Nova Esports

Origins and Foundation

Nova Esports traces its roots to a Clash Royale clan named RoyaleClan, created in May 2016 by Anthony Yeung and a management team including Francis, Trevor, Jack, Niro, and Richard. This initial group laid the groundwork for what would become a formal esports organization. Later, members named Oktay, Matthew, and Steven joined the team. In September 2016, Nova Esports was officially established, marking the beginning of its journey in competitive gaming.

The organization's early focus was on mobile titles, a strategic direction that would define its future success. In 2020, Nova Esports International Limited was acquired by the Hong Kong-listed company Imperium Group Global Holdings Limited, providing significant corporate backing for its global ambitions. The organization has stated its aim is to create a strong brand recognized for integrity, innovation, and excellence within the esports industry and beyond, striving to set standards for organizations worldwide.

Dominance in PUBG Mobile and Game for Peace

Nova Esports achieved its greatest fame and success in the battle royale genre, specifically through PUBG Mobile and its Chinese version, Game for Peace. The organization's Game for Peace squad was formed in partnership with Chinese team X-Quest F on July 9, 2020, and was named Nova XQF. This team quickly became a dominant force in the Chinese league.

On August 23, 2020, Nova XQF won the Peacekeeper Elite League Season 2, earning over $140,000. The team's peak performance came on the global stage. In January 2021, Nova XQF won the PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2020, held online from Dubai, securing a $700,000 prize. Key players Order and Paraboy were standout performers, finishing as the second and third-highest fraggers in the tournament with 56 and 44 kills respectively.

The squad defended its title the following year. On January 23, 2022, Nova Esports won the PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2021, claiming an even larger prize of $1.53 million. This victory made Nova Esports the first organization to win back-to-back PUBG Mobile world championships, a feat that included winning both the 2020 and 2021 PMGC tournaments.

International Partnerships and Disbandment

Beyond its championship-winning Chinese squad, Nova Esports engaged in international partnerships to expand its reach in PUBG Mobile. In June 2020, the organization partnered with the Indian esports organisation GodLike to form a team named Nova × GodLike for the PUBG Mobile World League Eastern Division. This partnership ended in September 2020 when PUBG Mobile was banned in India by the government.

Alongside the Game for Peace team, Nova Esports also revealed a separate international PUBG Mobile roster consisting of players from different countries. This team found some success, placing second in the league stage of the PUBG Mobile Pro League North America with a total of 497 points. However, this roster disbanded after about two years.

The core, world-champion Nova XQF team itself disbanded in August 2023. The disbandment occurred as players pursued new opportunities, such as switching to China's Peacekeeper Elite League or leaving to join other teams. For example, player Xifan switched to a Chinese esports team and later moved to a Singaporean esports team known as N Hyper Esports.

World Championship Success in Strategy and Brawler Games

Beyond battle royale, Nova Esports has captured world championships in several other major mobile games, confirming its reputation as a versatile champion. In October 2019, the organization won the first-ever Clash of Clans World Championships in Hamburg, Germany, earning a $250,000 prize.

Just a month later, in November 2019, Nova Esports became the inaugural Brawl Stars world champion by winning the Brawl Stars World Finals 2019 held in Busan, South Korea. The competitive success continued in Clash Royale, where the organization is represented by Chinese player Chenghui "Lciop" Huang.

On November 1, 2020, Nova Esports won the Clash Royale League East fall season, claiming a $120,000 prize. Lciop's performance was instrumental, as he bagged the award for the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. This victory added another major trophy to the organization's collection from a top mobile strategy title.

Expansion into Mobile MOBA: Wild Rift

Nova Esports successfully expanded into the mobile MOBA scene with League of Legends: Wild Rift. Before the global release of the game, on November 6, 2020, Nova Esports announced it would be hiring a Wild Rift roster to be based in both China and Europe, signaling a major commitment to the new title.

This investment paid off spectacularly. On July 9, 2022, Nova Esports was crowned the first Wild Rift Global Icons Championship champion. The team defeated J Team by a decisive score of 4-0 in a best-of-seven series, securing the title and a $640,000 prize. This victory demonstrated the organization's ability to master new competitive landscapes quickly and added a prestigious MOBA world championship to its resume.

Global Roster Structure and Other Divisions

Nova Esports operates with a global strategy, fielding rosters based in different regions to compete in various leagues. It maintains a European-based roster for Call of Duty: Mobile, consisting of European players. Its Valorant division includes players from China such as GuanG Guang Honglin and Ezeir Zhao Zejun, and has accrued total winnings of $46,723 according to available data.

The organization also briefly fielded a Thai team for the PCS 2020 Spring league, with a roster including players Rockky, G4, Coldenfeet, PoP, and Merlyy, coached by WarL0cK. Beyond these, Nova Esports fields players in Honor of Kings and FIFA, maintaining a broad and active competitive portfolio across ten or more titles.

Organization Scale, Media, and Recognition

With a roster of almost 100 skilled players, Nova Esports is a significant entity in the esports ecosystem. The organization describes itself as having mobile gaming in its blood and operates at the top of the industry, claiming seven world championship titles. It has been officially recognized for its operational excellence, named the Best Club Operations Team of 2024.

The organization's media and content footprint is substantial. It claims over 100,000 posts created with an average of 15,000 likes, and over two billion total views on 10,000 video content pieces. Nova Esports works with partners across the globe and has launched official team merchandise. By fielding players in League of Legends: Wild Rift, Game for Peace, Call of Duty: Mobile, Clash Royale, Brawl Stars, Honor of Kings, Valorant, and FIFA, it continues to be a premier global esports club focused on the biggest titles.