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FaZe Clan is no stranger to drama, but even by its standards, the last few months have been explosive. At the centre of it all is PlaqueBoyMax, the fast‑rising creator who quietly walked away from the org in August—long before a wave of high‑profile exits turned fan speculation into full‑blown crisis.​

FaZe Clan Fallout: Why PlaqueBoyMax Walked First

Maxwell Elliot Dent, better known as PlaqueBoyMax, confirmed in early August that he had left FaZe Clan, making his announcement first on stream and then in a YouTube video bluntly titled i left faze clan. He followed it up with a simple post on X: 'left @FaZeClan.'

At the time, he avoided explaining exactly what had gone wrong, telling viewers: 'Yes, I am leaving FaZe. I can't fully go into depth while I'm leaving FaZe, but I am leaving and I'm ready to, you know, embark on my journey. [I] worked the hardest I ever have in my career to do whatever I gotta do to make 5$TAR the biggest s*** possible, make myself the biggest s*** possible. Just keep working like we have for the past four years.'​​

That decision now looks like the first crack in a much bigger split. Months after Max's departure, FaZe stalwarts Adapt, JasonTheWeen, Lacy, Silky and Stable Ronaldo all posted almost identical messages on X on Christmas Day, each writing 'Left @FaZeClan'. Adapt's own statement underlined just how big a change this was: '14 Years. Over half of my life, I'd be lying if I said this didn't hurt, but it had to be done. Thank you to everyone who's been apart of this journey, the best is yet to come.'​

The posts stunned fans, who had grown used to seeing these creators as the core of FaZe's new‑era content. Political commentator Hasan 'HasanAbi' Piker weighed in on X, arguing the balance of power has shifted away from orgs. Quoting Adapt's tweet, he wrote: 'orgs need their talent more than the talent need their orgs.'

He pointed to Max as proof, adding: 'just as max continued to thrive after leaving faze i believe all the guys who just left will continue to grow & make great content.' For many viewers, it reinforced the idea that big names no longer need a team logo to pull in huge audiences.​

FaZe Clan Control Issues: 'We're Puppets'

In a recent stream, PlaqueBoyMax finally opened up a little more about what pushed him to leave FaZe Clan. Reading from a prepared statement, he told viewers: 'I know a lot of people are looking to me for my thoughts as these are my boys and I went through the process first. As I said before, I want to be respectful of sensitive information. At the same time, as you all know, in this business, conversations often take place with assistant staffers and other people who aren't required to keep secrets. And everybody talks when something like this happens.'​

He went on: 'With that said, I can share a little more of what led to my own departure and what I think may have been the feelings of my brothers.' When a viewer brought up Lacy having been kicked from FaZe previously, Max confirmed it: 'He really got kicked from FaZe. He got kicked from FaZe, because according to the assistants and the staff and the cameramen, they said that he had missed a video shoot or something, and we were missing video shoots.'

He said Lacy was later allowed back in, but argued that incidents like this showed how little power the talent really had.​ 'So, this is to tell y'all this - we have no control. There was no control, and it's like we're puppets. At least that's what it felt like. You get what I'm saying? Anything could happen at any moment, bro.'

Max also reminded viewers that he had signed with FaZe in 2024, meaning legal limits still govern what he can reveal. 'As y'all know, I signed to FaZe in 2024, so at the end of the day, I sign papers. There are certain things I can and can't say. When I left FaZe... couldn't say anything to you guys.'​

FaZe Clan Leadership Turmoil And Banks Backlash

The creators' exits come against a backdrop of turmoil at the very top of FaZe Clan. Richard 'Banks' Bengtson stepped down as CEO in July, following intense scrutiny around a meme‑coin project and broader criticism of how the org was being run.

As news of the Christmas walk‑out spread, Banks insisted he was not involved, posting on X: 'I have nothing to do with what's going at FaZe Clan right now. I left 4 months ago and have moved on with my life. Unfortunate to see, wishing everyone involved the best. If there's anything I can do to help, I'm here. Nobody loves FaZe more than me.'​

On stream, PlaqueBoyMax chose not to respond directly. Instead, he played a laughing track while Banks' message appeared on screen—a reaction that spoke volumes without breaking any NDAs.

Banks later hit back, branding Max and other former members 'ungrateful' and 'fake', escalating an already messy public row over who bears responsibility for FaZe Clan's current state.​

For fans, the human cost is clear: a generation of creators who helped redefine gaming entertainment are now trying to rebuild outside the FaZe banner, while one of esports' most recognisable brands faces an uncertain future.

Whether FaZe Clan can survive this latest exodus—or whether its biggest stars prove HasanAbi right by thriving on their own—could shape how creator organisations operate for years to come.

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