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Azubu
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Azubu
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Azubu was a live streaming esports website. In May 2017, it shut down and was succeeded by Smashcast.

Key Information

History

[edit]

Azubu was founded in 2012 when Lars Windhorst noticed that children were using live streaming services to watch others play video games, with the biggest game being League of Legends. Windhorst claimed "it was exotic" to witness people watch others play video games. Over a four-year span, Sapinda Group, the firm that Windhorst owned, invested $40 million USD into Azubu.[citation needed]

In 2014, Azubu announced a partnership with fourteen League of Legends streamers including Faker of SKT T1 K and MadLife of CJ Entus Frost.[1]

Throughout much of 2016, several employees left the company, leaving Sapinda Group to fund Azubu less and less. Windhorst eventually admitted that he had funded Azubu inefficiently and should have provided more sufficient funding. Sapinda Group would "drip-feed" funds to Azubu to accelerate growth.[2][3]

In April 2016 Azubu revealed that they had been developing a better video player and a revenue network that they released for their website.[4] The same year, Esportspedia, owned by Azubu, moved to EsportsWikis.[5]

Closure

[edit]

In January 2017, Azubu revealed that they were no longer able to stream League of Legends due to a $2 million price increase in streaming rights.[6] The same month, Azubu announced that they had acquired and were working on develop a new eSports platform.[7][8][9]

On May 9, 2017, Hitbox shut down, with the new release of the Azubu team and the Hitbox team's new platform Smashcast.

Azubu allegedly have not paid out the prizes for several esports events.[10] The current CEO, Mike McGarvey, explained the reason as "Azubu’s previous management team made commitments to broadcasters and events far beyond the company’s means".[11]

As for the unpaid tournament winnings, McGarvey said, “There are a couple, the CS:GO is certainly one of them, that we’ve not yet been able to find a settlement on. That is in a legal situation right now. Pretty much all the others we’ve been able to work with people or we’re in the process.” When asked for a timeline on paying out the debts owed to the CS:GO World Championship winners and the Dota 2 Game On invitational winners, McGarvey responded, “I don’t have specific timing other than we are working toward resolving these issues.”[11]

References

[edit]
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Azubu

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Azubu was a South Korean-founded live video streaming platform specializing in esports content, established in 2011 and headquartered in , with additional offices in and . It provided on-demand and real-time broadcasts of competitive gaming events, tournaments, and professional player streams, positioning itself as a dedicated alternative to broader gaming platforms like Twitch. The service emphasized high-quality video delivery, including at 60 fps, and catered primarily to esports enthusiasts through features like interactive viewer engagement tools and partnerships with major game developers. Azubu operated until May 2017, when it merged with rival platform Hitbox and relaunched as Smashcast, redirecting all user traffic to the new unified service. Smashcast ceased operations on November 20, 2020. Founded amid the rising popularity of in , Azubu quickly expanded globally, securing significant funding to fuel its growth and challenge industry leaders. In 2014, it raised $34.5 million in equity from the Group, followed by nearly $60 million in debt financing in 2015 from the same investors and Sallfort Privatbank, enabling investments in infrastructure, international offices, and streamer incentives. Under CEO Ian Sharpe, who joined in 2013 after executive roles at and , the platform prioritized customer support, offering dedicated account managers and uptime guarantees to attract professional streamers and organizations. Azubu distinguished itself through esports-specific innovations, such as customizable streaming modules for integration, real-time stats overlays, and exclusive deals with high-profile talents like star Faker. It became an official broadcasting partner for ' events and sponsored teams like Azubu Frost, while forging alliances in emerging markets including , , and to broaden its audience beyond casual gaming. By 2016, Azubu and Hitbox together had peaked at 20 million monthly active users, underscoring its role in the competitive streaming landscape before the merger enhanced its position as a key non-Asian broadcaster.

Origins and Founding

Establishment in South Korea

Azubu was established in 2011 in , , by , a local media entity focused on content production. The company initially operated as a media dedicated to events and producing related content, capitalizing on 's advanced gaming infrastructure. Its headquarters were based in , with early strategic plans for international growth that included opening an office in , . South Korea's esports ecosystem provided a fertile ground for Azubu's launch, as the country had pioneered professional gaming since 2000 through the (KeSPA), which licensed professional gamers and organized structured leagues. Azubu's early efforts centered on this vibrant scene, emphasizing content creation for popular titles and supporting production to build audience engagement. In its inaugural years, Azubu sponsored key esports s, including the Azubu The Champions Spring 2012 for , which featured a ₩200,000,000 (approximately $172,000 USD) prize pool and showcased top Korean teams. The company also entered the space by providing personal sponsorship to player Kim "viOLet" Dong-hwan in August 2012, marking its initial foray into player support and live event broadcasting within Korea's competitive gaming landscape.

