Norwegian esports organisation Apeks has shared that it will cease its CS2 and Fortnite operations, focusing on VALORANT in an effort to combat its difficult financial situation.
The news was shared through a post on the company’s website, along with information about upcoming layoffs which will be made to offset high operation costs.
Apeks is one of the oldest esports organisations in Norway, and a well-known name in Counter-Strike. The company, founded in 2013, has competed in both CS:GO and CS2. The organisation’s biggest competitive success in Counter-Strike came at the BLASTtv Paris Major 2023, where Apeks reached the semi-finals. The company also operated a Fortnite and a VALORANT roster, the latter of which will continue to exist.
Apeks noted that due to challenging economic circumstances, a decision was made to focus available resources towards its VALORANT roster. This means that its Fortnite and Counter-Strike players and staff will no longer be a part of the company. In the mentioned statement, Apeks leadership noted that “most of their employees will be temporarily laid off.”
The company will also “actively seek fresh capital” during the summer in an effort to bounce back as soon as possible.
Chairman of the Board, Ole Anfinnsen, commented: “These difficult decisions, including the temporary layoffs and the pause of our Counter-Strike division, were made with a heavy heart to secure a sustainable future for Apeks.
“Investing in Apeks has been a labour of love for me. My commitment to the team and to the vision we all share remains unwavering. We are determined to overcome these challenges and emerge stronger than ever. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.”
The news of Apeks’ departure from CS2 was met with compassion on social media, with the likes of esports organisations HEROIC, Metizport and MONTE offering support, along with esports content creator Jake Lucky, TeamSpeak and numerous other players and fans.
However, all is not lost, as Apeks still has a chance to secure funding and have success in VALORANT, where their roster is a part of VALORANT Challengers Northern Europe and has a strong chance to enter the VCT Ascension tournament.
