North America’s Esports Civil War: A Breakdown
Esports in North America is facing a major conflict as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players, team owners, and league organizers clash just days before Christmas. Let’s dive into what caused this strife, the parties involved, and the current state of affairs.
Parties Involved
The Professional Esports Association (PEA) was created in September by TSM, Cloud9, Counter Logic Gaming, Team Liquid, Immortals, NRG Esports, and CompLexity Gaming. These teams formed the association to improve conditions and stabilize the esports ecosystem by establishing their own team-owned league in Counter-Strike. The PEA is led by commissioner Jason Katz, formerly of Riot Games and Azubu.
On the other side, players from TSM, Cloud9, CLG, Liquid, and Immortals have united informally under the representation of industry veteran Scott “SirScoots” Smith.
Private Negotiations
In November, players became aware of a change in the PEA’s plans. Despite being initially told that the PEA had no intention of preventing them from competing in the ESL Pro League, rumors started circulating that they would be asked to withdraw. Additionally, the PEA and ESL had no established communication to avoid scheduling conflicts. Players asked Smith to initiate discussions with the PEA, leading to an ultimatum from the PEA to ESL: either let PEA fill the void or they would pull their teams out of the Pro League anyway. ESL proposed revenue sharing, but the PEA rejected it.
PEA eventually made an agreement with the Esports Championship Series (ECS) to address the “over-saturation” problem in Counter-Strike.
Public Statements
On December 21, after reports of PEA’s attempts to force ESL out, players published an open letter on Twitter with the hashtag “playersrights.” The letter accused team owners of unfair treatment and lack of transparency. Owners, including Cloud9’s Jack Etienne and Immortals’ Noah Whinston, issued responses defending their positions. The dispute between the two sides continued on social media platforms.
TSM’s Controversy
During the conflict, TSM owner Andy “Reginald” Dinh took more direct action against his players. He individually contacted each player, accusing them of damaging the team and criticizing them for not communicating directly. This led to the departure of in-game leader Sean Gares after pressure from Reginald.
The remaining TSM players expressed support for Gares, and there is uncertainty regarding the future of the team.
Industry Reactions
Many other parties are involved in this conflict. Evolved Talent Agency has offered assistance to the players in forming a union, emphasizing the need for esports players to take their careers seriously. RFRSH agency, representing Scandinavian teams, has also spoken about league exclusivity and expressed support for a player union. Veteran esports journalist Richard Lewis has shown support for the players’ cause.
The Future
This conflict has far-reaching implications for the entire Counter-Strike industry and esports as a whole. The North American scene could undergo significant changes in 2017 if team and player relations deteriorate or established leagues are forced to shut down.