2014; its players and staff departed in 2015 after disagreements about the organization’s direction. FaZe also entered Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. In January 2016, it acquired G2 Esports’ international lineup. The team became one of the organization’s most prominent competitive assets, finishing second at the ELEAGUE Major: Boston 2018 and winning the ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier later that year. In parallel, FaZe’s content operation developed a lifestyle-oriented image. Richard Bengtson helped create a FaZe shared home in Los Angeles in 2017, following an earlier shared home established in New York by Thomas Oliveira and Bengtson in 2014. These houses supported a format in which gaming, personal entertainment, sponsorships, and social-media distribution were closely integrated. Investment and commercial expansion accelerated in the second half of the decade. Hubrick invested in FaZe in 2015, while Lee Trink became an adviser and later chief executive. Greg Selkoe, the founder of Karmaloop, became president in 2018. FaZe entered partnerships involving apparel, beverages, automobiles, football, fast food, and other consumer categories. Its collaborations included G FUEL, Champion, Nissan, Manchester City, New Era, Kappa, CLOT, Siberia Hills, Lyrical Lemonade, 24karats, and McDonald’s. In 2019, a group of celebrity, sports, music, and entertainment investors participated in the company’s financing, and FaZe completed a Series A round led by Jimmy Iovine and NTWRK. During 2020, FaZe obtained an investment loan, announced co-ownership of the supplement brand CTRL, and released the film Crimson through FaZe Studios. The organization’s cultural reach was highlighted when it appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 2021. That year, FaZe announced plans to merge with B. Riley Principal 150 Merger Group and become a public company, presenting itself as a brand representing youth culture rather than simply an esports team. FaZe Holdings began trading on Nasdaq in July 2022. The completed transaction valued the company at approximately $725 million, below the earlier proposed valuation. Its public-market period was difficult. The stock fell below one dollar in early 2023, leading to a delisting notice, while the company reduced its workforce and reported operating losses. The business also faced reputational damage after FaZe members promoted the Save the Kids token in 2021. FaZe removed FaZe Kay and suspended Jarvis, Teeqo, and Nikan; Teeqo was subsequently reported to have been unaware of and uninvolved in the scheme and was reinstated. GameSquare announced an all-stock acquisition of FaZe Holdings in October 2023. After the transaction, FaZe was reorganized in 2024 into FaZe Esports and FaZe Media. FaZe Esports held the competitive assets, while FaZe Media was intended to operate as a creator-led internet-media company. Matt Kalish invested in FaZe Media, and Richard Bengtson became its CEO. GameSquare later divested its remaining FaZe Media stake while continuing to own FaZe Esports. Bengtson stepped down in 2025 amid allegations connected with promotion of the MLG meme coin. At the end of 2025, numerous creators announced their departures, and FaZe Media closed. The continuing FaZe identity is therefore centered on esports, while the creator-media structure that had defined much of the brand’s expansion has been discontinued.
- 2025
FaZe Media closes
[1]A major creator departure leads to the closure of FaZe Media, leaving FaZe Esports as the continuing operating entity.
- 2024
FaZe Media and FaZe Esports are established
[1]The former unified business is separated into a creator-media operation and an esports operation.
- 2023
GameSquare acquisition announced
[1]GameSquare announces an all-stock agreement to acquire FaZe Holdings.
- 2022
FaZe becomes publicly traded
[1]FaZe Holdings completes its SPAC merger and begins trading on Nasdaq under FAZE.
- 2021
Sports Illustrated cover
[1]FaZe becomes the first esports organization featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
- 2019
Series A financing closes
[1]FaZe closes a Series A financing round led by Jimmy Iovine and NTWRK.
- 2018
ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier victory
[1]FaZe wins the ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier and reports a $500,000 prize.
- 2016
Counter-Strike expansion
[1]FaZe acquires G2 Esports’ international Counter-Strike lineup.
- 2013
FaZe France is announced
[1]The organization creates a French competitive Call of Duty sniping division.
- 2012
One million YouTube subscribers
[1]FaZe reaches a major early audience milestone and begins broadening beyond a single creator channel.
Products and positioning
A youth-culture, gaming, esports, and creator brand built around influential personalities, competitive teams, entertainment content, and lifestyle partnerships.
