Esports in Canada: an Overview of Canadian Esports Teams

From the fine-tuned precision of CS:GO rosters to the explosive action of mobile esports teams, Canada’s presence in the ever-growing world of competitive gaming is unmistakable: passionate players, dedicated fans, and an impressive record of success make it one of the premier destinations for aspiring gamers and teams alike.

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by Noah Belanger

December 27, 2022

Contents

1 Canadian Esports Teams
2 Canadian Esports Statistics
3 Meet the Teams
4 Conclusion

Canadian Esports Teams

Canada has increasingly been embraced as an esports powerhouse: from the early days of cyber-cafes and LAN parties to the modern era of global tournaments, Canadian teams have consistently been at the forefront of competitive gaming. With top talent ranging from a plethora of genres and games, Canadian teams have consistently achieved wins in major international competitions.

Canadian Esports Statistics

Canadian esports has seen a substantial growth in recent years. In 2019, the Canadian esports scene grew by over 50%, and it is estimated that there are now more than 4 million Canadians actively engaging in competitive gaming. This dramatic increase in participation can be attributed to a combination of factors such as the availability of high-end gaming hardware, increased accessibility to popular streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube, as well as the growing popularity of various genres of gaming.

On top of this, Canada is home to some of the best esports teams and players in the world. For example, Team Liquid’s Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) squad was ranked number one worldwide for several months in 2020, while North America’s top Dota 2 team was formerly known as Digital Chaos Canada before they were acquired by Evil Geniuses in 2017. Additionally, two Canadian teams were among the eight finalists at The International 2019 – Team Serenity and TNC Predator – with Serenity ultimately emerging victorious.

The Canadian esports community is also becoming increasingly internationalized; Toronto-based Overactive Media Group recently purchased Splyce – one of Europe’s oldest professional esports organizations – as well as MAD Lions Madrid and Defiant Gaming from North America. With events such as The Northern Arena’s Overwatch and Rocket League tournaments showcasing Canada’s talents on a global stage, more brands have been drawn to invest into Canada’s Esports scene.

This has resulted in an influx of sponsorships from companies such as Bell Media, Razer Inc., Hershey’s Canada and Logitech G who are all investing heavily into both teams and players within this burgeoning industry over the past few years.

Meet the Teams

Lazarus Esports

Lazarus Esports is one of Canada’s premier professional esports teams. Founded in 2017 by CEO Ryan Musgraves, the team has become a fierce competitor in international tournaments and events. The team’s current roster includes players from across Canada and Europe, including Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO), Overwatch, and League of Legends (LoL). Lazarus Esports also boasts an impressive list of sponsors, including Logitech, HyperX, and ASUS.

Since its inception, Lazarus Esports has made numerous accomplishments in both local and international competitions. In 2018 they won DreamHack Montreal CSGO Open, solidifying their presence on the North American scene. They have also gone on to compete in tournaments such as Dreamhack Austin 2019, Intel Challenge Katowice 2017, ESEA Premier Season 26 Global Challenge 2018-19, and ESL Pro League Season 9 Finals. Most recently they placed third at the European Minor Championship London 2019 for CSGO.

The team’s commitment to excellence has been recognized by many industry organizations who have awarded them numerous awards for their competitive spirit and dedication to the esports ecosystem. Lazarus Esports has become a symbol for competitive spirit in the Canadian esports community with notable members such as Timothy “autimatic” Ta, Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt, Lucas “steel” Lopes, and Étienne “SmithZz” Dubourdeaux having previously played on the squad.

Luminosity Gaming

Founded in 2015, Luminosity Gaming have been competing at a professional level since then and have a roster of players in various games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), Rainbow Six Siege, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU), Overwatch, and Call of Duty. The organization is based out of Toronto, Ontario but has players from across Canada and around the world.

The team has seen great success over its seven years existence, having won tournaments such as ESL Pro League Season 7 Finals (CS:GO), Dreamhack Montreal 2018 (Smash Bros.), CWL 2019 Championship (Call of Duty) and many more. They also hold championships in multiple disciplines including Rocket League and Hearthstone. Luminosity Gaming is currently sponsored by major companies such as Intel, Monster Energy Drinks, HyperX gaming peripherals and Turtle Beach headsets. This helps them to fuel their competitive growth and provide their talented players with the best resources available to them.

Furthermore, Luminosity Gaming also focuses on giving back to the community by hosting charity streams for organizations such as St Jude Children’s Research Hospital as well as special events like “eSports Challenges” that aim to bring people together while raising money for various causes around the world.

Team BH

Team BH is a Canadian esports team that was founded in the fall of 2020. The team is based in Toronto, Ontario and competes in several game titles including Rainbow Six Siege, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), League of Legends and VALORANT. Team BH currently has over 30 players from around the world representing them at various tournaments.

With their unique brand identity and focus on community engagement, Team BH has become one of the more successful Canadian organizations in esports. In 2021 alone, they have won two major championships including the ESL Rainbow Six North American Challenger League Season 2 and the Beat Invitational VALORANT tournament. The team also earned a spot at the R6S Major League LAN finals for 2021 after finishing second place in Stage 1 of the competition.

Team BH strives to create an atmosphere of camaraderie among its members through events such as meetups and boot camps with top coaches. They are also committed to giving back to the community through charity initiatives and educational opportunities such as esports scholarships for high school students who excel academically. As one of Canada’s leading esports teams, Team BH looks forward to future success and even more accomplishments in 2021!

Mirage Esports

Founded in 2017, Mirage has quickly established itself as a leader in the Canadian esports scene. The team currently fields players in popular games such as Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Valorant.

