INTERVIEW
Fnatic
Turning 15 - Then & Now Fnatic recently turned 15. Here’s a Q&A with Sam Mathews, Founder and CEO, on what they’ve learnt and where they are now AUTHOR Pablo Monti @PabloMMonti
natic just turned 15, what was it like back then? Did you envisage that the organisation, and esports more broadly, would become what they are today, at least this soon? Sam Mathews: Back in 2004, esports was much smaller, it was more of a scene than an industry. Gamers would play with their friends to create teams and use IRC to find others interested in playing. The most common connection was a dial up modem, with the lucky ones having ISDN or university fibre. There were tournaments but on a much smaller scale with a few thousand viewers not millions we see today. One thing that has not changed is the passion and excitement fans and players had then is very much the same as today, just on a larger scale.
F
rom the beginning I realised that the potential was F inevitable, esports represented a paradigm shift in competing. It gives players the ability to compete on a level playing field and get the same thrill from competing in a physical sport, but at anytime, and from anywhere with an internet connection and computer. Fnatic was from day 1 positioned to be at the forefront of this movement, and we still are! To move forward as an industry and realise the potential it required constant evolution of the fundamentals: better internet, cheaper broadband, faster devices, more advanced but simpler to use games, and finally the invention of the streaming platforms, and VOD such as Youtube. It was just a matter of time for the technology to catch-up and the industry to thrive.
Sam Mathews CEO & Founder
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