In this Cloud9 overview we’ll go through all there is to know about what is arguably one of the most iconic esports organizations, and it celebrated its 10th anniversary in May 2023. Top-tier players and teams from multiple countries compete under the Cloud9 banner, proudly sporting the iconic blue, white, and black color scheme.
If you watch the biggest CS:GO, League of Legends (LoL), and Valorant Challengers leagues, you’ll see Cloud9 teams compete for glory in international events, as fans in the crowds chant “USA, USA, USA!”
You can place your bet now on Cloud9’s esports teams, joining the thrilling world of esports betting.
On this page, we’ll provide a brief history of Cloud9, alongside the organization’s most significant accomplishments, overviews of the teams, FAQs, and more.
History of Cloud9 (C9)
Let’s take a moment to discuss how the American esports empire flourished and became the behemoth it is today.
The Beginning
Here’s a little fun fact to kick things off: Jack and Paullie Etienne (co-founders) created Cloud9. Jack Etienne is a former Team SoloMid manager and current CEO of Cloud9, with Paullie serving as the chief operating officer.
The first Cloud9 League of Legends team was filled with former Quantic Gaming players, and in that same year, the organization entered Smite esports. In 2024, C9 joined the Dota 2, Super Smash Bros, CS:GO, Heroes of the Storm, Hearthstone, and Halo esports scenes.
The Growth Spurt
On Sept. 6, 2016, the organization was officially incorporated as Cloud9 Esports, Inc, and continued to expand into franchises such as Call of Duty. Throughout this growth period, it dissolved some divisions and added new ones. In March 2017, there were ten (10) teams and, in the same period, the org received $28 million in venture capital funding!
Cloud9 purchased the London-based franchise slot for the Overwatch League (OWL) and created a subsidiary called London Spitfire in July 2017. The unstoppable organization didn’t slow down, acquiring a League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) franchise slot.
Then came the massive Red Bull sponsorship in June 2018. In the same year, C9 also received $50 million in venture capital funding, which is how it established its massive training facility and headquarters in Los Angeles. Forbes called Cloud9 the most valuable esports company in 2018, worth an estimated $310 million. Now that’s growth!
2020 and Beyond
The company has seen tremendous success as a business and in team performances across multiple disciplines. It continues to go from strength to strength, and in May 2022, it was valued at an estimated $380 million.
No matter how you cut it, the future looks bright. And based on historical evidence, C9 will continue to grow in 2023 and beyond.
Cloud9’s Greatest Accomplishments
C9’s most significant accomplishment is becoming the only North American team ever to win a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Major. Since the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 was the final CS:GO Major ever, C9 is forever etched in the history books for its incredible underdog run at the ELEAGUE Major Boston 2018 event.
The LoL division has won six League Championship Series (LCS) North America tournaments and managed a fourth-place finish at the 2018 World Championship, an immense accomplishment in its own right.
The organization’s Overwatch squad (London Spitfire) won the Inaugural Season Playoffs in 2018, beating Philadelphia Fusion 2-0 in the grand finals.
Cloud9 CS:GO Squad
The current CS:GO team (C9CS:GO) consists of ex-Gambit Esports players. Notable performances after reentering CS:GO esports include 1st at the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) XVII Dallas 2022 event and 2nd place at ESL Pro League Season 17.
- Vladislav “nafany” Gorshkov (IGL)
- Abai “HObbit” Hasenov
- Dmitriy “sh1ro” Sokolov
- Sergey “Ax1Le” Rykhtorov
- Timur “buster” Tulepov
Place your CS:GO bets!
Cloud9 LoL Squad
Cloud9’s first esports division was League of Legends. Over the years, this division has seen great success, with six LCS NA wins and a solid 4th-place finish at Worlds 2018. The current LoL team has impressed, winning the LCS Spring 2023 in April.
- Robert “Blaber” Huang
- Ibrahim “Fudge” Allami
- Jang “EMENES” Min-soo
- Kim “Berserker” Min-cheol
- Jesper “Sven” Svenningsen
Place your bets on League of Legends esports!
Cloud9 Valorant Squad
With multiple podium finishes at VCT events, a win at Red Bull Home Ground #3, and a 5th-8th finish at VALORANT Champions 2021, C9 Valorant is getting stronger.
- Erick “Xeppaa” Bach
- Nathan “leaf” Orf
- Mateja “qpert” Mijović
- Jake “jakee” Anderson
- Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro
- Dylan “runi” Cade
Place your bets on Valorant esports!
Cloud9 Overwatch 2 Squad
C9 owns the London Spitfire Overwatch League (OWL) team, with the Inaugural Season Playoffs (2018) trophy in its ever-growing list of achievements.
- Jamie “Backbone” O’Neill
- Daniel “Hadi” Bleinagel
- William “SparkR” Andersson
- Oliver “Admiral” Vahar
- Landon “Landon” McGee
- Denis “Lethal” Tari
- Robert “Skairipa” Lupsa
Place your bets on Overwatch 2 esports!
Other Cloud9 Esports Teams
The organization has retired several divisions over the years (for example, Fortnite and Dota 2) and added new ones. Besides those listed in the previous section, four more current divisions operate under the C9 banner:
- Halo
- Hearthstone
- Super Smash Bros (SSB)
- Teamfight Tactics
Socials and Website
Find C9’s official website, social media accounts, and video platform channels below:
If you want to score some fantastic merchandise, you can also find the C9 store on their website, featuring the Cloud9 MSI Capsule.
FAQs
Want to learn even more about the iconic U.S.-based esports organization? We’ve got you covered with these FAQs.
Who Owns Cloud9?
The CEO is Jack Etienne, and the COO is Paullie Etienne. As of May 2023, the president is Dan Fiden.
How to Join Cloud9?
Since Cloud9 is a top-tier esports organization, only the best players in the world get scouted and get the chance to join.
How Much is Cloud9 Worth?
According to the latest reports (May 2022), the company’s total equity is an estimated $380 million.
