Hello, I’m backend engineer Keita .

Quick question—have you heard of “Shopify Rebellion”?

Some of you might be thinking, “Is that a new Shopify service?” But actually, Shopify Rebellion is a full-fledged esports team operated by Shopify. Yes—Shopify, the e-commerce platform, runs a professional gaming team!

In this post, I’d like to introduce a side of Shopify you don’t often get to see, talk about the rapidly growing esports industry, and share what makes esports so exciting.

What Is Shopify Rebellion?

Shopify Rebellion is a professional esports team founded in February 2021 by Shopify, a Canadian e-commerce company ※1. It originally launched with a StarCraft II roster and later expanded into multiple titles including Rocket League, Valorant, Halo Infinite, League of Legends, and more.

The team name “Rebellion” reflects Shopify’s mission of supporting independent entrepreneurs—“rebels” who challenge the status quo ※2. It represents Shopify’s commitment to empowering merchants who carve out their own path and take on established giants with their own ideas and drive.

Today, Shopify Rebellion competes across a wide range of titles such as Apex Legends, Dota 2, Guilty Gear Strive, Halo Infinite, League of Legends, Rainbow Six Siege, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros., StarCraft II, Street Fighter, Valorant, and many more ※1.

The Launch of the Apex Legends Division—and a Personal Highlight

In January 2025, Shopify Rebellion made a major move. Popular streamers Ludwig and Charlie White Jr. (known as MoistCr1TiKaL) joined as co-owners, and the organization merged with their team, Moist Esports ※1.

As a result of the merger, Moist Esports’ divisions—such as Apex Legends, Super Smash Bros., and Street Fighter 6—moved over to Shopify Rebellion. And yes, that’s how Shopify Rebellion’s Apex Legends division was born!

To be honest, I was genuinely thrilled when I heard the news.

I’ve been playing Apex Legends since its release in 2019※3. Grinding ranked late at night while chatting with friends, shouting when we won a match, or feeling crushed when we lost by a hair— I’ve got so many memories tied to this game.

And now I work on projects related to Shopify. Then Shopify ends up owning a professional Apex Legends team. I never expected a connection like that— it feels like a strange and wonderful kind of fate, and it honestly makes me really happy.

Shopify Rebellion’s Apex division competes in official tournaments such as the ALGS (Apex Legends Global Series), and achieved an impressive 4th place at the 2025 ALGS Championship ※4. I’m excited to see what they do next.

Why Would an E-Commerce Company Invest in Esports?

At this point, you might be wondering: “Why would a company behind an e-commerce platform run an esports team?”

There are actually several strong reasons why companies invest in esports.

Reaching Younger Audiences

Esports audiences are largely made up of teens and people in their twenties. For titles like Apex Legends, VALORANT, and Overwatch, there’s data suggesting that the combined share of teens and people in their twenties exceeds 80% ※5.

For digital-native generations that are harder to reach through traditional marketing, esports can be a highly effective branding channel. Simply appearing as a team owner or sponsor can organically build awareness among younger audiences.

Boosting Global Brand Awareness

Esports tournaments are streamed live online, attracting fans from all over the world. For major events, it’s not unusual to see peak concurrent viewership reach the hundreds of thousands.

Shopify is a global e-commerce platform with a strong presence in North America. Using esports to reach gaming communities worldwide can significantly enhance brand awareness on a global scale.

Expanding Into Digital Entertainment

For a tech company like Shopify, entering esports—one of the most cutting-edge forms of digital entertainment— also strengthens its innovative brand image. It helps position Shopify not just as “an e-commerce platform,” but as a company operating at the intersection of technology and culture.

Building a Deeper Relationship With Communities

Through an esports team, a brand can build an ongoing relationship with the gaming community. Unlike one-off ads, repeated exposure through matches and team progress creates emotional connection— which can lead to long-term brand loyalty.

The Rapid Growth of the Esports Market

One major reason more companies are paying attention to esports is the market’s rapid growth.

The global esports market was estimated at around USD 2.08 billion in 2024. Forecasts suggest it may grow at a CAGR of about 17.05% from 2025 to 2033, reaching roughly USD 10.06 billion by 2033 ※6.

Looking at Japan, the domestic esports market in 2023 grew to approximately 14.7 billion yen (117% year over year). It’s projected to approach 20 billion yen by 2025. The number of esports fans in Japan was estimated at about 8.56 million in 2023 and is expected to exceed 10 million by 2025 ※7.

Sponsorship revenue is a key driver of this growth. In Japan, about 42% of esports market revenue comes from sponsorships, and investment from non-gaming industries—such as automotive, food, and telecom—has been increasing year by year ※7.

In addition, in 2025, the Japan Esports Union (JeSU) was approved for membership in the Japan Sports Association, and Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai hosted an esports event titled “The Power of Esports Connecting the Future” ※8.

