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- Swedish team organization Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) brings aboard Jonas Gundersen as its new chief operating officer.
- Gundersen is a former Counter-Strike 1.6 professional player who was most recently chief commercial officer for North.
- In addition, NiP has established new office space in Stockholm, with more facilities to be announced.
Ninjas in Pyjamas, an esports organization originally founded in 2000, has appointed Jonas Gundersen as its new COO. Having most recently served as chief commercial officer for Danish organization North, Gundersen will be primarily responsible for esports operations and revenue.
In addition, the Swedish company recently opened new offices in Stockholm, complete with a bootcamp for players, working environment, a content studio, and a small fanbase engagement area for viewing parties and other events. The company has further plans for its HQ, to be announced in Q1 of 2020.
Gundersen, who began his esports career as a professional player in the original Counter-Strike 1.6, described his new position in NiP as a dream job. “I think NiP is arguably one of the most iconic brands within gaming, globally. It has been for many years,” he told The Esports Observer.
Gundersen recalled playing at the World Cyber Games (one of the original esports tournament brands) in Korea in 2003. He said while Counter-Strike and esports as a whole has grown and changed considerably since that tournament, the core product and fandom remain the same. “We felt back then this was real, it just took a lot more years than we thought to develop.
“A more structured approach builds up the legacy of teams and a more sound revenue structure for all teams, including our competitors, so we can build rivalries and storylines that last for decades.”
NiP currently competes primarily in third-party-run esports titles. Alongside Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the team also has contracted players in Dota 2, PLAYERUNKNOWN’S BATTLEGROUNDS, and Rainbow Six Siege, the latter of which is based out of Brazil.
NiP’s commercial partners include Betway and ASUS Republic of Gamers. When asked about its future monetization strategy, Gundersen explained that NiP is looking to make its esports-based revenue self-sufficient. “Whether or not that happens in one, two, or five years, and in what capacity and business model, is yet to be determined.”
