Esports has grown from small gaming competitions to a billion-dollar industry that attracts millions of fans worldwide. Behind this amazing growth are the legendary esports organizations that helped shape competitive gaming as we know it today. These teams didn’t just win tournaments – they created history, broke records, and inspired a whole generation of gamers.
From the early days of Counter-Strike to the modern era of League of Legends and Valorant, these 13 esports organizations have proven their greatness through years of hard work, smart strategies, and incredible talent. Whether you’re new to esports or a longtime fan, learning about these legendary teams will help you understand how competitive gaming became so popular.
Each of these organizations has its own amazing story filled with historic victories, legendary players, and moments that changed esports forever. Let’s explore the teams that built the foundation of competitive gaming and continue to inspire new players and fans around the world.
13 Best Esports Organizations
1. SK Gaming
Founded: 1997
Country of Origin: Germany
Famous Games: Counter-Strike, League of Legends, FIFA, Quake
Historic Tournament Wins:
- CPL World Championship 2003 (Counter-Strike)
- WCG 2001 Counter-Strike Championship
- Multiple Counter-Strike Major victories
- FIFA Interactive World Cup wins
Legendary Players:
- f0rest (Counter-Strike) – One of the greatest CS players ever
- NEO (Counter-Strike) – Polish legend who dominated for years
- SpawN (Counter-Strike) – Swedish star player
- HeatoN (Counter-Strike) – Counter-Strike pioneer
Career Milestones:
- First major esports organization to achieve global recognition
- Dominated Counter-Strike scene in early 2000s
- Won over 100 major tournaments across different games
- Created the blueprint for professional esports organizations
Years Active: 28 years (1997-present)
Notable Rivalries: Fnatic, Team3D, Astralis
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $5 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Being the first truly global esports organization and setting standards for professionalism in competitive gaming.
SK Gaming started the modern esports organization model. They showed the world that gaming could be a serious profession and that teams needed proper management, training, and support to succeed at the highest level.
2. Fnatic
Founded: 2004
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Famous Games: Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Dota 2
Historic Tournament Wins:
- League of Legends World Championship 2011
- CPL Summer Championship 2006 (Counter-Strike)
- Multiple League of Legends European Championships
- Intel Extreme Masters victories
Legendary Players:
- xPeke (League of Legends) – Spanish mid-lane legend
- Cyanide (League of Legends) – Iconic jungler
- f0rest (Counter-Strike) – Swedish Counter-Strike god
- YellOwStaR (League of Legends) – Master support player
Career Milestones:
- First League of Legends World Champions
- Created the “Fnatic comeback” reputation
- Won championships across multiple game genres
- Built one of the strongest fanbases in esports history
Years Active: 21 years (2004-present)
Notable Rivalries: SK Gaming, TSM, G2 Esports
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $8 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Winning the very first League of Legends World Championship and proving that European teams could compete with anyone.
Fnatic proved that esports organizations could be successful across many different games. Their early success in League of Legends helped make the game popular worldwide and showed that European teams could win against the best competition.
3. Team Liquid
Founded: 2000
Country of Origin: Netherlands (later moved to USA)
Famous Games: StarCraft II, Dota 2, Counter-Strike, League of Legends
Historic Tournament Wins:
- The International 2017 (Dota 2) – $10.9 million prize
- Intel Grand Slam Season 1 (Counter-Strike)
- Multiple StarCraft II championships
- League of Legends LCS titles
Legendary Players:
- Miracle- (Dota 2) – One of the greatest carries in Dota history
- KuroKy (Dota 2) – Captain who led team to TI7 victory
- TaeJa (StarCraft II) – Korean Terran legend
- nitr0 (Counter-Strike) – Former team captain and leader
Career Milestones:
- First Western team to win The International since 2013
- Achieved Counter-Strike Intel Grand Slam record
- Built successful teams across five different games
- Created one of the most professional training environments
Years Active: 25 years (2000-present)
Notable Rivalries: Evil Geniuses, Astralis, TSM
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $35 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Winning The International 2017 and proving that Western teams could compete with Chinese Dota 2 powerhouses.
Team Liquid showed the world that proper teamwork and strategy could beat individual talent. Their incredible comeback story at The International 2017 is still considered one of the greatest moments in esports history.
