Guild Esports Shuts Down: End of a UK Gaming Giant
26 August 2025
In what many players, fans and followers of esports and especially esports in the UK will consider a drastic surprise move, UK-based organisation Guild Esports has announced its closure. Industry insiders saw the decision coming, as the company was put up for sale earlier this month, but the definitive announcement has still sent shockwaves through the industry. No less than a year ago, Guild, which was previously co-owned by David Beckham, was acquired by American investment firm DCB Sports, who have now decided there is no longer future for one of the biggest names in UK esports.
Financial challenges
While Guild themselves have not provided much detail (so far) on the reasons behind the decision to call it quits, they do mention that financial challenges are at the heart of it. It is reasonable to assume, especially after the recent takeover by a foreign investment firm, that the organisation was having trouble with its profit margins, as this is what usually determines viability. It is nevertheless a shock to see one of the biggest names in esports in the UK cease operations so suddenly.
“After careful consideration, we must share the difficult news that Guild Esports & Gaming will be closing”, Guild Esports write in an official statement, “Despite our best efforts, financial challenges and the current economic climate have made it impossible for us to continue operating […] We recognise that this closure disappoints the community that believed in us, and for that we are sorry. However, we hope this does not overshadow the work our dedicated staff delivered throughout our journey. This outcome is also not a reflection of the support of all our partners who supported our work in the esports space alongside us over the past five years.”
Short but successful history
Guild Esports was founded back in 2020 with the help of David Beckham and quickly became one of the biggest names in UK esports. The backing of the former England and Manchester United superstar also helped the organisation to secure some high-profile collaborations and sponsorships, including partnerships with Sky and fast-food chain Subway. In January 2022, Guild signed a sponsorship agreement with crypto exchange Bitstamp worth more than $ 6 million (£ 4,45 million), which was one of the biggest deals in esports at the time. The company even listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2021, making it the first publicly traded esports company in the United Kingdom.
Own sim racing programme
Just a few months ago, we wrote an article about Guild Esports after they announced the signing of a ground-breaking collaboration with racing venue operator Drive Lounge. Together, they were planning to create a large-scale grassroots sim racing programme with the goal of nurturing the next generation of British sim racers.
“Becoming a professional sim racer requires more than just speed—it takes dedication, precision, and an expert understanding of race mechanics”, Guild wrote at the time, “This collaboration offers a structured pathway for amateur drivers to refine their skills, compete at the highest level, and potentially secure a coveted spot on the Guild Racing team.”
As of now, it is not clear what the closure of Guild Esports means to the future of the plans with Drive Lounge.