The difficult times in the video game industry continue, and esport, like the rest of the world, is also facing a wave of layoffs. After
two rounds of departures at Riot Games earlier this year, as well as the shutdown of established media outlets such as Esports Insider,
Team Liquid is now the latest to carry out layoffs. A historic organization in global esports, Team Liquid had already implemented a round of layoffs in September 2025, affecting “
6% of our 300+ global workforce.”
This article will be updated as the situation develops.
For now, as of Friday, March 21, based on posts visible on social media, including X and LinkedIn, at least five* former Team Liquid employees have been impacted, including a creative coordinator and a marketing operations manager.
TL, which now operates beyond esports with
Liquipedia, the most well-known competitive gaming database, as well as Liquid Media, its creative agency, is active across much of the globe, with offices in Los Angeles (USA), Utrecht (Netherlands), and São Paulo (Brazil). The organization is also present in Southeast Asia, with operations between Jakarta (Indonesia) and Manila (Philippines).
First Time?
In a statement sent to
The Esports Advocate in September 2025, Team Liquid confirmed that the layoffs were part of a broader restructuring, explaining that the organization was “
restructuring the company to sharpen our focus and improve efficiency.” The club specified that around “
6% of our 300+ global workforce” had been impacted, primarily within its “
Brand, Marketing, & Content” departments.
While acknowledging the difficulty of the decision, Team Liquid paid tribute to those affected, describing them as “talented colleagues who’ve helped shape Team Liquid,” The organization also framed the move within its long-term evolution, noting that “change has always been part of our story,” while reaffirming its objective to “continue creating lasting value for fans and partners alike” as it adapts to the industry.
A strategy for the future
It is in this latter region that Team Liquid appears to be shaping its strategy moving forward. In 2024, the organization completed the acquisition of STUN.GG, a group owning AURA Esports in Indonesia and ECHO Esports in the Philippines, positioning itself strongly in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, the most-watched mobile game in the world.
This strategy has delivered results, with a runner-up finish at the M6 World Championship in 2024 and a semifinal appearance at M7 to close out the 2025 season. This focus is also reflected in current job openings on Team Liquid’s LinkedIn page, with eight roles based in Jakarta and two in Manila, out of the 20 positions currently available.
*The first version of this article was published on Saturday, March 22 at 00:15 CET, when Sheep Esports had identified only three social media posts. It has now been updated on Saturday, March 22 at 13:30 CET, with a total of five posts.
