OpTic Gaming has revived the Huntsmen brand to field a roster in the Call of Duty Challengers esports circuit.
The Challengers team, operated by the North American esports organisation, is headlined by two-time Halo World Dhampion Jonathan ‘Renegade‘ Willette.
Unveiled on December 4th, the signing marks the first time in ten years that OpTic Gaming has fielded a roster in Call of Duty’s tier two scene. Throughout 2014 and 2015, the organisation’s OpTic Nation lineup competed during the Call of Duty: Ghosts and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare seasons.
The Huntsmen name last featured in Call of Duty esports in 2020 as the Chicago Huntsmen franchise previously owned by NRG.
Renegade becomes the latest Halo esports player to make the switch to Call of Duty for the Black Ops 7 season. The former OpTic Gaming Halo player joins Kaci ‘Lqgend‘ Sabri in moving titles. Lqgend recently joined Vancouver Surge, transitioning directly into the Call of Duty League (CDL) rather than entering through Challengers.
Joining Renegade on the Huntsmen roster are Jeremiah ‘Nium‘ Harrison, ‘Rspi‘, and ‘Kips‘. The trio arrives following stints with Stallions and Five Fears during the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 season.
Nium and Rspi have previously competed alongside each other, scoring a top-four finish at the Miami Open in April 2025.
Huntsmen will make its debut in the opening North American Challengers Cup, taking place on December 6th. The first event of the season will feature over 120 teams competing for Pro Points to determine seeding for Challengers Open tournaments running alongside the four Majors throughout 2026.
Call of Duty Challengers in 2026
The 2025/26 season marks a new chapter for the Challengers ecosystem, after its previous format was overhauled for the Black Ops 7 season.
Open LAN events will take place at each of the four Majors in addition to four online Elite seasons per region.
With OpTic Gaming opting to field a Challengers roster alongside its OpTic Texas franchise, it will be interesting to see if other franchises follow suit to create a pathway for aspiring pros.
