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In this special series of in-depth articles, Esports News UK, in collaboration with the betting partner GGBET UK, delves into the stories, moments, and personalities that have left a lasting impression on the past, present, and future of the UK esports scene.
Having lost several teams over the past year to the esports winter, in this article Esports News UK editor Dom Sacco lists some notable esports team organisations based in the UK right now, in no particular order, in an attempt to stay positive and celebrate what we still have (while sharing his honest views on each org). The list is pure opinion, and is not based on metrics like revenues and size.
GiantX
GiantX is the result of established UK organisation Excel and Spanish org Giants Gaming merging late last year.
Following the departure of Excel co-founders Kieran and Joel Holmes-Darby years ago, the org have gone in a different direction. They’re bigger, and very commercial, with plenty of sponsors. In my opinion, they play things safer now. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, there’s no doubt they’ve lost a bit of their UK identity along the way, and mismanaged some of their talent over the years.
I often describe them now as ‘the new Excel’, with ‘the old Excel’ being what I remember, an ambitious org with a hunger to progress, climbing up the League of Legends esports ladder, finding some excellent talent, from Caedrel to Targamas, Boaster to Furndog and many more. That’s not to downplay how they are right now, with co-CEOs Tim Reichert and Jose Diaz having a lot of experience.
Excel securing a slot in the LEC (in our ‘Top 5 UK LoL Moments’ article) was a surprise move that really helped to put them on the map. They compete in League of Legends and Valorant.
I’d like to see them truly succeed, and get some big wins, but they seem destined to be a mid-table side in the LEC, and honestly I’m not sure what they could do to finally get to Worlds.
On a more positive note, over the years they’ve provided a lot of esports jobs to some good talent, and they have given us some valuable activities, like their women’s esports Power Up Programme with EE, Valorant Women’s Cup, the Neosurf Cup and more.
I’m still not sure about that name, and I may have lost a bit of a connection with them over the years, but I wish them all the best and I expect to see more from GiantX in the future.
Guild Esports
What do you get when you mix David Beckham, the London Stock Exchange, and a bunch of investors wanting to enter the esports market?
You get a new organisation, one that secures a bunch of big-name sponsors like Sky, Subway and Samsung, while having a relatively high staff turnover and yet another esports company whose share price is not exactly encouraging (0.32GBX at the time of writing).
I want to like Guild. They have Becks appeal, a nice London HQ, they’ve had some excellent players and streamers over the years, and I don’t actually mind their logo and jerseys. But they come across to me as more of a business entity, a company set up desperately trying to make money in a difficult market, as opposed to an organisation with the gaming community at front of mind.
They’ve tried things like their Guild Academy, Guild Esports sim racing facility with a £59.99 monthly membership and are one of the orgs in the Esports World Cup Club Support Program, moves that haven’t exactly inspired the UK esports community. They currently compete in FC, Fortnite, Street Fighter, sim racing, Tekken, Warzone and Apex Legends, and have had some success and tournament wins in the likes of Fortnite.
They have also today published their latest financial reports (separate article to follow), posting a loss before tax of £1.8m for the six months ending March 31st 2024, a 21% reduction year-on-year from £2.28m in H1 2023.
I hope Guild succeed, but I can’t help but feeling uncertain about their future.
Reason Gaming
Having been founded more than 20 years ago, Reason Gaming are one of the longest-standing UK esports organisations still around today.
While the likes of GiantX and Guild might be very focused on the commercial and business side of things, Reason are an org that have always had the community at heart.
They’ve competed at some of the oldest LANs in the UK, put together many a Counter-Strike team over the years, and just this week announced the re-signing of their British CS roster:
A quick look on their socials also tells me they will be announcing a new influencer network on Friday, with Sarah aka Joverwatch heading that up.
Reason are also supporters of the fighting game community (FGC), having competed in games like Smash Bros and Street Fighter, and elsewhere they have competed in games like Call of Duty and others.
I’m sure they will be around for many years to come, and I want to see them grow further. With a bit more focus and investment, there’s no Reason (wink) why they can’t go up another level in size and stature.
Quadrant
For me, Quadrant are one of the best esports organisations in the UK right now.
