E-Sports News: Why NRG left CS:GO

The CEO of NRG Esports, Andy Miller, explained in a Reddit discussion the reasons for the sale of the CS:GO team to Evil Genuises.

In the Counter-Strike scene, NRG was on the rise, but the team was sold to Evil Genuises. Shortly after that, the roster won ESL One New York 2019 against Astralis.

An economic decision

NRG CEO Andy Miller answered questions from users in a Reddit discussion. As the main reason, he stated that CS:GO is a risk for organizations due to the increasing player salaries. The financial reliability and above all, the refinancability is not given.

“The sale of the CS:GO team hurt. We have built this team over the years. And I like the boys very much, but the scope is crazy. It’s the owners’ fault, 100%. These salaries are stupid, hard to look at. We want NRG to exist as long as possible, and to work the way the Counter-Strike model currently works, that wouldn’t have helped us.”

So a return to Counter-Strike is a long way off.

With plan and reason

When asked where he would see eSports in three to five years, Andy Miller stated: “This is not a bubble, it is more of development space. I made my career in this market. We will see teams disappear that are badly managed and have no plan. Likewise, we will see big winners that will develop along with strong global brands. Just like any other business that grows out of start-ups into established companies.”

Looking at the latest results, Andy Miller is right. NRG’s San Francisco Shock won the Season 2 Overwatch League Grand Final.

NRG also leads teams in the games:

Apex Legends, Gears of War, Clash Royale, Dragonball FighterZ, Fortnite, Hearthstone, Rocket League and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate