Founder Returns To Luminosity Gaming
Luminosity Gaming is officially back under the control of its original founder, Steve Maida, marking a full circle moment for one of esports’ most recognisable legacy brands.
Maida confirmed the reacquisition in an emotional LinkedIn post, declaring “I’M BAAAAAACK!” and reflecting on how Luminosity began as a basement project fuelled by pure passion for Counter-Strike. What started as a dream to build a cool logo and cheer for a CS team eventually grew into a global esports brand, one that was previously sold to NHL ownership before changing hands again in recent years.
For Maida, the return is deeply personal. He described quitting a comfortable corporate job, working for days without sleep to build the brand, and realising Luminosity had real impact the first time he saw a young fan wearing a Luminosity hoodie in public.
“It’s been an absolutely wild ride, and I couldn’t be happier to be back in control of my baby,” Maida said. “It means the world to me.”
What Happened Under Vertiqal Studios
Luminosity was acquired by Vertiqal Studios in August 2025, after Vertiqal purchased the brand from Enthusiast Gaming. The goal at the time was to expand Luminosity’s creator and content presence across platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and social media.
The acquisition included an agreement that Vertiqal would take on roughly US$2.6 million in existing and ongoing liabilities. However, issues surfaced just months later when players and creators began speaking out about missed payments.
High profile Super Smash Bros. Ultimate stars, including Leonardo “MkLeo” Perez and Carlos “Sonix” Perez, publicly expressed concerns about unpaid salaries and uncertainty surrounding their sponsorships. Vertiqal later acknowledged it had taken on a distressed company and claimed it did not initially realise the full scale of unpaid obligations.
At the same time, Enthusiast Gaming disputed the idea that Luminosity had been mismanaged before the sale, stating the organisation had a strong brand and competitive rosters.
Details Of The Sale And Who Pays What
Vertiqal Studios officially announced the sale of Luminosity in January 2026, stating the brand would be better positioned under dedicated ownership focused solely on its community and creators.
The sale price was C$300,000, with an additional C$125,000 payable once future revenue targets are met under a sales agency agreement. Importantly, Vertiqal retained responsibility for all historical debts, liabilities, and unpaid creator obligations incurred before the ownership change.
Luminosity confirmed that all active players and creators were paid in full using proceeds from the sale. Any past debts or unpaid obligations remain the sole responsibility of Vertiqal Studios, not the newly restructured Luminosity.
What This Means For Luminosity’s Future
Under Maida’s renewed leadership, Luminosity is now fully independent and has complete control over its strategy and day to day operations. Vertiqal will remain involved only as a non exclusive commercial partner on select sales efforts.
Luminosity’s website currently lists an active Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster, including MkLeo, Sonix, Maister, and Marss, while its League of Legends team is marked as TBD. There has also been speculation around potential future expansions, including a renewed focus on Smash and creator driven initiatives.
For fans and players, the reacquisition signals a reset. Luminosity is once again being led by the founder who built it from the ground up, with a renewed focus on stability, transparency, and long term growth.
After months of uncertainty, Luminosity Gaming is officially back where it started, in the hands of the person who created it.