What We Are Nations does

We Are Nations is a privately held esports and gaming merchandising company founded in 2016, headquartered in New York with operational hubs in Aubrey, TX; Austin, TX; Manchester, UK; Berlin, Germany; and Mexico City. The company provides vertically integrated merchandise services — including design, manufacturing, distribution, and event retail — to esports organizations, game publishers, and event producers. Its core product portfolio spans three brands: Nations Gaming Club (a print-on-demand e-commerce platform partnering with publishers and teams such as G2, PSG, Vitality, DOTA2, CS:GO, and R6:SIEGE), Sector Six (a turn-key apparel solution for amateur through professional teams and 30+ collegiate programs), and N2 (a premium esports fashion label featuring collaborations with artists such as Yoshitaka Amano and NECKFACE).

The business generates revenue through merchandise sales, event merchandising services (operating retail at The International, LEC and VCT events, DreamHack, EVO, and GamesCom), wholesale distribution to endemic and non-endemic retailers, and licensing of esports team and publisher IP. Supporting technology includes a global warehouse and production network across North America, Europe, and Latin America, with print-on-demand capabilities that eliminate inventory risk. The company has secured long-tenured partnerships with Valve (The International, 4 years) and Riot Games (LEC and VCT events in Europe), and operates the permanent Riot Studio Store in Berlin.

Emerging initiatives include the NationsPog esports prediction platform, the Nations Reveal product (in development), a Web 3.0 blockchain application developed in partnership with Blocksport.io, and ongoing geographic expansion through the LATAM operation launched in 2020. The company employs 11–50 people and has raised approximately $3.47M in disclosed funding across two rounds.

Name

We Are Nations

Legal name

We Are Nations

Website

https://wearenations.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

We Are Nations is a vertically integrated esports and gaming merchandising company founded in 2016 that designs, manufactures, and distributes apparel and event retail products for esports organizations, game publishers, and tournament producers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Esports Merchandise Services

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (459110), Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers (4591), Spectator Sports (7112), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Collectibles, Fan Gear & Licensed Merchandise Retail (CRAMABAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fan Apparel & Wearables Retail (Licensed) (CRAMAOAE), Customized & Personalized Fan Gear Retail (CRAMAOAJ), Team & League Branded Merchandise Retail (Non-Apparel) (CRAMAOAF), Esports & Creator Sponsorship/Brand Partnerships (Influencer Marketing for Gaming) (MPAFAEAE), Esports Tournament Sponsorships & Partnerships (MPAGANAM)

Keywords

• Esports merchandise
• Gaming apparel
• Event merchandising
• Esports branding
• Print on demand

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Merchandise Sales: Direct sales of jerseys, fan wear, on-stage wear, accessories, and premium drops through owned e-commerce platforms and retail stores. Revenue from print-on-demand and manufactured apparel products sold to esports fans and consumers.
2. Event Merchandising Services: Vertical event merchandising services for esports tournaments including temporary retail operations, event-specific product design and manufacturing, and concessionaire services for third-party merchandise. Includes managing physical retail at events worldwide.
3. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale distribution of Nations branded and licensed merchandise to endemic and non-endemic retail accounts. Includes online marketplace sales via APIs.
4. Licensing and IP Partnerships: Revenue from licensing esports team brands, game publisher IPs, and event brands for merchandise production and distribution through various channels.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

We Are Nations designs, manufactures, distributes, and sells branded apparel and accessories for esports organizations, game publishers, and gaming fans. Its offerings include end-to-end event merchandising services at live tournaments, B2B online store management for teams and publishers, wholesale distribution, and marketing/engagement services backed by print-on-demand production technology and Web 3.0 fan-engagement tools.

Product overview

We Are Nations operates a multi-product esports and gaming merchandise platform consisting of three core brands: Nations Gaming Club (print on demand merchandise platform), Sector Six (turn-key apparel solution for teams at all levels), and N2 (high-end fashion brand). Supporting these are product categories including jerseys (hero product), on-stage wear, fan wear essentials, premium drops, and accessories. The company offers integrated services spanning event merchandising (operating Riot Berlin Store, LEC/VCT events, The International), online store management with global distribution, wholesale to retail accounts, and global engagement marketing including content creation, email campaigns, and social media management. The company also provides production capabilities including cut and sew, screen printing, embroidery, and sublimation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nations Gaming Club: Dedicated platform for selling merchandise to the gaming community, being developed into a comprehensive tech-driven offering with services like ticketing, event travel, meetups, dating, betting, gamification rewards, and a creator economy platform. Partnering with Blocksport.io for blockchain-based Web 3.0 app.
• NationsPog
• Nations Reveal
• Sector Six
• N2
• Nations

