Shopify Announces New Esports Organization with Starcraft II Lineup

Leading e-commerce brand Shopify has launched its own Esports organization, which will be known as Shopify Rebellion. With plans to build rosters across a host of games, a Starcraft II lineup has already been announced. The Canadian giants enter the Blizzard real-time strategy title with three well-known players, Sasha “Scarlett” Hostyn, “ByuN” Hyun Woo and Julian “Lambo” Brosig.

27-year-old Scarlett most recently played for Brave Star Gaming, where she won the DH SC2 Masters 2020 Fall: North America. Fellow veteran ByuN represented Team Expert between 2016 and 2017, before announcing his retirement from professional competition. Meanwhile, German Lambo made his name playing for the likes of invasion Esport and Team QLASH.

How Shopify is Making a Name for Itself in Esports

Former Starcraft II player Dario “TLO” Wünsch departed Team Liquid in September last year in order to join the e-commerce organization. The German is now the Esports Program Manager for the organization, demonstrating how Shopify is looking to become a leading name in the scene. They first made a name for themselves in 2018 with ShopifyScarlett, who became the first all-female team to win a major Starcraft II tournament.

Unlike other companies that have entered the Esports scene, Shopify will house and manage its own players, rather than simply sponsoring a roster or tournament. Speaking on the announcement, TLO stated that:

“We want to take a deep dive into what makes esports so great; the human stories that are told in-game and off-screen. The wit. Discipline. Endless pursuit of mastery. What better way than to begin this journey than with three legendary players, playing a game so historically important for esports. After all, it is arguably the game that started it all.”

What the Future Holds for Shopify Rebellion

Shopify Rebellion’s branding was created by Paper Crowns, who has worked with the likes of Overwatch, Activision Blizzard and Dignitas in the past. Shopify Rebellion was seemingly in the pipeline for a while. A post on social media in January this year teased fans of a potential announcement, with it now having come to fruition.

It remains to be seen as to which other Esports titles Shopify will look to compete in, however it is unlikely that they will stop at Starcraft II.