At the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, esports will be included as an official medal event, with a record-high 11 disciplines across 13 titles confirmed—showing that esports’ social recognition and legitimacy continue to grow ※9.

Esports Education Is Also Expanding in Japan

With esports gaining momentum, educational initiatives in Japan are also becoming more active.

“Esports High School” (eスポーツ高等学院), founded through industry-academia collaboration between NTTe-Sports and Chuo High School, is attracting attention as Japan’s first specialized esports school ※10. Students can earn a high school diploma while aiming for careers as pro gamers, streamers, or creators in the gaming industry.

KONAMI’s “KONAMI Esports Academy” offers hands-on training using state-of-the-art facilities at its headquarters in Ginza ※11. A key feature is its robust curriculum, including direct instruction from instructors affiliated with professional teams.

Esports programs are also expanding within correspondence high schools. For example, Renaissance High School launched Japan’s first “esports course,” and Clark Memorial International High School’s esports program has won national high school esports championships ※12.

There are now more than 40 universities, junior colleges, and vocational schools across Japan where students can study esports ※13, and career paths are developing beyond pro play—such as event production, casting/commentary, and team/league management.

We’ve moved from an era where people said “Stop playing games and study,” to an era where “learning games” is becoming real. Esports is steadily gaining broader social acceptance.

What Makes Watching Esports So Fun?

Esports isn’t just fun to play—it’s also incredibly fun to watch.

Professional players’ godlike aim (the skill of precisely lining up shots), teamwork, and split-second decision-making can be genuinely moving. You get that “Wait, that’s possible?!” feeling, and at the same time you start thinking, “I want to be able to do that someday.”

Plus, commentary and analysis make matches enjoyable even for people who don’t know the game deeply. Just like watching soccer or baseball, hearing expert explanations adds layers—strategy, timing, and player brilliance become much easier to appreciate.

And in live streams, chat sections light up with fans around the world reacting in real time. That shared feeling of supporting a team or player together is truly the same excitement you get from traditional sports.

Conclusion: A New Side of Shopify—and the Future of Esports

In this post, I introduced Shopify’s esports team, “Shopify Rebellion.”

At first glance, it might seem surprising that an e-commerce platform company operates a professional gaming team. But when you look at it through the lens of reaching younger audiences, building global brand awareness, and creating long-term community relationships, it’s a very rational investment.

And on a personal note, it genuinely made me happy to see Apex Legends—a game I’ve loved since day one—connect to Shopify, the platform I’m involved with through my work.

The esports market is expected to keep growing, with projections suggesting it could reach around USD 12 billion globally by 2033 ※6. In Japan as well, more esports high schools and vocational programs are emerging, and careers related to esports will likely become even more familiar.

If this post sparked your interest in esports, I’d be very happy. And I hope you’ll check out a Shopify Rebellion match sometime— especially the Apex Legends division. I’ll definitely be cheering for them as a fan.

See you in the next post!

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Sources

※1 Wikipedia “Shopify Rebellion” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopify_Rebellion

※2 Official Shopify Rebellion blog “Shopify Rebellion Welcomes New Co-Owners Cr1TiKaL and Ludwig” https://shopifyrebellion.gg/pages/shopify-rebellion-welcomes-new-co-owners-cr1tikal-and-ludwig

※3 Wikipedia “Apex Legends” (Japanese) https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/エーペックスレジェンズ

※4 Liquipedia “Shopify Rebellion - Apex Legends” https://liquipedia.net/apexlegends/Shopify_Rebellion

※5 “Oshi Entertainment Brand Scope” (Jan 2025 survey results) https://www.gem-standard.com/columns/1004

※6 IMARC Group “Esports Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2025-2033” https://www.imarcgroup.com/esports-market

※7 Japan Esports Union / Kadokawa ASCII Research Institute “Japan Esports White Paper 2024” https://jesu.or.jp/contents/news/news-250331/

※8 Japan Esports Union “Announcement: Esports Event at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai” https://jesu.or.jp/contents/news/news-250422/

※9 Japan Esports Union “The 20th Asian Games (2026 / Aichi-Nagoya): Esports Titles Officially Confirmed” https://jesu.or.jp/

※10 Esports High School (Official Site) https://esports-hs.com/

※11 KONAMI Esports Academy (Official Site) https://www.konami.com/ginza/school/

※12 BCN Esports “Introducing High Schools Where You Can Learn/Do Esports Club Activities” https://esports.bcnretail.com/column-interview/commentary/210610_000237.html

※13 ShinroNavi “List of Universities/Junior Colleges/Vocational Schools Where You Can Study Esports in Japan” https://shinronavi.com/search/result?fld%5B%5D=A-322