StarCraft players owed payments from ESGN Fight Night S2

Following yesterday's onGamers report that ESGN is having financial difficulties and has been unable to pay employees, several professional players have come forth to say that they are also missing payments.

StarCraft 2 players have reportedly not been paid their appearance fee's and prize money for the second season of ESGN Fight Night, including champion Dennis 'HasuObs' Schneider.

Players were told by ESGN representatives on February 11th that payments would go out in the beginning of March. After more than two months of delays, ESGN reps. told players in mid-April that payments should have gone out by then, and that another update would be forthcoming. No payment or update came from ESGN after this notice.

"I'm owed €1,227 ($1,669) for Season 2 and was told on 11th of February that it should go out beginning of March," Manuel 'Grubby' Schenkhuizen told onGamers. "I've asked for clarification on 19th of April and was told it should have been paid already. I can't speculate as to exactly what has gone on, because we've talked to a few different staff members, but payment has not forthcome."

"I Have not been paid yet," says Fnatic's Kevin 'Harstem' de Koning. "I'm owed around $1,000 dollars. I signed the contract when I was there. I sent them my bank details 1 week after I got home (in February) and never got a response on that email."

"I should get for the first event and the second one near $1,500, I've still not gotten it," says Aleksey 'White-Ra' Krupnyk.

"I'm owed about a thousand still", says Giacomo 'Socke' Thüs.

Players individually approached ESGN management earlier in May for an update. ESGN management reportedly replied with varying times and answers, but that players would definitely be paid their owed amounts by the end of May.

"I'd like to state that I hope they can still proceed to issue payment to all players and talents as per contract and agreement, and no hard feelings," says Schenkhuizen. "I do think that viewer numbers, low or high, are not a valid reason to withhold payment as every entrepreneur deals with their own risk/reward assessment and the talents/independent contractors are not responsible for those numbers, they can only do their best. And for my part and from what I've seen from the other players/staff, they definitely did their best in both performing and promoting the event(s)."

Although there has been financial difficulties in owed payments, the players have praised ESGN for their hospitality and accommodation to the event.

"I would like to note that during our time we got treated very well by the staff," says de Koning. "For me it was one of the most enjoyable events I have done except for not getting paid."

Schenkhuizen and Krupnyk agree, but are unwilling to commit to another season until things are resolved.

"Not until they pay for Season 2", says Schenkhuizen. "I try not to make a habit of playing in events that haven't paid out previous installments. The events were actually super fun to play in and the staffs were very friendly and took good care of us, and I think it has some real potential to be very very watchable if a few things had been done differently, but at the end of the day, it's also a transaction of services and fees."

"It's only right."

onGamers has reached out to GEM management regarding payments for Lim 'NesTea' Jae Duk and Jung 'Mvp' Jong Hyun.

ESGN did not respond to comment for this story at the time of print.

Image Credit: Clauf.com