They might be seen as more of a content creation entity than a traditional esports org, but esports for me is about entertainment as much as it is competing, and these guys know how to do both.
Founded by British F1 driver Lando Norris in late 2020, Quadrant have found a home in the Halo esports space, having finished well at events like the HCS Arlington Major and won the Europa Halo LAN in Blackpool.
They’ve also helped to fund and arrange events, having funded the Europa Halo LAN prize pool and hosted the recent Halo London Major, won by Faze Clan. This does bring about a conflict of interest, given their team also competed at this event, and I’d hope to see them focus on one (competing) or the other (organising events) in the future, rather than both.
They have standout branding and merch, a focus on storytelling, and a brand that reminds me more of Red Bull than a traditional org. Lando has 1.6m followers on Twitch, Quadrant have almost 900,000 on YouTube. But what I like most about them is their founder is a gamer investing substantial time and finances into it. He gets it, he understands streaming, he knows what gamers want – and this is reflected throughout the organisation.
Earlier this year, Quadrant secured seven-figure investment, and added a popular UK YouTuber as a co-owner, along with a talent initiative, so the future is looking bright for Quadrant.
Ruddy Esports
Just typing this org’s name brings a smile to my face.
In an esports industry that can often be staid and clichéd, with many orgs trying to do the same things as one another but somehow expecting to be better or stand out, Ruddy have been a breath of fresh air.
This is an org that truly do stand out, thanks to their devilish sense of humour, focus on entertainment and a League of Legends contacts book that’s probably longer than the bible at this point. This has helped them to do what many other orgs in the UK have failed – actually create an engaged, passionate fanbase.
Since co-owner DonJake called out NLC and UK orgs for not doing enough a couple of years ago, they’ve never been afraid to speak their mind.
Over the past year, they’ve seen their LoL team reach the EMEA Masters, they’ve collaborated with huge names like LS and Caedrel, producing music videos and more, running comical interviews with pro players, all while respecting and supporting grassroots esports (like winning the last LoL Open at Insomnia).
While I don’t always agree with what they say (let’s celebrate a difference in opinion), the ceiling for Ruddy is very high indeed. I’ve said for years DonJake should be a regular streamer – don’t be surprised to see these guys with a hugely popular channel in the future.
Their humour might not be for everyone, and if you’re not on board with their cheeky, irreverent style, you might not be a fan. But that doesn’t matter. Because Ruddy don’t give a damn what you think.
Read more Ruddy Esports news
Futwiz
Like Quadrant, these are another esports organisation in the UK that I feel don’t always get the plaudits they deserve.
Futwiz have a popular FC/FIFA community database and also a pro esports team, focused on football esports.
Last year they had an impressive year, finishing runners-up at the FIFAe Club World Cup 2023 and the FIFAe World Cup 2023.
They’ve secured partnerships with BooHooMan and Elgato, and have some 362,000 followers on Twitter, making them one of the most-followed esports organisations based in the UK.
Futwiz also have UK players EthxnH and Stokes on their books, as well as the likes of Mark11 and more.
We expect to see them making a big impact in the future as EA’s new FC franchise develops.
Tundra Esports
Tundra aren’t often regarded a UK esports organisation given the global nature of their activities and the tournaments they enter, but they have London headquarters and should be included in this list.
In a handful of years they’ve had a huge impact in Dota 2 specifically. Tundra won The International 2022, a monumental achievement as their first international win and the first ever for an esports organisation based in the UK.
They might not have UK players, but hardly any organisation in Dota does. Recently, Tundra Esports qualified for The International 2024 as the full teams list was confirmed.
They’ve also competed in Rocket League and Fortnite, having won the Gamers8 Fortnite Zero Build tournament in 2022 with Guild, and have footballer Virgil van Dijk as an ambassador and shareholder.
I’d like to see Tundra move into more esports in the future and lean into their London base a little more.
Get the latest Tundra Esports news here
Method
Method are a long-established World of Warcraft raiding guild hailing from the UK.
They bill themselves as ‘an esports organisation dedicated to creating world-class entertainment that celebrates the MMO and RPG communities’.
Method have branched out into other games in the past, having been a part of the Gfinity Elite Series back in the day, fielding teams in Rocket League, FIFA and Street Fighter. But WoW is their core, and they have secured 12 world-firsts over the years.
