ESL Gaming

ESL Gaming GmbH

Overview

The Electronic Sports League was launched in 2000 as the internationalization of the Deutsche ClanLiga. The ESL started as a series of online leagues as well as an online magazine known as ESLGaming.com. Since its launch, ESL has grown to be the largest esports company in the world with offices all around the globe. The Electronic Sports League was rebranded as just ESL in 2014. In July 2015, the Modern Times Group acquired a majority stake (74.04%) in Turtle Entertainment, later increasing it by a further 8.44% in September 2018.

ESL is nowadays present in 37 countries. Each sections of ESL are operated by ventures under a license granted by Turtle Entertainment GmbH. These sections could correspond to a country, (like ESL Germany for instance), or to a group of low-demography countries (like ESL Nordic for Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark).

ESL has supported over 50 games in different games and runs dozens of tournaments every year.

In September 2020, ESL and DreamHack merged to form ESL Gaming though both brands will continue to operate seperately.^[2]

ESL and DreamHack merge to shape future of esports and gaming globally
Through maximum cooperation and collaboration, and the melding of some of the best creative and visionary gaming minds in the industry, we will, together, continue to advance the innovation that drives this space via the most exceptional products and events.
For our partners, there will be more opportunities to engage with us through a wider range of activations across all levels of esports, and all aspects of gaming. And for our fans, it means we will offer one of the most expansive esports and gaming lifestyle portfolios available.

Craig Levine, ESL Gaming Co-CEO (^[3])

In January 2022, ESL Gaming and FACEIT merged to form ESL FACEIT Group though both brands will continue to coexist, the group will now come under the ownership of Savvy Gaming Group.^[4]

ESL and FACEIT merge to create the world's leading competitive gaming platform
Our mission remains unchanged: to create a world where everybody can be somebody. Our merger with FACEIT, along with the backing of SGG, will give us more know-how, capabilities, and resources than ever before to deliver on this vision. Whether you are competing or watching, doing so socially or at a professional level, every stage of the pathway will be improved through this merger.
For gamers, publishers, and partners, this is a hugely exciting proposition, to be able to take everyone on the journey from your first step into competition to playing on the biggest esports stages globally.

Craig Levine, ESL Gaming CEO (^[5])

ESL National Championship

ESL National Championship were national-based leagues. They were discontinued in September 2023.^[6] Prior to its discontinuation, it has been held in Australia & New Zealand (as AU&NZ), India, Indonesia, Malaysia & Singapore (as MY&SG), Thailand, Vietnam, France, United Kingdom & Ireland (as Premiership), Germany (as Meisterschaft) and the Adriatic region.

EMS One

ESL Major Series One, or EMS One, was a premier gaming competition, sponsored by RaidCall, for Europe's best in Dota 2. The best teams from Europe competed for an overall prize fund of $121,000 USD making it the largest independent Dota 2 competition at the time. The EMS One featured both Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 and consisted of three seasons with four cups each with $1,000 in prizes and topped off by live event finals with larger prizes of up to $39,000.

ESL One

ESL One is the successor to the EMS One league, will bring teams and players from all over the world compete in an esports tournament, initially featuring the games Dota 2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Battlefield 4, the ESL One will feature events taking place in sports stadiums all over the world. The first ESL One event, ESL One Frankfurt 2014, took place at the Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt. Eight teams will be selected to take part in the event: a select few of the world's most notable teams will have invitations extended to them, whilst the bulk of the group will have to qualify for the event through a set of regional qualifiers. It was included as part of the Dota Pro Circuit in 2017, beginning with ESL One Hamburg 2017 though ESL One events independent of the Dota Pro Circuit are still organized. ESL One events in 2020 and 2021 took place online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ESL One Stockholm Major 2022 marks the return of lan events.

General

Specific

ESL Gaming

Overview

ESL National Championship

EMS One

ESL One

Tournaments

ESL One

DreamLeague

Esports World Cup

ESL Major Series

Intel Extreme Masters

European Nations Championship

NVIDIA Dota 2 CIS Cup Series

Gallery

Logos

References