RIYADH: Twisted Minds won the Call of Duty: Warzone tournament at the Esports World Cup 2025, lifting the trophy after an epic 10-game final.
The win is the first major tournament victory for all three players on the roster, despite each of them having storied careers.
This is the crowning moment the Twisted Minds players have been working towards for years, with this being the first LAN win for all three members of the team, despite each of them having been at the top of the Call of Duty: Warzone scene since its inception. Aydan Conrad, Riley Smith, and Benjamin Rosendahl were all on the podium at the Esports World Cup 2024 when members of two different teams, before building a new roster that has finally seen them take the final step.
Twisted Minds entered the event via the North American Qualifier as the fourth seed from the region. They had a strong showing in the group stage, finishing third and securing a spot in the final without having to play in the last-chance stage.
The Saudi Arabian organization came alive in the final, securing five top four finishes in the first six games to put them on match point. But with teams targeting them and Virtus.pro, who reached match point at the same time, it was not until Game 10 that Twisted Minds were able to secure the win they needed to lift the trophy.
Twisted Minds win the $250,000 first place prize, but for these three players, the opportunity to finally call themselves champions will be just as sweet.
“It’s my first LAN victory, you know, it means a lot to me,” Conrad said. “To have people in the stands watching, rooting for us, shout out to Twisted Minds and to everyone here, because without y’all, this is not possible without you guys. Thank you for making this the event it was.”
Smith takes home the Sony MVP award, thanks to his in-game prowess and successful plays throughout the tournament, winning $10,000 and the MVP medal as testament to his contributions.
“This is your goal, you start playing five years ago to win on the big stage, that’s where you want to be,” Smith said. “I know right now this is the best team I’ve ever played with.”
With the win Twisted Minds earned 1,000 Club Championship points, which puts them fifth in the overall standings. They are now just 200 points behind Virtus.pro, the side they stopped from gaining the full 1,000 points in Warzone. With Twisted Minds still competing in five more titles in the next two weeks of the Esports World Cup 2025, they could make a late charge for the Club Championship title.
Week five at the Esports World Cup 2025 takes place until August 10 with finals in EA Sports FC 25.
