The Guard lays off all its employees

According to sources within the organization, The Guard has laid off its entire staff.

This article was first published in 2023 and has been revised to reflect the recent disbandment of The Guard.

The Guard, a Los Angeles esports organization, has reportedly fired all of its employees. According to sources at Esports.gg and confirmed by former employees on Twitter, the entire staff was let go following a company-wide meeting.

The Guard recently laid off its entire staff, from executives down to employees in all departments. This included teams focused on content creation, social media, talent management, and creative work.

The Guard used to have teams competing in VALORANT, Halo, and Apex Legends. They also owned the Los Angeles Guerrillas (Call of Duty League) and the Los Angeles Gladiators (Overwatch League), but both of those teams were sold after recent staff reductions.

Staff were actively working right up until the company-wide meeting was announced. The final social media posts from The Guard and Los Angeles Guerrillas were published only hours before the news became public.

The Guard quits esports?

The Guard is essentially the esports team owned by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), a company that invests in a variety of sports teams and entertainment businesses. KSE’s portfolio includes teams like the LA Rams, Arsenal FC, and the Colorado Rapids, as well as several stadiums. The organization was started by billionaire Stan Kroenke.

KSE appears to be moving away from esports, significantly reducing its involvement in the industry. Meanwhile, many esports fans previously supported by the owner are now exploring other ways to engage, such as betting on esports matches through online platforms and casinos.

Looking for work: Former Guard employees

As soon as the news broke, many employees from Guard started posting on Twitter that they were looking for new jobs, highlighting the impact of the layoffs on individuals. There are still numerous similar posts expressing surprise and sadness.

A lot of these workers relocated to different parts of the country for this company, and now they’re searching for jobs in Los Angeles.

Hunter, a former employee, eventually provided a list of all the employees who were impacted in this conversation thread.

Security at The Guard offices detain former employees

The situation worsened when employees at The Guard reported that security personnel were physically assaulting them – even as they were simply trying to save their work and gather belongings.

Ariel Ben-Abraham shared on Twitter that he had recently moved, only a few days before the company announced layoffs. He claims he is now being held by the company’s security team.

The esports industry reacts to the layoffs

The news of layoffs at this major organization quickly drew criticism from across the esports world. Sentinels, for example, didn’t hold back in their response on Twitter:

A recent tweet from Sentinels, containing strong language and directed at The Guard, suggests a long-standing rivalry. This likely stems from a 2019 lawsuit filed by Sentinels co-founder Robert Moore against the esports organization that would later become The Guard.

It’s been really tough seeing what happened at The Guard. So many people in esports knew folks who worked there – friends and coworkers – and the layoffs clearly hit a lot of people hard. It’s just a sad situation for everyone involved.

What’s happened to The Guard since the layoffs?

Since The Guard announced layoffs, it appears the organization has quietly ceased operations. Their official Twitter hasn’t been updated since August 2023, and all of their teams have either been disbanded or sold to other groups.

The Los Angeles Guerrillas, a team in the Call of Duty League, were sold to Gentlemates, a French esports organization founded by streamer Gotaga, in late 2024. Though some of the Guerrillas’ branding remained for the Black Ops 6 season, it was completely replaced for Black Ops 7, and the team is now known as the Paris Gentlemates.

Since the layoffs, none of The Guard’s teams have been active, and no one from the organization has made an official statement since 2023. Although Stan Kroenke and his investment group still technically own the team, it appears The Guard no longer has any staff.

Would The Guard ever come back?

Considering how things are going in esports right now, it’s very doubtful The Guard will ever compete again. Their recent layoffs are just one example of many organizations that have closed down since 2023 – it’s a sadly common occurrence.

Despite the trademarks remaining active and the organization not being fully dissolved, there’s a slight possibility of a future return if circumstances change. For example, if esports experiences another surge in popularity and attracts new investment, they might reappear. But unless something like that happens, it’s very likely The Guard has competed for the last time.

2026-02-13 07:43