Natus Vincere

Natus Vincere
Natus Vincere · Public domain · source
Name	Natus Vincere
Founded	2009
City	Kyiv
Colors	yellow, black
President	Yevhen Zolotarov
Sport	Esports
Website	natusvincere.gg

Natus Vincere is a professional esports organization founded in 2009 and headquartered in Kyiv. The organization fields teams across multiple titles and gained global prominence through major tournament victories and landmark roster signings. Over its history, the organization has been associated with prominent players, coaches, and brands in the competitive gaming ecosystem.

History

Natus Vincere was established in 2009 amid the expansion of professional esports alongside organizations like Fnatic, SK Gaming, Evil Geniuses, Team Liquid, and Virtus.pro. Early success came in tournaments such as ESL Pro Series, Intel Extreme Masters, DreamHack, Electronic Sports World Cup, and Cyberathlete Professional League events, with roster moves involving players from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Poland, and Germany. The organization navigated partnerships and sponsorships with companies like HyperX, Adidas, Monster Energy, 1xBet, and Betway, mirroring broader industry trends exemplified by deals between Team SoloMid and Acer or Cloud9 and Twitch. Natus Vincere's growth paralleled major esports media coverage from outlets such as HLTV.org, Dot Esports, ESPN Esports, and Dexerto while participating in leagues organized by ESL, DreamHack, PGL, BLAST Premier, and Valve Corporation. During geopolitical changes affecting Ukraine and neighboring regions, the organization adjusted operations similar to other regional entities like G2 Esports and Virtus.pro.

Teams and Divisions

Natus Vincere's divisions have included squads for titles such as Counter-Strike 2, formerly Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Fortnite, Rainbow Six Siege, Valorant, Apex Legends, and FIFA. The original flagship team competed at premier events like The International, ELEAGUE Major, IEM Katowice, ESL One Cologne, BLAST Premier Spring Final, and DreamHack Masters. The Dota 2 roster contested in events hosted by Valve Corporation and organizers including PGL and Epicenter, while the Counter-Strike roster featured prominently at majors and invitational tournaments such as ESL One New York and FACEIT Major London. Academy and junior programs mirrored talent pipelines used by OG, Team Secret, and Fnatic Academy, enabling player development across regional qualifiers and LAN finals like RMR and ESL Pro League.

Notable Achievements

Natus Vincere secured landmark victories that shaped competitive narratives, including winning the inaugural Season 1 of The International-era events and claiming titles at major LANs such as PGL Major Stockholm, IEM Katowice Major, and ESL One Cologne-level tournaments. The organization earned championship placements at The International and captured series wins in Dota Pro Circuit events and regional leagues like EPICENTER and MDL Chengdu Major. Individual accolades included tournament MVP awards, most valuable player recognitions at ESL events, and top placements on annual lists by HLTV.org and GosuGamers. Notable matchups against teams such as Astralis, FaZe Clan, Virtus.pro, Evil Geniuses, and Team Liquid produced memorable finals, while landmark series versus OG and PSG.LGD contributed to the organization's legacy in Dota 2 and Counter-Strike history.

Roster and Staff

Throughout its existence, Natus Vincere employed prominent competitors, coaches, and analysts drawn from a pool including former and current professionals associated with UKRAINE's esports scene, Eastern European talent, and international signees. Key figures associated with the organization over time included players who previously represented teams such as mousesports, Gambit Esports, Complexity Gaming, Virtus.pro, Team Spirit, and HellRaisers. Coaching staff often had backgrounds with organizations like Team Empire, Nigma Galaxy, Alliance, and Vega Squadron, while analysts and performance coaches collaborated with partners akin to Red Bull and Nike in athlete development. The support personnel roster typically encompassed managers, technical directors, and broadcasting specialists who worked alongside tournament organizers such as ESL and DreamHack to coordinate event logistics.

Organization and Ownership

Natus Vincere's ownership structure and commercial operations involved private stakeholders, corporate sponsors, and strategic partners common in esports governance, comparable to investment approaches seen at Riot Games-sanctioned franchises and franchised leagues like Overwatch League and Call of Duty League. The organization renegotiated commercial rights, branding, and merchandising through collaborations with apparel and hardware companies including Adidas, HyperX, and gaming peripherals manufacturers participating in the esports supply chain. Its management navigated regulatory environments spanning Ukraine, European Union, and international competition rules under tournament operators like Valve Corporation, ESL, and BLAST. Natus Vincere also engaged in community outreach, content production, and media rights deals similar to arrangements pursued by FaZe Clan and 100 Thieves.

Category:Esports teams Category:Organizations established in 2009