Doug 'Censor' Martin, an acclaimed figure in the world of professional Call of Duty esports, has decided to hang up his controller. After 13 years of facing the top players in the most intense levels of the game, he has chosen to step back from the competitive scene. His reasons for doing so and his future plans were revealed in a video he published on YouTube on January 29th.
As a stalwart presence in the CoD landscape and one of the last genuine veterans, Censor has marked his exit from the fiercely competitive arena. His journey playing CoD is a thrilling one, with several teams and all-encompassing experiences forming the various chapters of his gaming career.
His big break in professional gaming began with the likes of Team Envy and FaZe Black. From there, he ascended to a four-year tenure with FaZe Clan, made a brief appearance in the CDL with New York Subliners, and, until recently, lent his talents to the Boston Breach's Academy team.
All of these experiences have sculpted Censor into one of the most accomplished and adaptable players in the Call of Duty scene. Even as his illustrious career draws to a close, the lessons and memories from his journey remain indelible traces of his years of dedication to the game.
At 29, Censor kicked off his career with Treyarch’s original Black Ops in 2011 and has since competed across 13 different CoD titles. Each version of the game had its own set of challenges, from the more traditional ground combat to the futuristic warfare featuring jetpacks.
Even against such varying and increasingly complex challenges, Censor held his own. His inherent ability to master all these different versions of the game is a testament to his dedication to CoD and the competitive esports scene.
While Censor's journey through the pits and peaks of the CoD titles is a noteworthy accomplishment in itself, his individual achievements are equally commendable. His greatest triumph comes in the form of a fourth-place record at the 2014 CoD Champs event.
However, this was not his only achievement. Over the years, Censor has also accumulated numerous other victories at Open events, along with dozens of top-four finishes, which further cement his legacy within the competitive CoD scene.
As he leaves behind a remarkable legacy, Censor's sights remain firmly set on his path ahead. One of his immediate goals is to break a Guinness World Record. In particular, he intends to accomplish the highest number of pull-ups in a 24-hour span and is already deep into the training session for this feat.
Censor's determination to achieve this impressive physical feat is unquestionable. He has already committed seven months to his training regimen, indicating his deep-seated commitment to achieving this new goal. To him, this record symbolizes more than just a physical feat; it represents a personal triumph of endurance and willpower.
To fully commit to this goal, he realized that it was necessary to retire from competitive CoD gaming. Censor acknowledged that his mind state was not compatible with the demands of competitive gaming and that he needed to explore other areas of interest.
This decision, although monumental, is one he had anticipated and planned. Censor announced his retirement shortly after a pivotal tournament, illustrating his intention to move on from the life-long involvement in esports that he had known.
Despite his retirement, Censor assured his followers that he would not completely disappear from the limelight. Instead, he will continue to create content, although now with a different focus. Particularly, he plans to work with the CDL organization Boston Breach on new content pursuits.
In his farewell announcement, Censor did not entirely close the door on making a return to competitive gaming sometime in the future. However, his immediate plans center around enriching his life with fresh pursuits.
Thus, his retirement marks the closure of his full-time dedication to the competitive world of Call of Duty. Even so, the mark that he has left in the game's competitive domain will not be forgotten and will likely inspire many aspiring players.