The Guard, an eSports organization, is said to have fired all of its creative and production staff, which sent shockwaves through the eSports community. The Guard made a big step forward in 2021 when they won the Challengers tournament and Masters Reykjavik.
However, they had trouble keeping up the momentum and were knocked out of several competitions in 2022. Reports say that only the content, social talent, and creative teams were affected by the layoffs. The competitive team was not affected.
As expected, a lot of people who were fired suddenly and with little or no notice shared their stories on social media. George Nowak, a graphic designer, told eSports GG that the HR team at The Guard just wanted to get people to leave.
The Guard’s Layoffs Shed Light on the Challenges Faced by Non-Franchised Esports Teams
Ariel Ben Abraham, who had just moved to start his new job as GM of apparel at The Guard, was fired just two days after he moved.
Some reports say that the layoffs might have been caused by The Guard’s decision to focus more on competitive gaming than on content.
The eSports organization reportedly didn’t make the cut for the new VCT franchise model, so they decided to focus on competitive gaming. But this decision has hurt content creation, which is why people have lost their jobs.
The Guard is not the only eSports organization to let go of its creative and production staff. Recent layoffs in 100 Thieves’ content team show that eSports teams are increasingly looking for ways to make money that don’t involve competition.
Even though it’s sad to see people lose their jobs, eSports organizations should make a change if partnerships and content creation aren’t going to make them money in the long run.
Many organizations in the eSports community have let people go in the past, so it’s not a new thing. Some organizations have been able to change and stay relevant in the industry, but others haven’t been able to keep up with how eSports is changing.
As the industry grows, businesses must be ready to change in order to stay relevant and make money. The Guard and other eSports organizations have let people go, which shows that they need to rethink their strategies and adapt to how eSports is changing.
The Guard’s decision to fire its entire creative and production team has shocked the eSports community. Even though the decision to focus on competitive gaming instead of content may be to blame for the layoffs, eSports organizations must adapt to the changing nature of the industry if they want to stay profitable and important.
