International esports tournament organizer PGL announced Wednesday that it has acquired some assets of Sweden-based Esportal AB, for an undisclosed amount.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
The sale of assets to PGL follows the board of directors of Esportal Group AB announcing in late July that it had decided to file for bankruptcy protection in the Swedish district court in Stockholm. Esportal Group owns Esportal AB (an online matchmaking platform for Counter-Strike and Dota 2), and Nordic gaming center company, Inferno Online Group, among other assets.
In an update to the community on Wednesday, Esportal Group Head of Product Arsham M. issued a statement to the community noting that certain assets had been acquired, but assured users that the service would continue to operate for the foreseeable future:
“During this transition, the Esportal platform will continue to operate, and we encourage you to stay engaged with our activities and campaigns. Your support is invaluable as we navigate through these changes. As always, we remain committed to maintaining the quality of our platform and services during this period.”
PGL said in a release that these acquisitions bolster its “ambition to create a world-class matchmaking service that is available globally.”
The company also noted that it will spend several months evaluating the platform and making needed changes:
“PGL is delving into Esportal‘s operations to identify areas requiring improvement or cleanup. This thorough evaluation is critical as we prepare for a comprehensive reorganization. We anticipate a 3-4 month period to migrate, reorganize, and maybe rebrand the platform. This process is essential to ensure that every aspect of the technology and user experience is optimized to support the platform’s growth and success, setting the stage for a strong relaunch. During this transition period, we kindly ask for the patience and understanding of our community and players. We recognize that changes can be challenging, but we assure you that these efforts are aimed at creating an even better experience for all users. For this, we are also receiving feedback from experienced parties.”
Finally, a company rep. for Esportal Group AB pointed out that creditors should continue to interact with the company’s bankruptcy trustee, and not PGL as part of PGL’s announcement:
“We kindly request that all former suppliers and vendors of Esportal direct any inquiries or concerns related to prior business dealings to the appointed bankruptcy estate attorney.”
PGL was keen to point out that it has not acquired all the assets of the company (really, just the matchmaking service). This makes sense, as acquiring assets like Esportal AB’s gaming centers business doesn’t align with PGL’s work as a tournament organizer.
Earlier this week, PGL announced that it will commit $17M USD to run Counter-Strike 2 Ranked competitions in 2025 and 2026, and laid out its calendar of events for both years.