Esports Platform Start.gg is Parting Ways With Microsoft

Start.gg, an online tournament platform that Microsoft acquired back in December 2020 has just reclaimed its independence. Chris Ogle, the co-founder of the esports platform formerly known as smash.gg announced the news today alongside an important change to the company’s business model.

“We’re incredibly thankful to Microsoft and Xbox for the years of support,” Ogle wrote. “Together, we’ve enhanced our online presence and capabilities, bringing you the best tournament platform for communities like Super Smash Bros, Rocket League, and Pokémon. As we move forward, Start.gg will be led by original team members from smash.gg, including the platform’s co-founder, grassroots tournament organizers, and engineers who are passionate about improving the platform for the communities we support.”

Start.gg originally launched in 2015, and Microsoft didn’t really do something with the company after acquiring it four years ago. At the time of the acquisition, Microsoft said that it was looking to “expand their offerings” and that start.gg “provides a key piece in that journey to innovate and accelerate their content offerings.”

Well, the start.gg team is now planning to “return to its roots” as a platform supporting esports communities, but it’s also changing how it operates. The biggest change is a new 6% platform fee that will apply to online transactions starting February 14.

“This change will help us maintain and improve the services we offer, allowing us to better support the esports communities we’ve built together,” Ogle said today. The company is also planning to update the start.gg with more payment options, new registration features, and more UI improvements. You can learn more about these upcoming changes in this article.