Competitive esports · 2010
FaZe Esports
FaZe’s competitive-gaming division fields or has historically fielded teams across major esports titles. Its activities have included Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, and other publisher-supported competitions. The division is distinct from the creator-media business and remained under GameSquare ownership after the FaZe Media separation.
Digital media · 2010
FaZe Clan creator content
The creator operation uses YouTube, livestreaming, and social platforms to distribute gameplay, entertainment, personalities, collaborations, and lifestyle programming. This creator-led model was central to FaZe’s growth, although the FaZe Media business that formally housed much of this activity closed in 2025.
Apparel and lifestyle
FaZe apparel and merchandise
FaZe has sold branded clothing and accessories through direct releases and collaborations with apparel and streetwear partners. Its merchandise strategy connects esports fandom with streetwear, limited drops, creator identity, and broader youth-culture branding.
Call of Duty League franchise team · 2019
Atlanta FaZe
Atlanta FaZe was created through a partnership between FaZe Clan and Atlanta Esports Ventures for the Call of Duty League. It represented FaZe in the Atlanta market before the franchise was later renamed and relocated as FaZe Vegas.
Call of Duty League franchise team · 2025
FaZe Vegas
FaZe Vegas is the reported 2025 renaming and relocation of the Atlanta FaZe franchise. It represents the continuation of FaZe’s Call of Duty League presence under a new market identity.
Film and entertainment production · 2020
FaZe Studios
FaZe Studios was used for film and entertainment production, including Crimson, released in 2020 with FaZe creator Brian Awadis in a leading role.
Controversies
2025
MLG meme coin allegations
Richard Bengtson stepped down from his FaZe Media CEO role following accusations that fans had been scammed through the MLG meme coin. The available reference does not establish a final legal finding.
2021
Save the Kids token controversy
FaZe members promoted the Save the Kids cryptocurrency token, which was later widely described as a pump-and-dump scheme. FaZe removed FaZe Kay and suspended Jarvis, Teeqo, and Nikan. Teeqo was later reported to have been uninvolved and was reinstated.
2020
Tfue and FaZe Clan settle lawsuit
Turner "Tfue" Tenney and FaZe Clan settled their ongoing lawsuit, and court filings confirmed that both parties voluntarily dismissed it. The article says the lawsuit included Tenney's claims about revenue and contract terms and FaZe Clan's counterclaims; settlement details were not disclosed.
Marketing campaigns
- 2021McDonald's sponsorship
United States
FaZe announced a sponsorship with McDonald’s, linking the brand to a major consumer-food advertiser.
Outcome. Expanded mainstream brand sponsorship activity.
- 2019Nissan original content partnership
Global digital markets
Nissan partnered with FaZe to produce original series for FaZe’s YouTube channel.
Outcome. Connected an automotive advertiser with creator-led gaming entertainment.
- 2019Manchester City partnership
Global
Manchester City and FaZe collaborated on digital content and clothing.
Outcome. Extended FaZe’s reach into international football culture.
- 2019ComplexCon collaborations
United States
FaZe appeared at ComplexCon and sold exclusive products connected with Champion, Lyrical Lemonade, and 24karats.
Outcome. Positioned the organization within contemporary fashion and pop-culture retail.
- 2018Champion apparel collaboration
United States · Global digital markets
FaZe and Champion released exclusive clothing, with additional FaZe collections appearing during 2019.
Outcome. Expanded FaZe’s identity into mainstream sportswear and streetwear.
- 2012G FUEL partnership
Global
FaZe began a long-running promotional relationship with G FUEL, including co-branded flavors and gaming-oriented marketing.
Outcome. Established one of the organization’s longest-running commercial partnerships.
Brand decisions
2024
Separate FaZe Media from FaZe EsportsStrategyBackground
After GameSquare’s acquisition, the brand needed a structure separating creator-led media from competitive esports operations.
Action taken
GameSquare formed FaZe Media as an internet-media company and retained the esports assets in FaZe Esports.
Aftermath
GameSquare later divested its remaining FaZe Media stake, while FaZe Media closed in December 2025 after creator departures.
