Every year esports continues to grow exponentially. Esports is a booming industry – professional gaming has become increasingly popular in the past few years, with large numbers of people tuning into tournaments from all over the world. It’s a global phenomenon. But did you know that some of the most successful esports franchises are based right here in North America? Let’s take a look at five of the biggest names in North American esports.
Team Liquid: Founded in 2000, Team Liquid is one of the oldest and most recognizable esports organizations in the world. The team has seen success in multiple games, including Dota, Counter-Strike, and StarCraft II. Team Liquid’s parent company is Axiomatic, with entertainment legends Peter Guber, Ted Leonis and Jeff Vinik and Bruce Karsh as co-Executive Chairmen. Team Liquid is based out of the Alienware Headquarters in Los Angeles. With over 60 esport athletes and 20 championships under its belt, Team Liquid is one of the most successful teams in North America.
Cloud9: Based out of Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Cloud9 is one of North America’s largest esports organizations. The team has won multiple tournaments across multiple games—including League of Legends, CS:GO, Overwatch, League of Legends, Valorant and Hearthstone—and their players have earned millions of dollars in prize money.
OpTic Gaming: This Dallas-based organization was founded by “OpTic J” and quickly gained notoriety for their domination of Call of Duty tournaments throughout the 2010s. They merged with Envy gaming in late 2021 to become an even bigger powerhouse. They have since branched out into other games like Counter-Strike and Halo 5 and remain one of the top teams in competitive gaming today.
Immortals Gaming Club (IGC): IGC is a relative newcomer to the pro gaming scene but has already made an impact with their strong presence across titles like CS:GO and Fortnite. They recently acquired MIBR (Made In Brazil)—one of South America’s top teams—to expand their reach even further. IGC’s focus recently has been fielding teams to compete in League of Legends, Valorant and Wild Rift.
NRG Esports: Founded by NBA star Shaquille O'Neal and former MLB legend Alex Rodriguez back in 2016 and headquartered in Los Angeles, NRG Esports has grown to be one of North America's premier organizations. Their players have tasted success across titles such as Fortnite, Call Of Duty, Rocket League, Apex Legends, Gears Of War and others making them a force to be reckoned with on both local and international stages. Check out their content, as the produce super entertaining videos on their socials and Youtube channel!
The world of competitive gaming is ever-changing—but these five organizations have consistently proven themselves to be at the top tier year after year. Whether it’s through winning championships or just staying relevant on social media platforms like Twitch or YouTube—these teams continue to show why they deserve to be considered some of North America's best! So, if you're a fan looking for your next favorite team to cheer for - look no further than these five powerhouses!