Misfits Gaming

Lore & Background

Misfits Gaming was founded on 18 May 2016 by Ben Spoont, initially as a League of Legends Challenger Series team. The organization's League of Legends team was formed after its parent organization, Renegades, was banned from competitive play. Misfits Gaming qualified for the European Challenger Series by defeating EURONICS Gaming 3–1, then advanced to the EU LCS by beating FC Schalke 04 3–1. In 2017, the team qualified for the World Championship, reaching the knockout stage but losing 2–3 to SK Telecom T1 in the quarterfinals. The organization also operated the Florida Mayhem in the Overwatch League and the Florida Mutineers in the Call of Duty League, later rebranded as the Florida Heretics in partnership with Team Heretics.

Reader's Guide

Misfits Gaming's significance lies in its multi-title presence across major esports, including League of Legends, Overwatch, and Call of Duty. The organization's League of Legends team achieved notable success by qualifying for the 2017 World Championship and reaching the quarterfinals. In the Overwatch League, the Florida Mayhem underwent a rebuild in 2019, transitioning to an all-Korean roster and finding success in Stage 4. The Call of Duty League team, the Florida Mutineers, won the CDL Dallas event in 2020 after a roster change. Misfits Gaming also operated a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team that dissolved on 14 February 2018, and an Apex Legends team that competed in 2019. The organization's academy teams, Misfits Premier, won multiple titles including the EU Masters in 2019. Misfits Gaming also created a YouTube channel and a Roblox gaming studio called Pixel Playground on 24 March 2023.

Did You Know?

• Misfits Gaming was founded on 18 May 2016 by Ben Spoont.
• The organization's League of Legends team reached the quarterfinals of the 2017 World Championship, losing 2–3 to SK Telecom T1.
• Misfits Gaming sold its academy team's LCS spot to Mysterious Monkeys for around US$400,000 on 18 May 2017.
• The Florida Mutineers won the CDL Los Angeles Home Series in 2020 after a roster change.

Founding and the Climb to Europe's Top Tier

Misfits Gaming was established on May 18, 2016, by Ben Spoont, with its headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida. The organization's League of Legends team emerged from an unusual circumstance: a competitive ruling had banned its original parent, Renegades, from the competitive scene, prompting the creation of a new entity. The inaugural roster featured top laner Alphari, jungler Wisdom, mid laner SELFIE, AD carry Yuuki60, and support Dreams. The team's first major test came in the European Challenger Series Summer Qualifiers, where they defeated EURONICS Gaming 3-1 in the finals to secure their EU CS berth. They then dominated the 2016 EU CS Summer Split, finishing first in the standings. That performance earned them a spot in the 2017 EU LCS Spring promotion tournament, where a 3-1 victory over FC Schalke 04 elevated them to Europe's top tier of League of Legends competition.

Peak Seasons and Heartbreaking Near-Misses

The 2017 World Championship represented Misfits Gaming's highest competitive moment. Their roster—Alphari, Maxlore, PowerOfEvil, Hans Sama, and IgNar—advanced to the knockout stage before falling 2-3 to SK Telecom T1 in the quarterfinals, a heartbreaking result for a team still relatively new to the professional scene. The following year produced another memorable playoff campaign. Entering the 2018 EU LCS Summer Playoffs as the fifth seed with an 11-7 record, Misfits delivered a stunning 3-0 sweep of G2 Esports in the quarterfinals. The momentum, however, faltered in the semifinals against first-place Fnatic (1-3), and a subsequent 1-3 loss to Team Vitality in the third-place match left them as the lowest seed heading into Regional Finals. There, a closely contested 2-3 defeat to Splyce ended their 2018 World Championship bid, capping a season defined by flashes of brilliance punctuated by narrow misses.

Building a Multi-Title Esports Portfolio

Beyond League of Legends, Misfits Gaming expanded into multiple competitive titles. In July 2017, Activision Blizzard confirmed that Misfits had acquired an Overwatch League franchise for the Miami-Orlando region, naming the team the Florida Mayhem. The 2019 season proved turbulent: after a winless Stage 2, the organization fired head coach Mineral and pursued an all-Korean roster overhaul, eventually hiring Oh 'Unread' Nam-hun as new head coach. Late-season success arrived when the league introduced a 2-2-2 role lock, and the Mayhem won four of their final five matches. In 2020, the team finished fourth in the OWC East Regular Season with a 17-7 record and made a deep playoff run before losing to Washington Justice. In August 2019, Misfits purchased a Call of Duty League franchise slot, operating the Florida Heretics in partnership with Team Heretics. In March 2023, the organization partnered with Karl Jacobs and YouTuber KreekCraft to launch Pixel Playground, a Roblox gaming studio, further diversifying its entertainment footprint.

The Academy Pipeline and Player Development

Misfits Gaming has invested heavily in player development through its academy programs. The original Misfits Academy team qualified for the 2017 EU LCS Summer Split on April 13, 2017, after defeating Origen 3-0 and Fnatic Academy 3-2. However, on May 19, 2017, Misfits sold the LCS spot to Mysterious Monkeys for approximately US$400,000, transferring the full roster except jungler Pridestalker, who moved to Team ROCCAT. The organization's more enduring academy effort is Misfits Premier, competing in the LFL since 2017. Their debut year produced a 3-1 EU CS Spring 2017 title over FC Schalke 04 Esports. In 2018, they captured the ESL UK Premiership Spring, Forge of Champions Summer Qualifiers, and the Forge of Champions Summer. The 2019 season brought a second-place LFL Spring finish and an EU Masters title, sweeping SK Gaming Prime 3-0. In 2020, Misfits Premier won the LFL Championship as the lower seed, sweeping both LDLC OL and GamersOrigin 3-0 in the final.