FaZe Clan Was Just Struck With Some Terrible News
This has been a rather tumultuous year for FaZe Clan. Although the esports organization is no stranger to controversy, it seems that 2020 has continued to pile on the drama for the group. However, the latest development is notable in that it stems from higher-up members deciding that they no longer want to be associated with FaZe Clan.
According to a breaking report from The Hollywood Reporter, three former executives from FaZe Clan have formed a brand new gaming organization. Bearing the striking name XSET, this new team is aiming to make a positive difference in the gaming community at large. These execs are Greg Selkoe, Clinton Sparks and Wil Eddins. In forming XSET, they have joined forces with Framerate founder Marco Mereu. In other words, all of these guys know what it takes to get an esports org off the ground, so there's every reason to sit up and pay attention to this announcement.
Greg Selkoe told The Hollywood Reporter that XSET will be something entirely new in the gaming landscape. The plan is for this group to put diversity and inclusion at the forefront of its ideals and goals.
As explained by Selkoe, "We are creating an entirely new gaming organization — one with integrity, creativity, and, most of all, the courage to build out an impressive and diverse roster of individual gamers who reflect the actual landscape of the new generation of America. XSET means excellence and inclusion. We will set the standard and be the kind of role models the community of hundreds of millions of gaming fans deserve."
In other words, Selkoe and the rest of his partners in XSET are hoping to create a much more inclusive environment that fosters talent and positivity in the gaming community. So how did this all get started, exactly?
Apparently, the creation of XSET more or less began earlier this year when Selkoe was released from FaZe Clan. Though he served as a president of FaZe Clan, he parted ways with the organization when some of the other FaZe officials approached him about stepping down. Apparently multiple other employees turned in their resignations as a sign of solidarity. It's unclear how many people have made the jump from FaZe Clan operations to XSET, but it looks like Selkoe is going to have a loyal team on his side.
Without naming any names, Selkoe more or less weighed in on the toxic culture that has been seen in many successful esports organizations, including FaZe Clan. As Selkoe told The Hollywood Reporter, "if you look at the current organizations, they sort of resemble a frat house. They're not reflective of the racial and gender diversity in the gaming world."
To that end, XSET will seek out talent in the esports and social media worlds, bringing in content creators from TikTok and pro gamers alike. According to Mereau, "We will organically attract the best talent, representing the broad spectrum of people who make up this generation of gamers and their fans. This generation cares about style, but also wants to know the substance of shared values and making the world a better place."
This is a bold statement of intent for the fledgling esports organization, but it probably sounds like music to the ears of folks who are fed up with drama and disrespect among the gaming community. Recent months in particular have brought this topic into conversation. PewDiePie tackled the subject of misogyny among gamers in a recent video, as well as how people seem to respond differently to men vs. women online. Pokimane expressed similar views on Twitter recently, taking gaming fans to task for being much harsher on women than men. Both content creators expressed a wish for a more level playing field.
XSET looks to be moving away from that "us vs. them" mentality that has permeated so much of pop culture. It also makes sense that XSET would want to distance itself from the kinds of controversies that orgs like FaZe Clan have become known for in the last year or so.
It's worth noting that Selkoe and company are only the latest in a line of people who have publicly distanced themselves from FaZe Clan. Tfue has been embroiled in a lawsuit with the org since last year over what has been referred to as an "oppressive" contract. Cloakzy has likewise expressed a desire to get out of his contract, but has been reluctant to pursue legal action.
FaZe Clan has yet to officially respond to the formation of XSET, but we'll keep an eye out.