European esports organisation WYLDE has officially announced that it is leaving top-level Rainbow Six Siege competition, saying it can no longer afford to run a Tier One team.

The announcement was shared in a public post in which they mentioned that the decision comes after five years in the game and described the move as “heartbreaking.” They explained that the current financial situation makes it impossible to continue paying players properly and running a top-level team.

According to Esports Earnings, WYLDE has won a total of $264,163.56 in prize money from 30 tournaments. Most of that money came from Rainbow Six Siege, which accounted for $230,801.54, or 87.37% of its total winnings. This amount came in across several years, with a structure inluding players, staff and operating costs to maintain.

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The organisation also confirmed it is now working with its current players to help them find their next steps. Despite leaving the main team behind, WYLDE said it will continue to invest in its academy programme and plans to keep working with Ubisoft and other esports partners in the future.

WYLDE also highlighted some of its recent achievements, including the rise of its academy team to top-tier competition and its involvement in events and programs such as Gamers Without Borders, Gamers8 and the European League.

WYLDE’s exit comes at a time when more esports teams are speaking openly about money problems in the industry. In the same week, a separate report showed how expensive it is to run a professional team, even below the top level.

CYBERSHOKE Esports, a Tier 2 Counter-Strike organisation, spent $942,675 over around 2.5 years. However, the team only generated $620,110 in total income which included sponsorship deals, player transfers, prize money, and jersey sales. Despite that growth, the numbers still did not add up. With expenses far higher than revenue, CYBERSHOKE Esports recorded an overall financial loss of $322,565 for the period.

WYLDE ended its announcement by saying it still believes in Rainbow Six and will continue trying to find a more sustainable way to stay involved in the scene.

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