Why the Tfue and FaZe Clan contract dispute has big implications

gabhernandez Published 24/06/2019

Fortnite streamer and content creator Turner “Tfue” Tenney’s recently filed suit against his employing organization FaZe Clan has brought to light a long-standing issue of predatory contracts in esports.

Esports attorneys have been talking about this as an issue for a long time now. Bryce Blum, an esports attorney unrelated to the case, took to Twitter to explain his own interpretation of the events described thus far. He points out that there are indeed some unfair things in Tfue’s contract, but that context is also important to consider in any player contract.

Unfair and predatory contracts are unfortunately common in the esports industry. Many young adults are so excited to be offered a contract that they will overlook things in order to fulfill their dreams. But contract language cannot supercede state law. 

Tfue argues in his lawsuit that the contract he signed is in violation of California talent agency laws because FaZe operates as a talent agency without being licensed. In an interview with Kotaku, video game attorney Ryan Morrison said that, “Your employer can’t be your agent. Your employer especially can’t be your exclusive unlicensed agent. This [lawsuit] was so overdue and will instantly correct so many wrongs in this industry just by shining a light on it.”

In the lawsuit, Tfue’s attorney Bryan Freedman of law office Freedman + Taitelman states that “These young content creator/streamers are susceptible to being taken advantage of and exploited – often by those that are supposed to be looking out for their best interests.”

Tfue has already mentioned that he filed suit in part to help players going forward. A successful case would set a precedent for future lawsuits that have similar terms in their contracts.

In his video response to a rant on Twitter and YouTube from FaZe Clan COO Ricky Banks, Tfue seemed to take a moral stand to go along with his legal complaint.

“These kids are getting ripped off, they’re getting taken advantage of. These contracts are not okay and this needs to never happen again, and there’s tons of people in contracts this bad, just like me,” Tfue said.

The outcome of the lawsuit will take some time to resolve, but if Tfue wins his case, he could be helping many future young esports professionals to be better protected from predatory contract practices.

Read Also

Fortnite

Fortnite is finally giving Sidekicks a purpose with a new game mode Zachary Roberts Sidekicks have been one of the most fun, if largely meaningless, additions to Fortnite. Officially launching in November 2025, this update gave gamers a chance to have a little partner in their Battle Royale. They don't do anything, but some players quite enjoy having SpongeBob, Groot, Bonesy, Pink Pony, Ace the Bat-Hound, and others by their side. Finally, though, there is going to be a reason to have sidekicks. Epic ...

Fortnite

Fortnite x Obsession collab could be in the works as teaser drops Zachary Roberts Nowadays, anything popular ends up getting a Fortnite crossover. Even if it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. There's an American Dad crossover, a Game of Thrones collaboration, and so much more that at one point would've been totally shocking to a gamer. That includes popular movies. Even before it truly hit theaters and took off, there were skins for The Odyssey in the Item Shop. Similarly, another 2026 smash ...

Fortnite

Fortnite adds over 30 AI voices to skins for Creative mode Zachary Roberts Fortnite has come under fire recently for its usage of AI, with one collaboration immediately reexamining the partnership after that revelation. Generative AI usage in games is generally frowned upon by gamers, although game developers are more commonly using it now. That, of course, includes Epic Games, which has just sort of doubled down on the AI usage in Fortnite. However, instead of the normal gen AI, Epic has assigned ...

Fortnite

Fortnite Hot Bat Summer: Release time, skins, and more Zachary Roberts The Fortnite Hot Bat Summer is upon us. Every year, there is an update for the summer that brings in beach settings, swimsuit-wearing characters, and more. This year, it's got a DC tilt, with some of the most iconic superheroes and villains taking a load off to cool down in the heat. Here's what you need to know about it. First and foremost, you need to know what characters are ...

Fortnite

Fortnite collaboration in danger after generative AI revelation Zachary Roberts Fortnite has crossovers with so many different things. If Epic Games wants something in the game, it usually happens. Whether it's Darth Vader, Spider-Man, Batman, Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James, Sabrina Carpenter, or Khaby Lame, anything the developers want usually ends up in the game. It's rare for a collaboration to end up cancelled, but there's real danger of that happening right now. Vampire Survivors was supposed to have a collaboration ...

Fortnite

How to find TheBurntPeanut in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 Zachary Roberts Wondering how to find TheBurntPeanut in Fortnite? You're not alone. The streamer is the latest high-profile collaboration in the game, but it's a little different this time. Instead of being a skin or an NPC, the streamer is a Sprite. These are relatively new to the game, so if you're wondering about that or where TheBurntPeanut is, we've got you covered. TheBurntPeanut is one of the most unique crossovers in ...

Fortnite

When does the current Fortnite season end? Zachary Roberts When does the current Fortnite season end? This is a question that's always important to know the answer to. For one thing, many elements of the season, such as the items and characters, will go away at that time. That is also when players will no longer be able to earn battle pass rewards. So, when does the current Fortnite season end? Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 just began, but ...