The New Powerhouse in Esports and Sim Racing: Virtual Competition Organisation

The Silicon Review

Gaming has taken the world by storm, and Esports is the latest phenomenon in the gaming world. Esports encompasses the world of competitive, organized video gaming where competitors from different leagues or teams face off in the same games that are popular with at-home gamers. Streaming services and live events have turned casual Esports gamers into earnest stars who can sometimes rake in seven-figure earnings and massive brand endorsements. Though it is a leisure activity, Esports can boost confidence building, teamwork, strategic thinking, communication, leadership, and performance skills. Another thing that makes Esports so popular is that it’s a very social activity wherein friends can play against each other, learn from each other, improve, and help each other. The exponential growth of Esports is undeniable. Projections for 2022 show revenue set to eclipse $1.38 billion, and the global Esports enthusiast audience is expected to reach 262 million. Globally, various Esports companies have rocketed to the limelight due to their skill and expertise; among them, Virtual Competition Organisation (VCO) stands out.

VCO organizes and stages top-level Esports racing events. In 2020 it all began with the VCO ProSIM SERIES, seeing superstars from the real world – such as F1 champion Max Verstappen, IndyCar ace Romain Grosjean or former F1 star Rubens Barrichello – compete in this virtual racing series. Many more innovative event formats have been developed by VCO afterwards, such as VCO INFINITY – featuring 24 1-hour races within 24 hours – or the Esports Racing League (ERL). The ERL is the biggest VCO project to date, bringing 30 of the best Esports racing teams together in a multi-platform competition, fighting for total prize money of over 100,000 US dollars. VCO also created the industry-first VCO SIMMY AWARDS, the annual prize-giving for the most successful stakeholders in Esports racing. In addition, VCO offers various communications services in its role as an agency, including creating and hosting competitions and leagues, video and photo content, and a lot more.

Leader behind the success

Florian Haasper, CEO of VCO, brings in a vast experience from marketing & PR in real-world motorsports to Esports racing. His passion and determination to innovate the scene are outstanding. His enthusiasm is infectious, and he always tries to take the community and existing stakeholders with him and his ideas. He’s also the founder of the BS+COMPETITION Esports team, establishing the iconic Zebra brand in the Esports universe since 2020. When the TSR asked Haasper about the most memorable moment in his career, he stated, “It was the first race of the Esports Racing World Cup (ERWC) in January 2021. This event officially opened our Esports Racing League, and it was an amazing feeling to see this project finally coming to life after months of preparation put in by the whole VCO team. The best drivers and teams in the world, three amazing sim racing platforms in iRacing, Assetto Corsa Competizione, and rFactor 2, and countless amazing races. ERWC I really opened a new chapter for VCO, ultimately bringing our Esports vision for sim racing to life.”

Growing exponentially

Esports racing is still niche within the world of Esports. VCO’s goal is to help create a top-tier competitive environment for the best drivers and teams from all around the globe. The company is not copying real-world motor racing. Instead, it aims at creating an independent Esports racing top-level, with innovative formats, state-of-the-art content, and benefits for teams and drivers. Enjoyability and balance are the two elements that play crucial roles in helping a game succeed as an Esport. VCO is working with the biggest sim racing platforms in the world to add a special layer of competition to its VCO racing events. The tracks gamers race on are selected by the community via VCO’s strong social media channels; the car set-ups are mostly fixed in order to reduce preparation time for the teams and drivers. The company wants the drivers to enjoy its events and try to offer them the best service possible during our events.

Unique variables and numerous stress-inducing factors in Esports heavily affect players; VCO as a company makes various efforts to make the players feel comfortable. VCO is trying to offer a ‘log in and race’ environment for the drivers as much as possible. Many Esports racing competitions demand week-long preparations, only to result in an early retirement during a 24h race. In VCO’s events, preparation time is considerably lower, and it uses common Esports features like ‘Second Chance’ races in order to make the leagues and tournaments more enjoyable. When the TSR asked Haasper about VCO’s future plans, he stated, “We are constantly working on new ideas, competitions, and content. Some exciting race events are in the making, and VCO might even become a digital race car brand in the future. Watch this space.”