FaZe Clan's Tyler: "We Came Into the Open With a Fresh Mindset, and We're Coming to Win"

Heading into an S-Tier tournament as part of a new roster is a common, but tricky, rite of passage for esports pros. In the case of FaZe Clan, Finnish captain Sinetic has been joined by two new players ahead of the ALGS Open taking place in New Orleans May 1-4, including British player Tyler "Tyler" Wood.

On finding a home with FaZe, Tyler said, "It's a big change. When you're playing with someone like Zaine, for instance, who's known for being an insane Fragger, and I'm playing a new role now, it's us kind of throwing a mix into things."

Having jumped around a number of orgs, the British pro's last S-Tier event took place in Mannheim for the Year 4 Split 2 Playoffs where he joined Alliance as a stand-in for Effect due to visa issues. The team finished a very respectable 3rd in the tournament with Alliance going on to compete in Champs with Effect returning to the roster. Tyler, however, was left orgless. 

In April 2025, Tyler was picked up by FaZe Clan alongside fellow British pro Zaine "Zaine" Kazi. "I think Zaine is so easy to work around because he's just so good," Tyler said. "And then you have Sinetic— he's still got stuff to learn, but he's good. He's up-and-coming and he's a good IGL."

Despite not having a huge amount of time to practice ahead of the ALGS Open, the team synergy has been working well, according to Tyler. The team finished their Day 1 games with an overall score of 60, placing 3rd in a lobby that included the likes of Shopify Rebellion and 2024 ALGS Championships winners GoNext Esports. "Our practice has been in Pro League pretty much, and in Pro League we've got 20th and 19th," Tyler said. "So it wasn't the best,but we came into the Open with a fresh mindset, and we're coming to win. We just want to win and that's it."

With so many teams fighting it out in the Open, the number of British players descending on New Orleans has been surprisingly significant. With Tyler and Zaine included, UK teams make up for 6% of the entire LAN, making the country the 4th most represented across the tournament. For context, the US accounts for 23%. 

With so many British players under one roof, it's no surprise that the camaraderie has been strong. "Tax I speak to, there's Fish that plays for BPR... there's a lot of UK players that I've spoken to.Naghz, he's one of the boys. And yeah, obviously Zaine. Vibes are insane."

The ALGS Open is taking place May 1-4, 2025. Fans can catch the action via the official Apex Legends Twitch and YouTube or via FACEIT Watch channels.