4. Evil Geniuses
Founded: 1999
Country of Origin: United States
Famous Games: Dota 2, Counter-Strike, League of Legends, StarCraft II
Historic Tournament Wins:
- The International 2015 (Dota 2) – $6.6 million prize
- Multiple Dota 2 Major championships
- Counter-Strike Major victories
- StarCraft II tournament wins
Legendary Players:
- Sumail (Dota 2) – Youngest TI winner at age 16
- Fear (Dota 2) – The “Old Man” of Dota 2
- ppd (Dota 2) – Master captain and strategist
- IdrA (StarCraft II) – Controversial but skilled Zerg player
Career Milestones:
- Won The International with youngest player ever
- Created the “NA Dota” movement
- Successfully competed across multiple gaming generations
- Built reputation for developing young talent
Years Active: 26 years (1999-present)
Notable Rivalries: Team Liquid, Alliance, Cloud9
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $25 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Proving that North American teams could win the biggest tournaments in the world.
Evil Geniuses made North American esports proud by showing that NA teams could beat the best Asian and European competition. Their young lineup winning The International 2015 inspired countless young gamers to pursue professional esports.
5. Natus Vincere (Na’Vi)
Founded: 2009
Country of Origin: Ukraine
Famous Games: Counter-Strike, Dota 2, League of Legends
Historic Tournament Wins:
- The International 2011 (Dota 2) – First ever TI champions
- Multiple Counter-Strike Major victories
- StarLadder championships across multiple games
- Intel Extreme Masters victories
Legendary Players:
- s1mple (Counter-Strike) – Widely considered the GOAT of CS:GO
- Dendi (Dota 2) – The face of Dota 2 for many years
- Zeus (Counter-Strike) – Ukrainian Counter-Strike legend
- Puppey (Dota 2) – Master captain and drafter
Career Milestones:
- Won the very first International tournament
- Created the most famous Dota 2 play ever (“The Play”)
- Developed s1mple into Counter-Strike’s greatest player
- Built massive fanbase across Eastern Europe
Years Active: 16 years (2009-present)
Notable Rivalries: Alliance, Astralis, FaZe Clan
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $15 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Winning the first International and creating “The Play” – the most famous moment in Dota 2 history.
Na’Vi gave Eastern European esports a team to be proud of. They proved that players from smaller countries could compete at the highest level and win the biggest tournaments in the world.
6. TSM (Team SoloMid)
Founded: 2009
Country of Origin: United States
Famous Games: League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Valorant
Historic Tournament Wins:
- Multiple League of Legends LCS Championships
- IEM Katowice 2015 (League of Legends)
- Various Counter-Strike tournament victories
- Early Valorant tournament wins
Legendary Players:
- Bjergsen (League of Legends) – Danish mid-lane superstar
- Dyrus (League of Legends) – Beloved top-lane player
- Reginald (League of Legends) – Founder and former mid-laner
- device (Counter-Strike) – Danish AWP master
Career Milestones:
- Built the strongest North American League of Legends dynasty
- Created massive social media presence and fanbase
- Successfully transitioned from player-owned to professional organization
- Dominated NA LCS for multiple years
Years Active: 16 years (2009-present)
Notable Rivalries: Cloud9, CLG, Liquid
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $3 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Creating the most popular North American League of Legends team and proving that content creation could support competitive success.
TSM showed that esports organizations could build huge fanbases through personality and content, not just winning tournaments. They proved that connecting with fans was just as important as winning games.
7. Astralis
Founded: 2016 (but core players since 2012)
Country of Origin: Denmark
Famous Games: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Historic Tournament Wins:
- Four CS:GO Major Championships (2018-2019)
- Intel Grand Slam Season 2
- Multiple ESL Pro League titles
- BLAST Pro Series victories
Legendary Players:
- device (Counter-Strike) – One of the greatest AWPers ever
- dupreeh (Counter-Strike) – Reliable entry fragger
- Xyp9x (Counter-Strike) – “Clutch Minister” legend
- gla1ve (Counter-Strike) – Master in-game leader
Career Milestones:
- First team to win four CS:GO Majors
- Created the most dominant CS:GO era ever (2018-2019)
- Revolutionized Counter-Strike strategy and teamwork
- Set new standards for sports psychology in esports
Years Active: 9 years (2016-present, core since 2012)
Notable Rivalries: FaZe Clan, Na’Vi, Liquid
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $9 million in CS:GO
Legacy Achievement: Creating the most successful Counter-Strike dynasty and showing how sports science could improve esports performance.
Astralis proved that treating esports like traditional sports – with coaches, analysts, and mental health support – could create the most dominant team ever seen in Counter-Strike.
8. Cloud9
Founded: 2013
Country of Origin: United States
Famous Games: League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Valorant
Historic Tournament Wins:
- ELEAGUE Major 2018 (Counter-Strike) – First NA Major win
- Multiple League of Legends LCS titles
- Various Valorant tournament victories
- Rocket League championship wins
Legendary Players:
- Sneaky (League of Legends) – Beloved ADC player
- Stewie2K (Counter-Strike) – Young star who led Major win
- shroud (Counter-Strike) – Popular streamer and former pro
- TenZ (Valorant) – Mechanical superstar
Career Milestones:
- First North American team to win CS:GO Major
- Built huge social media following through player personalities
- Successfully expanded into multiple game titles
- Created pathway from streaming to professional play
Years Active: 12 years (2013-present)
Notable Rivalries: TSM, FaZe Clan, Sentinels
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $5 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Winning the first Counter-Strike Major for North America and proving that NA teams could compete with European powerhouses.
