E-sport: Monaco’s got game!

Since 2014, e-sport has carved out a place for itself in the Principality, with two clubs — Monaco Esports and ASMonaco ESports — and a federation.

E-sports appeared in the 1970s with the first video game tournament, “Intergalactic Space War”, and has since become a global phenomenon. More than 532 million people around the world play today, generating 1.38 billion dollars in sales in 2022, according to the Agence française pour le Jeu Vidéo. Around the globe, solo players and teams compete in online and stadium tournaments.

The Monaco Esports Federation, chaired by Louis Ducruet, a nephew of H.S.H. Prince Albert II, works to “promote, develop and shape the future of e-sports in the Principality of Monaco”. “We are affiliated with the International ESports Federation (IESF) and Monaco is one of its 140 member countries”, explains Louis Ducruet. The Monegasque Federation has hosted several events, including the first-ever SimRacing World Cup, the Monaco Gaming Show, and Monaco Gaming Day (the site of the French League of Legends final).

AS Monaco also has an E-sport division. Created in 2016, the team has won several trophies in various games. ASM Esports is a three-time winner in PES eFootball Pro and has also earned its stripes in Rocket League (Top 2 RLCS Season 8 – Europe) as well as Street Fighter and Dragon Ball FighterZ.

In Formula 1, Monegasque Charles Leclerc first tried virtual racing during the pandemic in 2020.  With five other pilots, he created “Race for the World” on Twitch to raise funds for the World Health Organization and victims of coronavirus victims, while waiting for the Formula One World Championship to resume after the global lockdown. Won by the Monegasque driver, “Race for the world” raised more than 71,000 dollars.

Find out more: https://esports.mc