Millenium announced through a heartfelt letter that it would be closing its esports division by the end of the year.
Founded in 2002 by Cedric Page, Millenium started as a community where hard-core gamers shared information. The project kept growing and evolving, in 2006 Millenium created its esports division and opened the first gaming house in France.
Through the years, many stars have worn the Millenium colours like StarCraft player Ilyes “Stephano” Satouri, and League of Legends stars Paul “sOAZ” Boyer, and Steven “Hans Sama” Liv. Thanks to the coaches, managers, and players, Millenium was able to collect many titles including double European Champion 2016 on Call of Duty, 2016 Hearthstone World Champion, Dreamhack victories on League of Legends, Rainbow Six and FIFA, and many others.
In the letter, Millenium claimed that “the development of franchises and inflation of wage costs” were part of the reason for the decision. The growth of esports is attracting investors that are putting money behind the big names. Smaller organisations are beginning to struggle to stay afloat.
Cedric Page, founder of Millenium wrote: “The objective for these actors is no longer to have financially balanced clubs but to develop assets that could have a resale value much higher than the initial investment. This is a bold bet in which most of the leading international teams are involved, through significant fundraisings, such as Fnatic, G2, Cloud9 or Vitality in France.”
Page recognises that these investments are necessary for the industry and professionalization of the players.
As for Milleniums’ future, the company is refocusing its efforts and continue to grow as a media company. In 2019, the new Millenium is planning on launching the website in seven languages with a presence in four continents.
The company will continue to provide specialised content for the fans and organise community events to bring the fans together. The goal is to become a global network where gamers can continue to find all the information they need.
Esports Insider says: Millenium has contributed immensely to develop the esports scene in France. The titles speak for themselves, and the story of the organisation is one of victories and success. As they decide to refocus on a different goal, Millenium leaves behind an important legacy.
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