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Pro-gaming giant Fnatic is introducing eSports to CES
Sam Mathews founded Fnatic about 13 years ago, when he was just 19. Today, Fnatic is a household name for eSports fans: It's one of the most successful and prolific professional gaming franchises in the world, regularly competing at the top tier in games like League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The brand has expanded past the games and into hardware, and Mathews showed up at CES this year to demo Fnatic's latest keyboards and mice, which are due to hit the market in the coming months.
Four questions with the founder of Fnatic
Sam Mathews founded the European esports organization Fnatic in 2004, after selling his car to send a group of players to a competitive gaming event in Las Vegas. A dozen years ago, esports were barely a blip on the mainstream radar, but Mathews was an early adopter -- and the industry grew quickly. His teams continued to expand and succeed in tournaments for a range of games, including Quake, Counter-Strike, Dota 2 and League of Legends. Today, Fnatic is one of the world's largest and most popular esports organizations, consistently competing for millions of dollars and selling swag across the globe. As one of the first entrepreneurs to believe in esports, Mathews has a unique perspective on the industry's history and how it will continue to evolve going forward. Professional video game tournaments are already being aired live on television, after all. Last week, Mathews took a break from the ESL One Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament in New York to answer four questions about esports and the pressures of leading one of its most legendary organizations. We've recorded his thoughts below.
Game Fnatic: See what it takes to be a 'League of Legends' pro
It's on. The Engadget video series Game Fnatic follows four amateur and semi-pro League of Legends players as they attempt to win a spot on Fnatic, one of the world's most successful and famous teams. The first five episodes are live right now, right here. Even if you're unfamiliar with League of Legends, the debut episodes break down the basics and introduce the four competitors, each of whom brings a unique skill -- and personality -- to the series. Game Fnatic is a behind-the-scenes look at Fnatic's League of Legends philosophy and what its star players look for in a teammate. The competitors not only have to learn how to train like a pro, which includes physical activity and hours upon hours of game time, but they have to prove they can play well with Fnatic's superstar lineup, which features Martin "Rekkles" Larsson, Fabian "Febiven" Diepstraten and Bora "YellOwStaR" Kim, all of whom have competed at the League of Legends World Championships. The 2016 Worlds tournament is live through October 29th, so now is a great time to get a closer look at what it takes to be a professional League of Legends player. Game Fnatic is a 10-part series, so once you're done devouring the first five episodes, keep an eye out for the second half in the coming weeks. You know where to find us.
'Game Fnatic' unveils the realities of being an eSports pro
Fnatic is a big name in professional League of Legends lore. Just four teams have claimed victory in the World Championship since the circuit began in 2011, and Fnatic was the first team to ever lift up the Summoner's Cup. Since then, Fnatic has proven itself to be a top-tier League of Legends organization, attracting talent and fans from around the globe. Its current roster includes superstars Martin "Rekkles" Larsson, Fabian "Febiven" Diepstraten and Bora "YellOwStaR" Kim, all of whom have competed in World Championship tournaments. But now, Fnatic is looking in an unlikely place for its next eSports star. In Game Fnatic, a 10-part video series, Engadget goes behind the scenes as four amateur and semi-pro players battle it out for a single spot on Fnatic's League of Legends roster.
