Esports solutions agency and the former operator of the UK/Nordics League of Legends NLC circuit, Freaks 4U Gaming, has new owners.
It today announced that Singapore-based Nodwin Gaming International Pte. Ltd had increased its 13.51% stake in the business to 100%.
Nodwin is a subsidiary of Nodwin Gaming Private Limited, which is in turn a subsidiary of India’s Nazara Technologies.
The deal was made through a share swap valued at up to €30.3m. Nodwin Pte will initially increase its existing stake in Freaks 4U Gaming to 57%. The remaining 43% will be held by the CEO of Freaks 4U Gaming, Michael Haenisch, Senior Vice President Product, TV & Media Productions Matthias Remmert, and co-founder Jens Enders, who will remain shareholders.
Existing investors of Freaks 4U Gaming (COI Partners, FRE and Game.Fin S.R.L) will become shareholders of Nodwin Pte.
The news comes a few days after Freaks 4U CEO Michael Haenisch announced staff redundancies on LinkedIn.
“Last year we already went through layoffs and put people on short-time work, which also has been in effect so far this year due to some expected projects not materialising,” he said. “After careful consideration, we have unfortunately concluded the necessity of additional reduction in workforce to stabilise our business.”
Freaks4U stepped down as NLC license holder last November, with Leagues.gg now running the esports circuit.
Freaks 4U first took over the NLC from DreamHack/ESL and Telia in 2022, with the announcement being made in August 2021. Perhaps its biggest change was its closure of local grassroots tournaments in 2022, in favour of a five-division NLC-only league structure, which led to the UK, Ireland and Nordics LoL esports community being up in arms.
Nodwin Pte had previously acquired a minority stake in Freaks 4U Gaming through a convertible loan agreement of €3.6m initiated in December 2023, followed by a contribution of €4.4m in January 2024.
Freaks 4U Gaming and Nodwin Gaming have collaborated on delivering projects, such as the PUBG Mobile Global Open and Esports World Cup.
Freaks 4U Gaming said it will retain its brand identity and operational independence, with Michael Haenisch continuing to lead out the company as the CEO working closely with Nodwin Gaming co-founder Akshat Rathee.
Michael Haenisch, CEO of Freaks 4U Gaming, stated: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with Nodwin Gaming to create a robust network and synergies unprecedented in our industry.
“Akshat is an incredible visionary and leader, our partnership has been quite the ride so far and we know the best has yet to come. With our shared vision and ambition, we look forward to driving our global expansion while spearheading innovation and growth for gaming and esports.
“As Akshat said, ‘most journeys are best done with people who ‘get’ the journey,’ and I couldn’t agree more.
“Ready or not, here comes the disruption we are set to bring to gaming and esports.”
Michael Haenisch, Freaks 4U Gaming
The co-founder of Nodwin Gaming, Akshat Rathee, added: “This acquisition is a pivotal step in our global growth strategy. By integrating Freaks 4U Gaming’s expertise and resources, we are poised to deliver unparalleled services and expand our global footprint in the gaming and esports industries.
“In Michael, we have a person who is highly regarded across the world for his wealth of experience and expertise in the sectors. We also welcome all existing shareholders of Freaks 4U Gaming as Nodwin Gaming’s shareholders.”
Since its inception in 2002, Freaks 4U Gaming says it has become a full-service agency specializing in strategic consultancy, online and offline activations and broadcast productions. Nodwin Gaming, meanwhile, was established in 2014, focusing on emerging markets and the mobile gaming sector.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