Products and services

• Nations Gaming Club A We Are Nations-owned multi-brand e-commerce storefront selling licensed gaming and esports apparel and accessories to gaming fans globally; serves as the B2C sales channel for partnerships with publishers and teams.
• Sector Six Gaming-inspired streetwear brand acquired by We Are Nations, extending the company's portfolio beyond team-licensed apparel into lifestyle and fashion apparel for the gaming community.
• N2 Gaming fashion brand under We Are Nations, offering apparel positioned at the intersection of gaming culture and streetwear.
• Event Merchandising Services End-to-end on-site merchandise retail operations for esports tournaments and live events, covering staffing, inventory, point-of-sale, and limited-edition event collections.
• Online Store Services (B2B) Design, build, and managed operation of branded online stores for esports organizations and game publishers, including fulfillment and customer support.
• Wholesale Distribution Wholesale distribution of licensed gaming and esports apparel and accessories to retail partners across multiple regions.
• Production Services Apparel and merchandise production services including sourcing, screen printing, embroidery, and print-on-demand manufacturing for esports brands.
• Global Engagement Services Global engagement and marketing services for gaming and esports brands, including campaign development and brand activation.
• Teamwear Customizable teamwear program for collegiate, high school, and amateur esports teams, providing branded apparel for players and staff.
• Event Collections Limited-edition event-branded apparel and merchandise collections produced in conjunction with specific esports tournaments and live events.

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• ValvecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Valve is We Are Nations' official event merchandising partner worldwide. The company has designed, produced, and organized merchandise for The International, the world's largest single game esports event, for 4 years with incredible success. Nations creates main line event collections and fan art collections in conjunction with Valve for The International.
• Riot GamescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRiot Games is We Are Nations' event partner in Europe for LEC (League of Legends European Championship) and VCT (VALORANT Champions Tour) events. Nations operates the permanent Riot Studio Store in Berlin and has run major and finals events for both leagues in Montpellier, Madrid, and Munich.
• Blocksport.iostrategicTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Blocksport.io to develop a blockchain-based Web 3.0 app for Nations Gaming Club platform. This will enhance the gaming experience and solidify Nations as a major player in the tech-driven future of gaming.
• Rogue EsportscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWe Are Nations serves as Rogue Esports' global apparel sponsor, providing teamwear kit and revitalizing their on-stage look for their return in the 2024 season.
• G2 EsportscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerG2 Esports is a partner through Nations Gaming Club print on demand program, creating quickly available merchandise products with no inventory risk.
• PSG EsportscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPSG Esports is a partner through Nations Gaming Club print on demand program for merchandise creation and distribution.
• VitalitycoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerVitality is a partner through Nations Gaming Club print on demand program for merchandise creation and distribution.
• Yoshitaka AmanostrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegendary Japanese artist and Final Fantasy character designer collaborating with N2 brand on high-end, bespoke apparel collections. Famous for iconic characters in Gatchaman, Tekkaman, and Final Fantasy franchise.
• NECKFACEstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStreet artist Neckface collaborating with N2 brand on esports fashion collections. Known for sold-out art shows, MOCA Los Angeles installation, and character designs in blockbuster films.
• R6:SIEGEcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerR6:SIEGE (Rainbow Six Siege) is a partner through Nations Gaming Club print on demand program for game-branded merchandise.
• CS:GOcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCounter-Strike: Global Offensive is a partner through Nations Gaming Club print on demand program for game-branded merchandise.
• DOTA2coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerDOTA2 is a partner through Nations Gaming Club print on demand program and the DOTA2 Secret Shop platform for game-branded merchandise.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Misfits Gaming: Global esports organization running team-branded apparel and merchandise programs in competition with We Are Nations' tier-1 teamwear and on-stage wear offering.
• Fanatics: The dominant global operator of licensed sports merchandise with a growing esports and gaming vertical (including deals with major publishers and leagues). Closest direct competitor in the licensed fan-apparel and event-retail category that We Are Nations serves.
• 100 Thieves: Esports organization and lifestyle brand that runs an integrated merchandise business including apparel drops, a permanent retail store (the 100 Thieves Compound), and direct publisher/team partnerships — competing for the same esports fan apparel wallet and brand-collaboration mindshare as We Are Nations.
• JINX: Gaming and esports merchandise retailer selling licensed apparel and accessories for games, teams, and publishers across DTC e-commerce and wholesale channels. Directly comparable business model to We Are Nations' licensed-merch and wholesale distribution strategy.
• Fnatic: Global esports organization that designs and sells its own branded apparel and accessories through owned DTC stores and event retail — comparable to We Are Nations' work for org clients and as an example of the in-house model We Are Nations' customers could shift toward.
• Cloud9: Major North American esports organization with an active merchandise and apparel business across teams, content creators, and event drops. Represents a peer esports organization that runs competing merchandising operations for the same fan base.
• NRG Esports: Esports organization operating merchandise programs for its teams (e.g., in VALORANT and other titles) — directly comparable to the We Are Nations customer archetype of tier-1 teamwear partnerships.
• FaZe Clan: Esports and lifestyle brand with a long-running apparel and merchandise business targeting the same Gen Z / gaming-adjacent consumer as We Are Nations' Nations and N2 brands.

Emerging players

• OverActive Media: Esports ownership and operations company running multiple team brands and associated merchandise programs. Comparable to the broader ecosystem of team-owned merchandising that We Are Nations either services or competes against.
• Overtime: Sports media and apparel company building licensed and creator-led merchandise for next-generation sports fans. Adjacent comparable to We Are Nations' focus on licensed fan apparel and event-driven drops for younger audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wearenationsinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about We Are Nations