The players on Mirage have achieved some impressive results in the past few years. In 2020, Mirage CS:GO won the ESL Pro League Season 13 Finals, beating out a number of other top contenders from around the world. On top of that, they placed 1st at DreamHack Montreal 2019 and 3rd at IEM Katowice 2020. Additionally, their Call of Duty team has secured multiple tournament victories and placed 5th in the CWL Pro League for 2020.

In addition to their competitive success, Mirage Esports has made a strong effort to give back to their community. They host charity events as well as educational seminars that help aspiring competitive gamers develop their skills. Furthermore, they are active participants in many local gaming communities where they connect with fans and support grassroots organizations dedicated to promoting healthy gaming habits among youth. Overall, Mirage Esports is an outstanding example of Canadian esports excellence and continues to be a leader in the industry today.

Parabellum Esports

Parabellum Esports is a Canadian esports team that was founded in 2020 by three professional players: Abele, Amadeu and Thomas. The team has since grown to include many of the top players in Canada, making it one of the premier teams in the country. Parabellum Esports focuses on competing in multiple esports genres including Call Of Duty, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, Overwatch and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege.

The team is well known for its competitive edge when it comes to major tournaments as they have managed to take home several prestigious titles during their short time as an organization. In 2021 Parabellum Esports took part in the Overwatch Contenders League where they dominated the competition with a perfect 11-0 record showing off their impressive skills. Furthermore, they also participated at Dreamhack Winter 2021 where they won first place out of sixteen teams from across North America.

The organization is also focused on giving back to Canada’s esports community through charity events such as their ‘Every Gamer Deserves’ tournament which bring gamers together for a day of fun while raising money for local charities. They are also dedicated to promoting positive behavior and sportsmanship among their players encouraging them to be ambassadors not only for their team but also for esports overall within Canada and beyond.

Toronto Ultra

The Toronto Ultra is a Canadian esports team that competes in the Call of Duty League. It is one of the nation’s most successful teams, having won the championship in 2021. The team consists of a roster of professional players with years of experience playing competitively in the league. It is owned by OverActive Media Group, who also own fellow CDL team, OpTic Gaming Los Angeles.

The Toronto Ultra are considered to be one of the top teams in the league, having consistently performed well and placing within the top three at every major tournament during their first year. Their roster includes some well-known names from Canada such as Cammy “Cammy” McKee and Lamar “Accuracy” Abedi, both of whom have had major successes in other leagues such as CWL Pro League and MLG 2K tournaments. Additionally, they recently acquired a new coach, Austin “Moser” O’Dell who has coached for long time major contenders including OpTic Gaming and Team Envy.

Toronto Defiant

The Toronto Defiant is a Canadian professional esports organization based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 2018 as an Overwatch League (OWL) team, the Defiant are one of two Canadian teams currently playing in the OWL. The Defiant are owned by OverActive Media Group, a global media and entertainment company with interests in esports, gaming and entertainment.

The Defiant’s roster consists of players from all over the world who have come together to form a formidable team. Their star players include Brady “Agilities” Girardi, Ki-cheol “Fury” Lee, Lane “Surefour” Roberts, Christopher “GrimReality” Schaefer, Andreas “Logix” Berghmans and many more talented players. In addition to these star players, the Defiant also boast a strong coaching staff led by head coach Kim “WizardHyeong” Hyeong-seok who has been instrumental in helping the team reach new heights.

The Defiant began their inaugural season on February 15th 2019 in the Pacific Division of the Overwatch League and had an impressive debut performance that included wins against Los Angeles Gladiators and London Spitfire. After making it to the playoffs following their successful season record after ending 8th overall, they were eliminated by San Francisco Shock but responded with a strong showing at 2019 midseason tournaments where they won 3rd place at Contenders Korea Season 1 Finals and 2nd Place at Atlantic Showdown Finals. Since then they have maintained a top 10 position throughout each stage of OWL’s 2020 season despite some tough competition from other teams across North America and Europe.

Vancouver Titans

The Vancouver Titans are an Overwatch League team based in Vancouver, Canada. Founded in 2019, the team quickly made waves and earned the respect of their peers, becoming one of the top teams in the league. The team is owned by Aquilini Investment Group, a Canadian company that owns and operates several sports franchises. The Titans have a long and successful history in esports, having competed in numerous tournaments around the world before joining the Overwatch League.

The beginning of 2020 saw the addition of six new players to the Titans’ roster. This included former XTEN Esports members Haksal and Stitch as well as pro players KariV, Kyb, Twilight and Fusions. With this new talent on board, they quickly became a force to be reckoned with: they won four consecutive stages during season two of the Overwatch League and placed first overall at season three’s playoffs. They went on to win the Grand Finals against San Francisco Shock with a clean sweep victory of 4-0.

The Vancouver Titans also have an academy team called Vancouver Academy Allied Esports (VAX), which competed in two Contenders seasons prior to joining the Overwatch League. This allows them to scout young talent and develop up-and-coming players as part of their organization’s long-term strategy for success. The organization has also partnered with local gaming stores such as EB Games and has hosted various charity events to give back to their community.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Canadian esports scene is thriving with several professional teams based in the country. From Toronto to Vancouver and Montreal, these teams are competing in various international tournaments and leagues, garnering attention from fans around the world. Canada’s esports industry is rapidly growing as evidenced by big names such as Team Envy and Luminosity Gaming joining the fold.

The country’s esports infrastructure has also been bolstered by organizations such as Canada Esports Association (CEA) that are working to promote and support all levels of communication within the community. With increased interest in esports from both players and viewers, it’s clear that Canada is on its way to becoming a major player in the global esports industry.

Author
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Noah Belanger

Noah Belanger is a seasoned sports bettor with a decade of experience in the industry. He is the driving force behind the test reports and strategies on the LoonieBet Blog. With a unique perspective, Noah writes from the player's point of view, offering firsthand insights and expertise to help readers make informed decisions.