You've probably seen the name floating around—No Kings. It’s one of those entities in the modern gaming and content creation sphere that feels like it has always been there, yet if you ask five different people who started No Kings, you might get three different answers. It isn't just a brand. It’s a shift in how players view the "org" model that dominated the 2010s.
Let's get the facts straight. No Kings was started by the content creator and former professional Call of Duty player, Anthony "Methodz" Zinni. It wasn't a corporate boardroom decision. There weren't venture capitalists in suits whispering about "synergy" and "deliverables." Honestly, it felt more like a reaction. For years, the esports world was defined by rigid structures—FaZe, OpTic, 100 Thieves. These are massive, billion-dollar machines. Methodz, who had spent a decade in the trenches of the Call of Duty League (CDL), decided to build something that reflected a different ethos. He wanted a space where the creators actually owned the narrative.
The Methodz Era and the Birth of a Brand
When people look into who started No Kings, they often look for a complicated origin story. It’s actually pretty simple. Anthony Zinni retired from professional play in early 2023. Most pros retire and either fade away or become "content creators" for the teams they used to play for. Zinni did something different. He leaned into his personality. He’s funny, loud, and incredibly well-connected.
He didn't do it entirely alone in a vacuum, though. He’s heavily associated with the "ZooMaa" circle—The Flank crew. If you follow the CDL, you know the vibes. It’s a tight-knit group of guys who realized they didn't need a middleman to reach their fans.
The name itself, "No Kings," is a bit of a manifesto. It suggests a lack of hierarchy. No one is above anyone else. In a world where "King" is a title often thrown around (especially in the OpTic Gaming fandom with Scump), No Kings represents a more egalitarian approach to gaming culture. It’s about the collective. It’s about the "boys."
Why the Origin Matters
Why should you care who started it? Because the "who" defines the "what." Because Zinni started it, the brand carries his DNA. It’s self-deprecating. It’s high-energy. It’s deeply rooted in the North American Call of Duty scene, but it has tentacles reaching into fashion and lifestyle.
The Confusion Around No Kings and OpTic
There is a massive amount of overlap between No Kings and OpTic Gaming, which leads to people getting confused about the founders. Since Methodz is a creator for OpTic, some fans think Hector "H3CZ" Rodriguez or Seth "Scump" Abner are the ones who started No Kings.
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They didn't.
However, they are undeniably the "Godfathers" of the movement. You can't talk about No Kings without mentioning the support system. H3CZ has a history of letting his creators build their own brands under the OpTic umbrella. It’s a "rising tide lifts all boats" philosophy. Methodz is the founder, the engine, and the face. But the environment provided by the OpTic Texas infrastructure is what allowed it to breathe.
Think of it like a musician starting a side project while still being signed to a major label. The side project is theirs, but the label provides the studio.
The Aesthetic Shift
No Kings isn't just a gaming group. If you look at their drops, the apparel looks more like something you’d see in a SoHo pop-up than at a LAN event in Raleigh. This was intentional. Zinni saw that gamers were tired of wearing jerseys that looked like NASCAR uniforms. They wanted hoodies they could wear to a bar without looking like they just finished a 12-hour scrim session.
The "No Kings" branding—minimalist, often monochromatic, heavy on typography—is a direct reflection of Zinni’s own style. It’s clean. It’s intentional. It’s "lifestyle" in a way that feels authentic rather than forced.
The Growth: From Meme to Marketplace
What started as a catchy phrase and a logo on a t-shirt has evolved. When we talk about who started No Kings, we have to talk about the community that adopted it. Zinni leveraged his Twitch stream to turn a brand into a movement.
The growth wasn't linear. It happened in bursts. Every time Methodz would host a "watch party" for the CDL, the "No Kings" mantra would grow. It’s a masterclass in organic marketing. There were no Super Bowl ads. There were no sponsored Instagram posts from celebrities who don't know what a "red dot" is. It was just a guy and his community.
Real Evidence of Impact
Look at the sell-out times. When No Kings drops a new collection, it’s usually gone in minutes. That doesn't happen because of a logo. It happens because of the person who started No Kings and the trust he built.
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In an industry where organizations like Envy and Splyce have vanished or merged into oblivion, No Kings stays relevant because it isn't tied to a league spot. It’s tied to a person. It’s "un-killable" in that sense. If the CDL folds tomorrow, No Kings still exists.
Misconceptions You Should Ignore
Don't believe the Reddit threads claiming it’s a secret subsidiary of a major venture capital firm. It’s not.
- Is it a pro team? No. They don't compete in the CDL. They are a brand and a collective.
- Is it just Methodz? He started it, but he has a team behind him for logistics, design, and fulfillment. You can't run a global apparel brand from a gaming chair by yourself.
- Is it an OpTic sub-brand? Technically, no. It’s independent, even if the founder works for OpTic. This is a nuance that confuses people, but it’s an important distinction for business ownership.
The "No Kings" name actually predates some of the biggest growth spurts. It was a philosophy before it was a LLC. It was a way for Zinni to differentiate himself from the "pro player" persona and move into the "entrepreneur" phase of his career.
What’s Next for the Founders?
The future of No Kings is likely going to involve more collaborations. We’ve already seen how they play with the big boys. The goal seems to be moving away from "gaming merch" and into "streetwear."
Methodz has been vocal about wanting the brand to stand on its own two feet. He wants someone to see a No Kings shirt in a mall and buy it because it looks cool, not just because they know his K/D ratio on Breenbergh Hotel. That is the ultimate goal for any creator-led brand. Transitioning from "fan service" to "market staple."
Actionable Steps for the Curious
If you're looking to follow the No Kings journey or perhaps start something similar, keep these points in mind:
1. Watch the Watch Parties
To understand the "why" behind the brand, you have to see the founder in his element. Tune into Methodz's Twitch channel during a CDL Major. You’ll see the community interaction that fuels the sales.
2. Study the Drop Model
No Kings uses scarcity brilliantly. They don't keep items in stock year-round. They do "drops." If you want to understand modern e-commerce for the Gen Z and Millennial demographic, this is the blueprint.
3. Check the Socials
Follow the official No Kings accounts, but also follow the creative directors and photographers often tagged in their posts. You'll see that while Zinni is the founder, the "look" is a collaborative effort involving some of the best eyes in the gaming space.
4. Differentiate Personal Brand vs. Business Brand
Notice how Zinni uses his personal Twitter for jokes and "Methodz" stuff, while the No Kings accounts are more curated. It’s a lesson in brand separation.
No Kings represents the new guard of gaming. It’s the realization that you don't need a king—or a CEO in a high-rise—to tell you what’s cool. You just need a community, a vision, and the guts to walk away from the traditional path. Anthony Zinni took a risk when he stepped away from the pro stage, but in doing so, he built something that might just outlast his legendary playing career.
The takeaway is simple: No Kings was started by Anthony "Methodz" Zinni as a rebellion against the standard esports structure, proving that in the digital age, the creators truly hold the power.