Luminosity payment issues rise in the midst of acquisition struggles

Hannah Marie ZT, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 01/10/2025

After its acquisition by Vertiqal, word of Luminosity payment issues has spread online. 

Seemingly caused by struggles in the acquisition process and an underestimation of the esports organisation’s debts, creators demand improved communication from the new owners.

Public complaints of Luminosity payment and communication breakdown

The first claims of missing payments came from a graphic artist who completed work for Luminosity Gaming. In a post on X (Twitter), he claims he has not received any Luminosity payment since June 2025. 

It appears as though this graphic artist has still not been paid at the time of writing. Their first post about the situation dates to September 12th. 

Responding to other online discussions on the payment issue, they posted a GIF asking, “When am I getting paid?!”

Professional Smash players Leonardo ‘MkLeo’ Lopez Perez and Carlos ‘Sonix’ Pérez have also complained publicly about missing payments on X and Twitch. 

Apex Legends player Bowen ‘Monsoon’ Fuller has also come forward with details about his Lumiosity payment concerns. He claims he has not been contacted for 15 days. This comes after Monsoon was allegedly repeatedly told for four months that he would be paid.

Monsoon explained the impact that these issues have on creators. He shared that “that’s a month of rent for me which directly enables me to continue competing and creating content but if I don’t get the money I’m owed I’m likely out.” 

Alongside missing payments, Luminosity has abandoned crucial promotion of its remaining creators. 

Luminosity Gaming content creator Morgan ‘MODELMORG’ Pope recently placed third in Big Brother Season 27 in the USA. She broke several Big Brother records during her time in the house. 

Her TV stint has gained her significant attention, but Luminosity Gaming has remained silent.

Exchanges between Vertiqal and former owners, Enthusiast

James Fudge from The Esports Advocate successfully contacted Vertiqal, Luminosity’s new owners, and Enthusiast, the previous owners, for comment. 

Vertiqal stated: 

“The truth of the matter is, we took on a distressed company, which had management issues, and only now are we finding out the full extent of those issues.” 

When Enthusiast Gaming, the former owners of Luminosity, responded:

“This is surprising to see as the new ownership and management has been very public about the strength of the current roster and overall Luminsosity brand.”

Former Luminosity Gaming CEO Alex Gonzalez expressed in an online post that the Luminosity payment situation was “very sad to see.”

As reported by ENUK during Vertiqal’s C$900,000 Luminosity Gaming acquisition in September, Vertiqal CEO Jon Dwyer categorised Luminosity under “powerhouse brands,” with “platforms, audiences, and sales capabilities that will redefine our offering in the market.” 

However, post-acquisition, relations are falling foul between new and former Luminosity leadership. Responding to Alex Gonzalez’s post, Jon Dwyer publicised a personal attack. 

Lashing out, he claimed Gonzalez “fell backwards into the CMO role in a dying company.” Dwyer expressed hopes that Luminosity “will pull out a win to LTA 1 and leave your era of mediocrity in the past.” 

When will Luminosity payments be completed?

In Fudge’s report, Vertiqal also admitted knowledge of the missed payments. They claimed, “We did not realise the extent of missed payments until we started talking to the creators, vendors, and employees recently.” 

According to Vertiqal, some payments are being processed. However, they are hindered by the need to access Luminosity’s existing bank accounts. 

Interestingly, Vertiqal claim this issue forced them to “reach out individually to creators and ask for new banking info.” However, creators like Monsoon allegedly received no communication for over two weeks. 

The combination of Luminosity payment issues, silence on their creator achievements, and public insults does not bode well for the org’s future. 

Whether they deliver on their payment promises is yet to be seen.

Hannah Marie ZT, Senior Editor

Hannah is a journalist specialising in the esports, gaming, and technology sectors. Working for outlets such as Dot Esports, Esports Insider, and of course ENUK, she has developed a love for wider esports, Apex Legends, and advocating for women's esports initiatives. You may have seen her at various esports and gaming events, including ALGS LANs, ESI London, EGX, and watch parties.

All Posts By Hannah Marie ZT