Cloud9 gave North American Counter-Strike fans their greatest moment ever. They showed that with hard work and belief, any region could win the biggest tournaments in the world.
9. G2 Esports
Founded: 2014
Country of Origin: Spain
Famous Games: League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Valorant, Rocket League
Historic Tournament Wins:
- Multiple League of Legends European Championships
- League of Legends MSI 2019
- Various Counter-Strike tournament victories
- Rocket League World Championship
Legendary Players:
- Perkz (League of Legends) – Croatian superstar mid-laner
- caps (League of Legends) – Danish mechanical genius
- KennyS (Counter-Strike) – French AWP legend
- NiKo (Counter-Strike) – Bosnian rifle master
Career Milestones:
- Ended Korean dominance at MSI 2019
- Built reputation for entertaining social media content
- Created successful teams across multiple games quickly
- Developed unique brand personality in esports
Years Active: 11 years (2014-present)
Notable Rivalries: Fnatic, SK Gaming, FaZe Clan
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $8 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Breaking Korean dominance in League of Legends international competition and creating one of the most entertaining brands in esports.
G2 Esports showed that European teams could challenge the best in the world while having fun and entertaining fans. They proved that personality and success could go hand in hand.
10. FaZe Clan
Founded: 2010
Country of Origin: United States
Famous Games: Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, Fortnite
Historic Tournament Wins:
- PGL Major Antwerp 2022 (Counter-Strike)
- Multiple Call of Duty World Championships
- Various Fortnite tournament victories
- ELEAGUE Season 1 victory (Counter-Strike)
Legendary Players:
- karrigan (Counter-Strike) – Danish master leader
- rain (Counter-Strike) – Norwegian rifle expert
- Twistzz (Counter-Strike) – Canadian superstar
- TeeP (Call of Duty) – Call of Duty legend
Career Milestones:
- Transitioned from content creation to competitive success
- Built the largest social media following in esports
- Won first CS:GO Major after years of trying
- Created new model mixing entertainment and competition
Years Active: 15 years (2010-present)
Notable Rivalries: OpTic Gaming, Astralis, G2 Esports
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $4 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Successfully combining content creation with competitive esports and proving that entertainment value could support tournament success.
FaZe Clan revolutionized esports by showing that organizations could be successful through entertainment and personality, not just winning tournaments. They created a new model that many teams now follow.
11. Sentinels
Founded: 2016
Country of Origin: United States
Famous Games: Valorant, Fortnite, Apex Legends
Historic Tournament Wins:
- VCT Masters Reykjavik 2021 (Valorant)
- Various Fortnite tournament victories
- Early Valorant tournament dominance
- Multiple Apex Legends tournament wins
Legendary Players:
- TenZ (Valorant) – Mechanical superstar and fan favorite
- Bugha (Fortnite) – Fortnite World Cup champion
- SicK (Valorant) – Versatile Valorant player
- ImperialHal (Apex Legends) – Apex Legends champion
Career Milestones:
- Dominated early Valorant competitive scene
- Built massive fanbase through individual star players
- Successfully competed across battle royale and tactical FPS games
- Created modern content-focused esports model
Years Active: 9 years (2016-present)
Notable Rivalries: TSM, Cloud9, 100 Thieves
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $2 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Proving that newer organizations could quickly build success by focusing on popular games and star players.
Sentinels showed that new esports organizations could quickly build success by focusing on emerging games and developing star players that fans love to watch.
12. 100 Thieves
Founded: 2017
Country of Origin: United States
Famous Games: League of Legends, Call of Duty, Valorant
Historic Tournament Wins:
- Call of Duty World League Championship 2021
- League of Legends LCS Championship 2021
- Various Valorant tournament victories
- Multiple Call of Duty tournament wins
Legendary Players:
- Nadeshot (Call of Duty) – Founder and former Call of Duty star
- Ssumday (League of Legends) – Korean top-lane legend
- Hiko (Valorant) – Veteran tactical FPS player
- Enable (Call of Duty) – Call of Duty championship winner
Career Milestones:
- Built by former professional player turned content creator
- Successfully mixed lifestyle brand with competitive success
- Created unique apparel and merchandise approach
- Developed strong connection between gaming and fashion
Years Active: 8 years (2017-present)
Notable Rivalries: OpTic Gaming, TSM, Cloud9
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $3 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Creating a successful lifestyle brand that combined esports competition with fashion and entertainment.
