Soulja Boy wants to build Overwatch and Fortnite esports team

Rapper Soulja Boy has been making bizarre headline after bizarre headline the last few days. First, he launched his own ‘game console’ called Soulja Game – essentially, an emulator that caused more backlash and drama than even the most pessimistic of Internet trolls could have expected. Selling for about $200, the console has several hundred built-in games (if you’re wondering, there’s a handheld version as well, boasting 3000 games). Legal disputes are already underway as, shall we say, not all of these games are entirely original.

© Soulja Boy

So far so good, if he is successfully taken to court over this matter, he could end up with a several year long prison sentence. That hasn’t stopped him from furthering his ambitions though, and apparently gaming is the way to go for him – his next pet project (in addition to a line of watches) is his own esports franchise.

The rapper claims to have some pretty steep connections when it comes to Fortnite, at the very least – apparently, he is ‘close friends’ with popular streamer Ninja. Knowing one streamer, however, does not an esports team make. His strategy so far is still a little theoretical – “We’re gonna be finding talent, hiring talent,” said Soulja Boy on the matter.

Details-wise, that’s sort of most of what he said – details on managing or creating such a team aren’t out yet. He has, however, said that he plans for his esports organisation to rival the likes of Team Liquid and 100 Thieves – otherwise known as two of the biggest esports organisations in the world.

Ambitious, to say the very least. In addition to Fortnite and Overwatch, he also wants to approach games like Call of Duty, CS:GO, and a few more. He plans on hiring Ninja himself as well – though not confirmed yet, the streamer’s contract with Luminosity is apparently expiring soon and Soulja Boy plans on suggesting a partnership then.

© Soulja Boy

Responses from Ninja have been, well, non-existent so far, both on the matter of his contract’s expiry date and whether or not he wants to work with Soulja Boy on his new esports venture. Whether that’s a good or bad thing for the rapper is impossible to say, however, his timing could certainly be better – with the console licensing issue still remaining unresolved, there is a very real chance that Soulja Boy will struggle to find any talent at all that’s willing to sign up with him. A prison sentence for him could potentially mean the end of the esports organisation before it has even been officially founded.

For now, all of these exploits remain theoretical and no concrete steps have taken place yet – either way though, it will be interesting to see how the esports world in general and Ninja in particular respond – and whether or not Ninja’s contract really is up, because if so, there are likely more than just one organisation that want to get their hands on him.