Atlanta FaZe wins Black Ops 4 Throwback Invitational: final results

While we’re in the midst of the Call of Duty League off-season, Atlanta FaZe hosted an enormous event with $25,000 up for grabs in the Black Ops 4 Throwback Invitational.

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From Ghosts competitions to Modern Warfare 2 tournaments, the current off-season has treated us to a proper look back in time. Many of the world’s best CoD players from over the years have gathered together for a handful of events already and there are no signs of the festivities slowing down soon.

Atlanta FaZe was next in line for a major event, and sights were set on the more recent Black Ops 4. From CDL talent to Academy players and even those that made it through open qualifiers, the best of the best were lined up to compete.

It was one of the biggest tournaments over the off-season, taking place across multiple days. Fear not though, we’ve got you covered with a complete overview of all there is to know.

How to rewatch the Black Ops 4 Throwback Invitational

It was a long weekend of action so there’s plenty to sit through if you’re wanting to watch it all. The Black Ops 4 event kicked off on October 23 and ran through to October 25. 12PM ET (9AM PT / 5PM BST / 3AM AEDT).  The following days all started at a similar time and ran for multiple hours.

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A handful of competitors recorded their own perspectives throughout the event. However, FaZe hooked it up with a number of dedicated streams to keep on top of all the action. There were four streams in total but it all boiled down to the main ATL FaZe channel for the final day. 

Teams that competed in the Black Ops 4 Throwback Invitational

It’s safe to say this event was one of the most stacked we’ll see in the off-season. Six CDL teams put rosters forward for the tournament. They were joined by an assortment of top talent coming from Challengers, along with eight teams that earned a spot through the open qualifiers.

Not only was this a step back in time, but it was also a unique look ahead. FaZe gave fans their first “opportunity to see new 2021 CDL 4v4 rosters in action.”

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The full list of teams that competed in the Black Ops 4 tournament can be found below.

Black Ops 4 Throwback Invitational Format

With 20 teams revealed, the BO4 Throwback Invitational has moved on from an exciting set of group stages to the Winners and Losers Brackets. Teams were split into four groups of four initially, with everyone moving on to their side of the double-elimination brackets based on performances across groups.

Unlike the best-of-3 format for the group stage, teams played best-of-5 matches in the Winners and Losers Brackets.

$25,000 was on offer. Only three teams could actually place in the money though. $15,000 was awarded to the top team, second place was treated to $7,500, while third place nabbed $2,500 for their efforts. 

Black Ops 4 Throwback Invitational Groups

As you can see from the group results, some big CDL teams made their marks on the tournament’s first day. But a full rundown on the first day of action can be seen below.

ATL FaZe BO4 Invitational: Day 1, Group Stage

Day 1 started like the CDL Champs finished, with three of the league’s strongest teams dominating the competition and standing a full head and shoulders above the rest. In the group stages, the CDL’s final three teams, the Atlanta FaZe, Chicago Huntsmen, and Dallas Empire all finished 3-0 with the Huntsmen being the only team to drop a map.

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Unsurprisingly, McArthur ‘Cellium’ Jovel proved his MVP candidacy is not limited to Modern Warfare, as he pulled off some absurd plays in the group stage.

But, while other CDL teams, like the Seattle Surge and Los Angeles Guerrillas, went winless — one team of amateurs, HYXR, also went 3-0. With the tournament now shifting to winners and losers brackets, with a best-of-five format instead of the earlier best-of-threes, it will be interesting to see which teams can maintain or change momentum.

Black Ops 4 Throwback Invitational Winners Bracket: Day 2

Black Ops 4 Throwback Invitational Losers Bracket: Day 2

ATL FaZe BO4 Invitational: Day 2, Bracket Play

Like Day 1, the second day of the FaZe Invitational saw the CDL’s top two teams dominate the competition. But this time, it wasn’t FaZe’s Cellium making the most noise. Instead, the Empire prove they only need a few of their pieces to make things happen as iLLeY put the team on his back, surviving Scump’s shots and finishing the round off with a slick five-piece.

Down in the Losers Bracket, Arial Arise and the Four Horsemen made their marks, winning some very close matches to ensure spots in the quarterfinals. On Finals Sunday, the remaining six teams will all play as the double-elimination bracket thins out. In the final match, the Grand Finals will shift from the best-of-5 format to a best-of-7.

Black Ops 4 Throwback Invitational Finals Bracket: Day 3

ATL FaZe BO4 Invitational: Day 3, Finals Sunday

Finals Sunday started with the tournament’s early upsurging underdogs, HYXR, continuing to impress. The team of amateurs easily out-dueled an impressive Four Horsemen roster before meeting the CDL’s darling franchise, the Chicago Huntsmen, in the Losers Semifinal. There, they eked out the revamped roster with a clutch 3-2 victory (including some nice SND plays from Estreal).

Unfortunately, the HYXR Cinderella run would end in the next round, as the Dallas Empire, fresh off a loss to FaZe in the Winners Bracket, clinched a return to contention in another close, 3-2 match. That left the BO4 Throwback Invitational with a matchup most recently familiar at CDL Champs: Atlanta vs. Dallas in a best-of-7.

Things started with a blitz from Empire as they secured the first two map wins without much of a hassle. While the third map seemed to be much of the same, FaZe pulled it back from the brink of defeat before setting the tone for the series as a whole.

The FaZe roster took hold of the series and didn’t let go. They won four maps in a row to end things with a bang and win their org’s very own throwback tournament.