In a move that has both surprised and energised the esports community, Ludwig Ahgren and Charlie White (better known as Moist Cr1TiKaL) have become co-owners of Shopify Rebellion, the esports organisation operated by ecommerce platform Shopify. The partnership comes through a merger between Shopify Rebellion and Moist Esports, bringing together two prominent forces in the competitive gaming world.
The new combined entity will continue to operate under the Shopify Rebellion banner, signalling a fresh chapter for both organisations. To celebrate the partnership, the teams released a flashy announcement video, reimagining their collaboration with the flair of anime characters—a nod to the culture and creativity often associated with esports.
Passion Over Profit: Why Merge Now?
Esports as an industry has faced significant financial challenges, with unprofitability becoming a widely acknowledged issue. Even prominent figures in the space, like Disguised Toast, have spoken out about the uphill battle in making esports a sustainable venture. Moist Cr1TiKaL echoed those sentiments in a recent YouTube video, admitting that Moist Esports has lost around $4.2 million over the past four years. He even joked that investing in esports is “a worse investment than Hawk Tuah coin.”
So, why merge? The answer lies in a shared passion for the industry. White acknowledged that the merger is happening “for the love of the game.” Both Moist Cr1TiKaL and Ludwig, along with the Shopify Rebellion team, share a deep commitment to competitive gaming and its community.
Building for the Future
Beyond the emotional drive, the merger presents strategic benefits. Combining resources allows the organisations to expand their presence in games like League of Legends and Dota 2 while maintaining competitiveness in titles such as Valorant and Apex Legends.
This isn’t the first time Shopify Rebellion and Moist Esports have collaborated. In 2022, the two merged their Valorant teams to improve their standing in the first-person shooter. Shopify Rebellion also offered support to Moist Esports by providing access to its facilities in Canada when Moist’s Apex Legends team needed assistance.
“Over the last year, we’ve been working together both publicly and behind the scenes,” said Shopify Rebellion General Manager Jeremy Steeves. “We quickly realised we were headed in the same direction on how we wanted to build in esports over the next decade and beyond. Coming together allows us to field more and stronger teams, invest deeper for fans, provide more to our players, and create a singular, more resilient organisation over the long term.”
Esports Consolidation: A Growing Trend
The merger reflects a growing trend in esports: consolidation. In recent years, organisations like FaZe Clan and GameSquare have pooled resources to offset financial struggles and secure a more stable future. For Moist Esports and Shopify Rebellion, the partnership not only offers resilience in a volatile industry but also creates opportunities to elevate their fan experiences and player development.
With two passionate creators at the helm and a strong infrastructure in place, the new Shopify Rebellion aims to navigate the challenges of esports while staying true to the love of the game.