100 Thieves proved that esports organizations could be more than just gaming teams. They showed how to build a complete lifestyle brand that appeals to gamers and non-gamers alike.
13. Team Vitality
Founded: 2013
Country of Origin: France
Famous Games: Counter-Strike, League of Legends, Rocket League, Valorant
Historic Tournament Wins:
- IEM Katowice 2025 (Counter-Strike)
- IEM Melbourne 2025 (Counter-Strike)
- ESL Grand Slam Season 5 (Counter-Strike)
- RLCS World Championship 2023 (Rocket League)
- Multiple League of Legends European Championships
Legendary Players:
- ZywOo (Counter-Strike) – French superstar AWPer
- apEX (Counter-Strike) – Veteran French leader
- Alpha54 (Rocket League) – World champion player
- Perkz (League of Legends) – Croatian legend (former)
Career Milestones:
- Fifth team to win an ESL Grand Slam
- Second-longest LAN win streak at 30 matches (2025)
- Third place at Esports World Cup 2025
- Built dominant French Counter-Strike dynasty around ZywOo
- Successfully competed across multiple premier esports titles
Years Active: 12 years (2013-present)
Notable Rivalries: G2 Esports, Astralis, FaZe Clan
Total Career Prize Pool: Over $6 million across all games
Legacy Achievement: Creating the most successful French esports organization and proving that regional talent could dominate global competition.
Team Vitality has emerged as one of the leading organizations in 2025, combining French esports passion with world-class performance. They’ve shown that investing in local talent and building around superstar players like ZywOo can create sustained international success across multiple game titles.
What Makes These Esports Organizations Legendary?
These 13 esports organizations became legendary because they did more than just win tournaments. They created lasting impact on competitive gaming through several key factors:
Innovation and Strategy: Each team brought new ideas to their games. Whether it was SK Gaming creating professional training methods or Astralis using sports psychology, these organizations pushed esports forward.
Legendary Players: Great organizations attract and develop amazing players. From s1mple to Bjergsen to device, these teams gave platforms for the best players to show their skills.
Cultural Impact: These teams didn’t just compete – they created communities. They built fanbases that lasted for years and helped grow esports from small competitions to global entertainment.
Consistency: While many teams had short periods of success, these legendary organizations stayed relevant across multiple years and different games. They adapted to changes and continued competing at the highest level.
Breaking Barriers: Many of these teams broke important barriers – first Western team to win certain tournaments, first North American Major win, or first time beating dominant regions.
The Future of Legendary Esports Organizations
These 13 organizations built the foundation that modern esports stands on today. They proved that competitive gaming could be a legitimate sport with professional athletes, dedicated fans, and life-changing prize pools.
New esports organizations continue to emerge, but these legendary teams set the standards that everyone else tries to reach. They showed that success in esports requires more than just good players – it needs smart management, strong branding, fan engagement, and the ability to adapt to new games and challenges.
Whether you’re a fan of traditional esports like Counter-Strike and League of Legends, or newer games like Valorant and Apex Legends, understanding these legendary organizations helps you appreciate how far competitive gaming has come.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which esports organization has won the most historic tournaments?
SK Gaming and Fnatic have the longest track records of tournament victories, with SK Gaming winning over 100 major tournaments since 1997.
Who are the most legendary esports players of all time?
Players like f0rest, s1mple, Bjergsen, Faker, and Dendi are considered legends who helped build their organizations’ reputations.
What was the biggest prize pool win in esports history?
Team Liquid’s victory at The International 2017 earned them $10.9 million, which was one of the largest single tournament prizes ever won.
Which teams dominated the early days of esports?
SK Gaming, Fnatic, and Evil Geniuses were the pioneers who established professional esports in the early 2000s.
How do these organizations stay successful for so many years?
The most legendary organizations adapt to new games, invest in player development, build strong brands, and maintain professional management across many years.
Conclusion
These 13 most legendary esports organizations in gaming history have shaped competitive gaming into the global phenomenon we know today. From SK Gaming’s pioneering professionalism to modern teams like Sentinels and 100 Thieves, each organization contributed something unique to esports culture.
Their stories of triumph, legendary players, and historic achievements continue to inspire new generations of gamers and esports fans. While the games may change and new organizations may emerge, the legacy of these legendary teams will always be remembered as the foundation builders of competitive gaming.
Understanding these organizations helps us appreciate not just where esports is today, but how far it has come from its humble beginnings. These legendary esports organizations proved that gaming could be more than just entertainment – it could be a legitimate sport that brings people together from around the world.