While they haven’t picked up a world first in recent years, with tough competition from the likes of Liquid and Echo, they’ve come close.
They’ve had their challenges in the past, but props to them for their ongoing push to improve and produce some good content. I hope to see Method claim another world-first in the future.
Into the Breach
Into the Breach (ITB) are a growing UK esports organisation specialising in shooters.
They’re best known for their endeavours in Counter-Strike, having broken Endpoint’s win-streak in the old ESL Premiership and pulled off an epic run in the CSGO Paris Major last year, with ITB finishing in the top eight.
ITB founder Sam Cook is also not afraid to speak his mind on social media, nor to give back to the grassroots, having acquired shares in The Goose House, offered to aid Ruddy Esports, and looked into acquiring MNM Gaming’s old socials.
They also compete in games like Siege, Halo and Tarkov, and have done some interesting things like had their org mascot, the knight, turned into cosplay, courtesy of Karoinna.
They’re building a new CS roster, with UK personality smooya back on their books again.
Oh, and there’s the small development of Into the Breach securing a million-dollar yearly investment from Shuffle.com. Ones to watch for the future, indeed.
More Into the Breach esports news
Fnatic
The black and orange are by far the most well-known and most-followed esports organisation headquartered in the UK.
With a history spanning 20 years, and a following of millions, Fnatic have carved a successful path through esports’ ups and downs.
They might not have won the major tournaments that their League of Legends fans would have liked, but they’re always up there, qualifying for Worlds, reaching playoffs stages in the LEC, making epic lower bracket runs. I’ve often described them as the Arsenal of esports – big, popular, have great potential, but need more wins.
That’s not to take anything away from their Valorant team of course. Led by UK star Boaster, they’ve won tournaments like Lock In, VCT EMEA and VCT Masters Tokyo.
Fnatic have had many big names on their books over the years, from players like Rekkles to Mezii, and streamers like Caedrel to Meg.
The black and orange have also excelled with their content and merch, and also have their own hardware division, offering Fnatic keyboards, mice and more.
They’ve leant into their London base too, with watch parties and other gatherings – they even had a pop-up shop in Shoreditch back in the day – and look to host another party celebrating their 20 years soon.
Endpoint
As a parent, you’re not supposed to have a favourite child.
As an esports journalist, you’re not really supposed to have an org you support.
But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.
Endpoint, aka Endpoint Esports or Endpoint CeX, are one org that have continually shown professionalism in a UK esports scene that is often lacking it.
Perhaps it’s because I set up Esports News UK just before Endpoint formed, and interviewed founder Adam Jessop in one of my first ever video interviews, but I’ve always followed Endpoint closely. And I want them to succeed, because in my opinion they do things in the right way. They know how to support their staff, grow sustainably – and keep egos in check.
They have their partnership with CeX and others, their Sheffield HQ (which I shamefully still haven’t visited yet), have been running LANs in Quake (The Foundry) and Counter-Strike (UKIC), and have been diversifying really well, with their Pracrooms.gg service, Passbot, Loadout Media and more.
Like other orgs on this list, I want to see Endpoint qualify for some major events now and pick up some big wins in the games they compete in: Rocket League, CS and Quake. I know they can do it, because like their hashtag says, they #NeverStop. And if you never give up, surely it’s only a matter of time before you succeed.
Resolve
Resolve are another well-run UK esports organisation with real potential.
Led by UK esports veteran Jeff Simpkins, formerly of Barrage Esports, Resolve have found their home in Rocket League esports.
Resolve have brought some good talent together, with players like Rezears, Kash and ivn, coach Tadpole, head of creative Jiggi, head of performance AJ and more.
They also have good ownership, with Dave Martin of British Esports and Carolina Royal Ravens a co-owner. This link has also given them fantastic bootcamp and content opportunities at British Esports’ National Esports Performance Campus.
They’ve produced some decent mini-documentaries, and recently came close to qualifying for the Rocket League London Major.
With a bit of perseverence and luck, they can reach the next level in the future. It’s just a shame they’re not in other esports – yet.
Verdant
Verdant are another well-run grassroots UK esports organisation that compete in League of Legends and Counter-Strike.