2022
Complete the SPAC merger and list publiclyM&ABackground
FaZe pursued public-market capital and a larger corporate structure to support expansion across esports, content, and consumer partnerships.
Action taken
FaZe Holdings completed its merger with B. Riley Principal 150 Merger Group and began Nasdaq trading under FAZE.
Aftermath
The company traded below its initial valuation expectations and later faced a sub-one-dollar share price and delisting risk.
Completed transaction valuation. $725 million (July 2022)
2019
Create an Atlanta Call of Duty League franchiseStrategyBackground
The Call of Duty League introduced city-linked franchise teams and Atlanta Esports Ventures acquired a league slot.
Action taken
Atlanta Esports Ventures partnered with FaZe Clan to launch Atlanta FaZe.
Aftermath
The franchise later became FaZe Vegas after relocation and renaming in 2025.
Reported approximate franchise-slot price. (2019)
2016
Acquire G2 Esports' Counter-Strike lineupM&ABackground
FaZe sought to establish a serious presence in professional Counter-Strike alongside its creator business.
Action taken
The organization acquired G2 Esports’ international Counter-Strike roster.
Aftermath
The team became a major FaZe competitive asset, reaching the ELEAGUE Major: Boston 2018 final and winning the 2018 ELEAGUE CS:GO Premier.
Recent events
Reported
G FUEL launches FaZe Clan variety pack at Sam’s Club[4]
G FUEL introduced its first 18-pack of cans, the FaZe Clan Variety Pack, featuring MFAM Punch, Sour Blue Chug Rug and FaZeberry. The limited-time pack was available at Sam’s Club stores across the United States and online.
Reported
FaZe Clan launches FaZe Academy[5]
FaZe Clan unveiled FaZe Academy, a talent incubator that future recruits must pass through before joining the organization.
Reported
Tfue and FaZe Clan settle lawsuit[3]
Turner “Tfue” Tenney and FaZe Clan settled their ongoing lawsuit, and court filings confirmed that both parties voluntarily dismissed it. The article says the lawsuit included Tenney’s claims about revenue and contract terms and FaZe Clan’s counterclaims; settlement details were not disclosed.
Reported
FaZe Clan and Riot Games announce VALORANT Invitational[6]
FaZe Clan announced, in partnership with Riot Games, the FaZe Clan VALORANT Invitational, a North American tournament scheduled for August 6–9, 2020.
Reported
Verizon and FaZe Clan formally announce partnership[6]
Verizon and FaZe Clan formally announced a partnership covering custom content creation, livestream event curation, and experiential marketing featuring Verizon's 5G network and technology.
Reported
FaZe Clan and NTWRK announce exclusive partnership[7]
FaZe Clan announced an exclusive partnership with NTWRK and Jimmy Iovine. NTWRK secured global direct-to-consumer product rights for FaZe Clan and will integrate its apparel and merchandise into the NTWRK platform.
Reported
FaZe Clan announces Los Angeles pop-up store[8]
FaZe Clan announced that its first retail pop-up store, FaZe Arcade, would open in Los Angeles on November 16 and run through December.
Reported
FaZe Clan and Manchester City announce partnership[9]
FaZe Clan and Manchester City Football Club announced a partnership to create content and special events, bring their FIFA players together at a shared training facility, and launch co-branded retail products.
Sources11 sources
- 1FaZe Clanen.wikipedia.org
- 2FaZe Clan official websitefazeclan.com
- 3Tfue and FaZe Clan settle lawsuittheverge.com
- 4G FUEL在Sam’s Club推出FaZe Clan混合装prnewswire.com
- 5FaZe Clan推出FaZe Academytubefilter.com
- 6FaZe Clan与Riot Games宣布举办VALORANT邀请赛prnewswire.com
- 7FaZe Clan与NTWRK宣布独家合作hiphopwired.com
- 8FaZe Clan宣布在洛杉矶开设快闪店prnewswire.com
- 9FaZe Clan与曼彻斯特城宣布合作gamereactor.eu
- 10ESports Collective FaZe Clan Partners With Culture Platform NTWRKbillboard.com
- 11Faze Clan Announces Exclusive Partnership With NTWRK & Jimmy Iovinetheurbandaily.com
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