“Esports and creators go hand in hand”: Fnatic CEO discusses the state of esports and 2025 campaign

Since its creation in 2004, Fnatic has become a staple in the esports scene, boasting several rosters, millions of fans, and a long legacy in competitive gaming. 

2025 has been a substantial year for the UK-based organisation, marked by significant growth in its presence within the ecosystem. In the last 12 months, the team has competed on international stages, secured key partnerships, and expanded its operations. 

The organisation continued this momentum by unveiling the Fnatic Crew programme, a collaborative initiative with Red Bull that supports emerging UK creators in building their personal brand. 

Esports Insider was invited to the Fnatic Crew launch party at the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London, to speak with the organisation’s Founder and CEO, Sam Mathews, about the state of esports in 2025 and his team’s performances.

This year has delivered a spectrum of triumphs and challenges for Fnatic across its competitive divisions, most notably within the League of Legends and VALORANT esports scenes.

The organisation recorded an impressive run in the VCT 2025 season, placing runners-up at Masters Toronto 2025, the Esports World Cup, and the game’s crowning event, VALORANT Champions Paris. 

Despite being just shy of gold this season, Fnatic’s consistent top-tier performances reaffirm that VALORANT remains a cornerstone of the organisation’s competitive identity. The organisation has consistently reached Champions since 2021, a track record that has inspired confidence in its future within the scene

“I think our raw talent is there,” Fnatic’s Founder and CEO told Esports Insider. “I think if we can pull together a few more sports psychology and performance-focused efforts to bring that consistency to the roster, they can, hands down, win everything [next] year.” 

Only time will tell how Fnatic will fare next year, especially after losing long-time competitor Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov, who transferred to Team Vitality. The organisation welcomed its latest addition, Sylvain ‘Vepaj’ Pattyn, in November, though it remains to be seen how impactful this change will be.

“When we weigh these decisions up, it’s always opportunity cost, right?” Mathews added. “How do we look at the cost of one player, and their skill ceiling, and how they compare to another opportunity in our roster?

“There was a moment where we were exploring re-signing him (Chronicle) and just giving it another shot, because the team had done so well. But we ultimately came down to a decision on us moving with the rookie (Vepaj) and believing that we’re going to have more firepower.”

Moving over to another FPS title, Fnatic has also made its mark on the Counter-Strike 2 scene this year. After a rocky start to the year, the organisation has managed to secure enough VRS points to book its place in the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. As a result, the organisation has one last opportunity on the international stage this year to make an impact.

Whilst VALORANT proved quite fruitful for Fnatic, the organisation faced more hurdles in the League of Legends scene.

During the LEC 2025 season, the UK organisation placed third in the Winter split, missing out on First Stand, and fourth in Spring, meaning it was unable to qualify for this year’s Mid Season Invitational. 

However, Fnatic managed to secure a place at Worlds 2025 after placing third in the LEC 2025 Summer Split following a 3-1 victory against Karmine Corp in the Lower Bracket Semi-Finals. 

Still, Fnatic was amongst the first teams to be eliminated at the global event, placing 15th out of 17 rosters competing. Despite remaining confident for the next season, the setback has prompted reflection on the broader competitive landscape and the evolving challenges Western teams face on the international stage.

“I think winning worlds in itself is an extremely hard challenge for Western teams,” Mathew shared. 

“I mean, the depth of talent coming out of Korea and China is enormous, and that’s a testament to their player bases and the focus. Obviously, we should be able to win the West. It’s not always a matter of the players you have, but how to build for the future, and what we’re trying to do this year is definitely look at some rising talent.” 

Fans have long debated which region stands as the strongest in the League of Legends scene. However, as time passes, the Eastern regions continue to reign supreme. In particular, Korea, which fosters some of the most popular and competitive players, such as T1’s Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok. With the West falling behind competitively, many organisations have reconsidered their strategies for the upcoming seasons, and Fnatic is no exception. 

“So I think that challenge is more of a regional one,” Mathews shared with Esports Insider. “In which we ask, ‘How do we challenge Korea or China?’ And I think the only shot the West has, because of the disadvantage of the number of players that we have, is to infuse some of the greatest talents from the east into the West, aka, signing certain Korean players helps to bolster the talent pool across the West.” 

Outside of the competitive side of esports, 2025 has seen Fnatic expand its presence in the ecosystem through various partnerships and initiatives. 

Fnatic Crew is the latest venture for the organisation in collaboration with Red Bull, which entered a partnership deal with Fnatic earlier this year. The programme supports up-and-coming influencers through facilities, exclusive drops, collaboration opportunities, and more. 

Speaking with Esports Insider at the launch party, Sam Mathews highlighted the impact creators have had in the esports space. In particular, he noted how initiatives like Fnatic Crew are vital to supporting the next generation of entertainers and streamers. 

Matthews said: “I think esports is unique in the fact that we have so many entertainment factors outside of the sport, right? The creators always add content, funny engagement, and they add TikTok reels and shorts capabilities. I think fundamentally, we’re moving into this kind of user-generated world where everyone is driving content. 

“Esports and creators go hand in hand. They talk passionately about what they love. They talk honestly. They create an audience and a community, and that’s what we feel passionate about supporting.” 

On the commercial front, Fnatic has secured multiple partnerships dating back to the beginning of this year, covering various competitive titles. It has worked with platforms like Skinrave for Counter-Strike 2, collaborated with brands outside of esports like McDonald’s, and launched a number of projects, such as its very own esports subscription service. 

When asked about Fnatic’s expansion in 2025, the CEO noted that the industry’s lack of long-term stability has become a double-edged sword. It has created a landscape driven by rapid-fire opportunities while simultaneously giving organisations the freedom to explore ventures beyond the confines of competitive play.

“We don’t have media rights like football, right?” Mathews highlighted. “There’s no billion dollars coming from Sky or BT Sports to be distributed. Most of our revenue is generated as a business through helping brands connect with gamers and working collaboratively to do something cool. 

“So if we want our sport to survive and thrive and grow, we need to bring entertainment and the sport together. And that’s why with creators, amplifying them to the mainstream will only grow esports and the tangential business around it.”

Fnatic has come a long way since 2004, and over the years it has established itself as one of the most celebrated organisations in the esports scene, alongside fellow giants such as Team Liquid, G2 Esports, FaZe Clan, and countless others. But, what is next?

“In 2026, there’s a lot of activities going on.” Mathews shared. “We entered The Finals. We’ve been in Marvel Rivals in the past. We’re looking at all those games constantly. Especially with the Esports World Cup; what games do we want to enter to be in the running next year for that? 

“I think for Fnatic, our excitement is on some of these external projects like Fnatic Crew and things which we can do that are not just reliant on winning, but also what we can do to grow the entertainment factor.” 

2026 is shaping up to be a big year for the organisation, as various esports announce clearer roadmaps in their ecosystems. With fresh competitive structures and new games fostering an esports scene, next year will offer another opportunity to see whether Fnatic can assert its global presence even further.