They’re known for picking up talented rosters, and have won a few tournaments including the NLC Aurora Cup 2023 (League of Legends) and Insomnia 72 (Counter-Strike).
Verdant also have a focus on the climate and sustainability, describing themselves as an eco-conscious brand. They work with Ecologi to plant trees through their esports work. A few months ago, they announced they had planted some 1,733 trees in the three years they’ve been operating.
Verdant founder Sam ‘Sami’ Cunningham is also a smart, humble individual with a focus on team performance and clearly cares about UK esports.
I’m interested to see how Verdant develop further in the future.
Viperio
Last but by no means least, Viperio are another UK esports organisation that deserve a spot in this list.
Co-owners Chris Sword and Brodie Mulvaney are ambitious individuals who have made some great strides with Viperio, one of few Northern orgs.
Last year, Viperio won a pitch investment competition at Creative UK North East Investment Summit, securing equity investment of up to £100,000.
Viperio have had a good impact in games like Siege and Counter-Strike, coming close to winning the ESL Prem, and also qualifying for the RMR last year along with Into the Breach.
Their CS roster currently has some promising talent on it, like Bulgarians AwaykeN and Skrimo.
I’ll also go so far to say Chris Sword is probably the best news writer out of all the owners of UK esports organisations, with the Viperio website having some decent articles on it. These guys don’t need Esports News UK to write articles about them, that’s for sure!
Notable mentions: Other esports organisations in the UK & Ireland
Inevitably with these kinds of articles, you’ll miss someone out, or inadvertently upset a bunch of people. I’ll be out for a walk later or picking my kids up from school and another org will probably pop into my head.
A reminder that this list is subjective, and I don’t expect everyone to agree with my picks. But if you feel I’ve missed any, please DM me and I can consider adding them.
In the meantime, I’ve listed some other notable mentions in this section here that I felt were worth highlighting.
A top 14 is already pretty long for a list article, and I couldn’t have made it a top 20 or top 30 without it being too long, so for everyone else, there’s this section.
First up, Ireland has produced some decent organisations in recent years that have to be mentioned.
Katana Gaming have held LAN events and made a good impact in Call of Duty, while Wylde have Usain Bolt as a co-owner, and have competed in Siege, Valorant, Rocket League and more.
Nativz also deserve a mention, having competed in the League of Legends NLC. They also own the Ireland Esports Collegiate Series and recently announced the Nativz Esports Academy.
Looking up to Scotland, and Skelp Esports are an organisation that have been consistently supporting esports in the country since launching four years ago.
While not traditional esports organisations, the likes of Man City and Wolves have put together teams for years now and shown dedication to gaming, so I feel they should be included here too.
SAF (formerly Serious About FIFA) are another football esports and gaming content focused organisation worth mentioning. Callum ‘Cal’ Dornan, the CEO and founder of SAF, is also known for speaking out on issues like loot boxes.
Counter-Strike has had its fair share of promising esports orgs in the UK, too. We have teams like The Last Resort, K10, Coalesce, Exo Clan and others competing in tournaments here and putting together some decent rosters.
Orgs like Noctem Esports and Clique Esports have also done some good things. I came close to including these in the top list above. They were close, but I’d just like to see them kick on another level, with some more wins and growth. And for Noctem, as a newer org, I’d like to see where they can be in a couple of years’ time (maybe we can run a newer version of this article then)!
There are some other newer orgs in tier 2/3 as well, namely the likes of Paragon and Fourth Wall, who have some dedicated, talented management working behind the scenes, like Mac and Newts respectively.
We even have orgs founded by students in the UK, like CTRL Esports, and grassroots collectives like The Goose House (now owned by Into the Breach) which have had an impact on gaming communities here.
Lastly, let’s not forget that a few global orgs have some operations in the UK too, like OG, Falcons, Gaimin Gladiators and more, and so in an industry that has experienced a lot of doom and gloom in recent years, we should celebrate that fact.
Onwards to 2025 and I look forward to seeing which other organisations the UK produces in the future, and more importantly, which ones can win big tournaments and trophies.
Stay tuned for more articles powered by GGBET UK soon, and see even more UK esports history content here:
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.