Early Esports Involvement

Azubu entered the landscape in 2012 by serving as the title sponsor for the Azubu Spring 2012, a premier League of Legends tournament organized by OnGameNet (OGN) in , which featured a prize pool of ₩200,000,000 (approximately $172,000 USD) and helped elevate the professional LoL scene following Korea's esports professionalization in the early 2000s. This event marked Azubu's initial foray into producing and supporting live broadcasts for Korean professional leagues, contributing to the growing ecosystem of structured competitions that built on the foundations laid by StarCraft leagues since 2000. In June 2012, Azubu expanded its involvement by sponsoring the Korean teams MiG Frost and MiG Blaze, rebranding them as Azubu Frost and Azubu Blaze, respectively, to compete in circuits such as OGN's Champions league. These sponsorships positioned Azubu as a key supporter in the early Korean LoL scene, where the teams achieved notable success, including Azubu Frost's second-place finish at the 2012 . Concurrently, Azubu entered the domain in August 2012 by personally sponsoring player Kim "viOLet" Dong-hwan before forming a full team, further embedding the company in Korea's competitive gaming infrastructure. Azubu's sponsorship of and Blaze lasted until February 2013, after which CJ Entus assumed sponsorship of both teams, renaming them CJ Entus and CJ Entus Blaze to continue their participation in professional play. This transition underscored Azubu's role in sustaining top-tier talent in the Korean LoL ecosystem. By 2014, as Azubu shifted priorities toward broader streaming initiatives, it disbanded its team effective February 28.

Development as a Streaming Platform

Launch of Azubu.tv

In April 2014, Azubu relaunched its platform as www.azubu.tv, transitioning from a South Korean esports media production company to a global live streaming service dedicated to esports content, positioning itself as a direct competitor to Twitch. The relaunch included a new website and mobile apps for iOS and Android, centered on delivering esports programming with enhanced accessibility for international audiences. This shift was led by Ian Sharpe, who joined as CEO around 2013 after serving in senior roles at and , guiding the company toward an international focus with offices in , , and . Under Sharpe's leadership, Azubu emphasized high-quality video streaming optimized for events, partnering with to enable across devices for lag-free viewing and improved viewer interaction features like chat and overlays. In August 2015, Azubu officially transitioned to its rebuilt 3.0 platform, making it an open-access service for all broadcasters and introducing an updated , advanced broadcaster tools, and support for multiple languages including English, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish to further expand its global audience. By 2016, Azubu introduced significant updates to enhance its streaming infrastructure, including the release of the Everest video player, an HTML5-based solution that supported 4K playback, full HD streaming at /60 fps, live DVR functionality, and flashless playback for broader compatibility. These improvements aimed to provide superior video quality for broadcasts compared to competitors. Additionally, the platform integrated with Esportspedia, Azubu's owned wiki and content resource, which facilitated deeper event coverage and before it was later transitioned to EsportsWikis in late 2016.

Key Partnerships

In September 2014, Azubu formed a landmark partnership with the (KeSPA), securing exclusive streaming rights for 14 top Korean teams, including prominent squads such as SK Telecom T1 K (featuring player Faker), Najin White Shield (featuring player MadLife), CJ Entus Blaze, Incredible Miracle #1, Stealths, Samsung Blue, and Samsung White, among others. This deal marked the first time such a large group of elite Korean professionals committed to exclusive broadcasts on a single platform, shifting content previously available on competitors like Twitch. Building on its Korean foundation, Azubu expanded internationally through sponsorships and broadcasting agreements. In 2014, the company sponsored North American team Team Curse and European LCS champions Fnatic, providing financial support and exclusive streaming access to enhance their visibility. By March 2016, Azubu entered a two-year global partnership with the Electronic Sports League (ESL), enabling non-exclusive streaming of major ESL events while collaborating on exclusive content creation, worldwide marketing, and joint advertising sales to broaden reach. To bolster its creator ecosystem, Azubu launched an enhanced in April 2016, introducing a new video player with interactive ad overlays that allowed streamers to earn a share of proceeds from viewer-engaging advertisements, split among the platform, broadcasters, and advertisers. This initiative aimed to provide sustainable for partnered creators by integrating non-intrusive ads directly into gameplay streams, fostering long-term incentives for high-profile talent. These partnerships significantly boosted Azubu's growth by locking in high-profile Korean talent—previously a dominant force on Twitch—and drawing global audiences to exclusive content, positioning the platform as a key player in mid-2010s streaming.

