Guild Esports is “on fire”. If only 15 days ago we brought the announcement of the creation of Guild Studios to these media, today they are back in the news. In a week as important as this one in which we have to defend women in esports, the United Kingdom-based club, listed on the London Stock Exchange and co-owned by soccer star David Beckham, took advantage on International Women’s Day to announce the launch of the team. its first competitive match, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, was made up entirely of women.

Known as “KiKi”, “Minnie”, “Pullox”, “Nea” and “Ann4”, the cast are veterans, three of whom currently compete for the Norwegian national team. The five of them would train together on the coat of arms Sky Guild Game Center company, in fashionable London suburb Shoreditch, and will be participating in their first competition in the ESL women’s league with a total prize pool of $500,000.

The news follows the launch, in 2021, of Guild Esports’ women’s Valorant team, which competes in the hero shooter developed by Riot Games and has already scored multiple tournament wins. Jasmine Skee, CEO of Guild Esports, who took over in the role in January, said the time was right for the recruitment of CS:GO as women’s participation in all kinds of sports, including football and rugby, was on the rise. .

He is also smart business. Unlock more sources of income. Brands are becoming more passionate about the esports arena because they want to connect with the elusive Gen Z and Gen Alpha audience, and they want to reach across demographics, not divided by gender differences. The response from our potential sponsors and partners has been phenomenal.

Jasmine Skee, CEO of Guild Esports

The Guild move is part of a wider trend. The presence of women in games is increasing. The company attracts female talent with an all-female league, while several female Twitch streamers have rocketed to social media stardom. Even the female-friendly beauty and fashion industries have begun to woo gamers: in 2021, cosmetics brand ELF created a Twitch channel to highlight the makeup routines of female gamers, and that same year, British makeup line Charlotte Tilbury sponsored the Girlgamer Esports Festival. In December, Dove ventured further into the world by partnering with Women in Games and Unreal Engine to campaign for beauty standards in female gaming avatars.