FaZe Clan imploded on Christmas Day in a coordinated, icy exodus that left the gaming world reeling. Six high-profile creators simultaneously posted identical two-word messages on X—’Left @FaZeClan’—removing themselves from the organisation in what appeared to be a choreographed departure.
The timing, precision and scale of the walkout stunned fans and sparked frenzied speculation online. But streamer Adin Ross claims he knows the real reason: GameSquare, the corporate owner that acquired FaZe in 2023, allegedly demanded current members retroactively surrender 20% ownership stakes after letting them build their personal brands for 18 months without that condition.
It’s a story of broken promises, leveraged power and creators finally drawing a line in the sand.
FaZe Clan Exodus: The 20% Ownership Ambush
GameSquare Holdings acquired FaZe Clan in an all-stock deal in 2023, immediately sparking questions about whether the company understood the delicate balance required to maintain a creator-driven organisation.
Founder Richard ‘FaZe Banks’ Bengston attempted to steady the ship by buying back 25% of FaZe Media (a separate subsidiary) for $9.5 million in June 2024, injecting some founder control back into the brand. Yet this reprieve lasted mere months.
In March 2025, Bengston divested his stake in FaZe Esports entirely, returning full ownership to GameSquare. By July 2025, Bengston stepped down as CEO. GameSquare was now sole owner, and the founders had been pushed completely out.
What followed, according to Adin Ross’s December livestream revelation, was corporate overreach of stunning audacity. ‘They never signed that 20% initially. They [GameSquare] come after them a year and a half later and then ask for the 20%,’ Ross explained.
The implication is damning: GameSquare had allowed Silky, StableRonaldo, Lacy, Adapt, JasonTheWeen, and QTCinderella to build millions of followers, accumulate sponsorships and establish personal brands whilst part of FaZe’s ecosystem—only to then demand they surrenderwhat amounts to equity stakes once their market value had skyrocketed.
‘That’s in the wrong. ‘Cause if your intention was to sign these guys for 20% of FaZe, they probably would’ve all done it,’ Ross continued. ‘But now, you wait until they’re big, have millions of followers, so why would they sign the contract? You can’t put a deal in their f***ing faces at this point.’
The assessment cuts to the heart of the betrayal. These weren’t unknown talents being courted by an organisation. These were established creators who’d made FaZe’s reputation and could walk. The power dynamic had shifted beneath corporate management’s feet.
FaZe Clan Ownership: Banks Distances Himself, Questions Linger
On Christmas evening, FaZe Banks rushed to X with a defensive statement: ‘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.’
The timing—appearing only hours after six creators fled—suggested either preemptive damage control or genuine disconnection from events he’d actually anticipated.
The question of who truly owns FaZe Clan today is straightforward: GameSquare Holdings maintains 100% ownership following the March 2025 divestiture. What remains opaque is why management pursued such a transparently hostile tactic.
The 20% demand, if real, wasn’t a business negotiation—it was an attempt to extract equity retroactively from creators who’d already proven their value. It betrayed the fundamental principle that FaZe had always claimed to champion: authentic creator partnerships.
Adin Ross, who himself owns 20% of FaZe Clan following a separate investment, appears positioned as the organisation’s future champion. Yet his immediate willingness to defend departing creators suggests he’s acutely aware that GameSquare’s approach threatened to hollow out the very talent that makes FaZe relevant.
For Silky, StableRonaldo, Adapt and the others, Christmas 2025 became the moment they collectively decided that independence was preferable to extractive partnerships with corporate owners who’d forgotten what made FaZe matter in the first place.
dzazing. 