Business Operations

Funding and Investments

Azubu's primary financial backing came from the Group, an investment firm founded by German financier , beginning in 2012 shortly after the company's establishment. Sapinda provided substantial support to fuel Azubu's entry into the esports streaming market, with investments totaling upwards of $40 million USD over the subsequent four years through a series of infusions, including a notable $34.5 million round in March 2014 aimed at relaunching and expanding the Azubu.tv platform. In December 2015, Azubu secured an additional €55 million (approximately $59.8 million USD) in a funding round led by , with participation from Swiss-based Sallfort AG; this transaction was structured as a bond sale or debt financing rather than traditional equity . This announced a reported total funding of nearly $94 million by the end of 2015, though later reports indicated that not all of the 2015 debt financing was disbursed, with actual investments from totaling over $40 million. Unlike conventional models for tech startups, Azubu's funding relied on a hybrid of equity and , often disbursed in small monthly installments of around $1 million, which allowed for rapid but controlled scaling in the competitive sector. These resources were directed toward key growth initiatives, including partnerships with esports organizations, strategic acquisitions, and enhancements to the streaming platform's infrastructure. The investments also facilitated a strategic relocation to (specifically Sherman Oaks) to better position the company for global operations, while maintaining offices in and other locations.

Features and Services

Azubu's core services centered on live streaming, delivering high-definition video quality up to with an emphasis on smooth, reliable playback through its advanced HTML5-based video player. The platform integrated real-time chat features directly into customizable stream layouts, allowing viewers to engage interactively during broadcasts. To support global audiences, Azubu offered 24/7 customer service in multiple languages, including English, Korean, and , facilitating accessibility for international esports fans. Monetization tools for streamers included a fair revenue-sharing model, where broadcasters received a portion of proceeds from advertisements and subscriptions integrated into streams. The platform partnered with video technology providers like to enable ad insertion and subscription-based revenue, ensuring streamers could earn from viewer interactions without upfront costs. Unique to its esports orientation, Azubu provided specialized tools for event broadcasting, including customizable overlays that broadcasters could position over gameplay footage to display stats, social feeds, or sponsor messages without disrupting the viewing experience. These overlays supported interactive elements, such as call-to-action buttons for direct purchases, enhancing engagement during tournaments. The platform's modular interface allowed organizers to tailor streams with dedicated modules for player profiles and real-time analytics, aiding in the professional presentation of competitive events.

Decline and Closure

Challenges and Acquisitions

In early 2017, Azubu encountered significant operational hurdles when it lost the exclusive streaming rights to Riot Games' League of Legends esports events, including the League Championship Series (LCS). The rights fee had escalated to $3 million annually, up from $1 million the previous year, which Azubu could no longer afford, resulting in substantial content gaps on its platform and forcing viewers to migrate to competitors like Twitch. These challenges were compounded by intense competitive pressures from dominant platforms such as Twitch and YouTube Gaming, which captured the majority of the audience and led to narratives in media describing Azubu's gradual decline as a "slow ." User migration accelerated as Twitch's viewership surged—reporting 67% growth in concurrent streamers during the third quarter of —while Azubu struggled to retain its esports-focused user base amid perceptions of instability. Further straining operations were reports of unpaid prize money from sponsored esports events, notably the 2016 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) World Championship organized by E-Frag, where the Chinese team EHOME, the winners, had not received their $300,000 prize despite contractual obligations for immediate payment by Azubu. These issues escalated into legal disputes, including a September 2017 filed by ESL (a major esports organizer) against Azubu for over $1.5 million in unpaid streaming fees, alleging fraudulent . To counter its declining popularity and expand its global footprint, Azubu acquired the European streaming platform Hitbox in January 2017, aiming to integrate user bases and relaunch as a unified service to challenge Twitch's dominance outside . The move was intended to bolster broadcasting reach and attract new viewers, particularly in , by combining Hitbox's technology with Azubu's esports expertise.

Shutdown and Legacy

On May 9, 2017, Azubu ceased operations and redirected all website traffic to Smashcast, a new streaming platform formed by the merger of Azubu and rival Hitbox. This transition marked the end of Azubu as an independent entity, with Smashcast positioned as the world's largest independent broadcaster outside , combining the technical strengths and audiences of both predecessors. Following the shutdown, Azubu faced ongoing legal challenges related to unpaid obligations. In September 2017, ESL's parent company Turtle Entertainment sued Azubu for at least $1.5 million, alleging fraudulent over unpaid streaming rights and services. Additionally, tournament organizers reported outstanding debts, including over $60,000 in prize money for events owed to ProDotA Cup. E-frag highlighted Azubu's failure to pay prizes from the 2016 Cup despite acquiring Hitbox shortly before, and the 2016 CS:GO world champions from EHOME remained unpaid for their $300,000 winnings into late 2017. These disputes extended beyond 2017, underscoring financial strains that persisted after closure. Azubu's legacy lies in its role as an early innovator in esports streaming, particularly through exclusive partnerships with 14 top Korean professional teams in 2014, which represented a historic bridge between Korea's dominant esports scene and global audiences. By prioritizing high-quality broadcasts and esports-specific tools, it influenced subsequent platforms, including Smashcast, which debuted features like the Hype-O-Meter for real-time viewer engagement and an enhanced, accessible design to boost interactivity, and operated until its shutdown on November 30, 2020. The platform's aggressive expansion and eventual downfall also illustrated the precarious funding dynamics in competing against Twitch, where overreliance on investments and incentives exposed vulnerabilities in the esports streaming market.

References

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