Former OWCS contenders ENCE file for bankruptcy

Finnish esports organisation ENCE have announced that they are filing for bankruptcy, bringing a 13-year run to a close. In a statement titled “The end of an era,” the Board of Directors of ENCE eSports Oy called it a “difficult decision,” thanking the organisation’s players, staff, and partners, and above all its fans for standing with ENCE through every victory and defeat.

Founded in 2013, ENCE’s history in Overwatch goes back to 2017, when the organisation competed as ENCE eSports, primarily in the Finnish scene. That first spell was short-lived, and ENCE left the game the following year.

They returned in early 2024, when Overwatch’s top competitive circuit was relaunched as the OWCS. ENCE signed free agent team BuboSprayCheck, a majority-Finnish roster built around veterans Kai “Kai” Collins and Kevin “kevster” Persson, with Ilari “Vestola” Vestola on tank.

The roster quickly became one of EMEA’s most consistent sides. ENCE finished second in OWCS EMEA Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 4 in 2024, and won Stage 3. Internationally, they reached the top eight at both the 2024 Esports World Cup and the World Finals, with their best result coming at the first OWCS Major in Dallas, where they finished fourth.

That run ended in January 2025, when ENCE left Overwatch for a second time, citing financial sustainability and the organisation’s omission from the list of official OWCS Partner Teams. ENCE have not fielded an Overwatch roster since.