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FISSURE CEO Acknowledges Unpaid Prize Money, Targets 2027 Repayments
FISSURE CEO Nikolay Vesnin has acknowledged that the tournament organizer still owes prize money to teams from its Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 competitions. In an open letter published on November 4, 2026, Vesnin apologized to affected players and organizations and outlined plans for further repayments in the first quarter of 2027.
According to the executive, FISSURE has already paid approximately half of its outstanding CS2 prize money, while payments to some Dota 2 teams began in October. However, the company has not disclosed the total amount still owed or provided a firm deadline for settling every outstanding payment.
The statement, published on FISSURE's official website, follows months of questions about unpaid tournament winnings and the organizer's decision to continue announcing new events.
FISSURE Details Dota 2 and CS2 Prize Money Repayments
In his letter, Vesnin directly addressed the outstanding payments, writing: "We acknowledge the debt in full."
He said repayments began during the summer of 2026. Revenue from a tournament held in China helped the company cover approximately half of its CS2 obligations, while an initial round of payments to some Dota 2 teams started before an October tournament.
FISSURE is also directing available funds from completed projects toward outstanding payments, according to Vesnin. These figures represent the company's account of its repayment progress, rather than independently verified payments confirmed by the affected teams.
The organizer previously acknowledged unpaid prize money involving 15 Counter-Strike organizations in a public disclosure dated June 23, 2026. The list included Team Falcons, FURIA, G2, Team Liquid, Aurora and The MongolZ, among others.
That disclosure does not specify how much each organization is owed or identify which teams have since received payments. Vesnin's latest letter also provides no team-by-team breakdown for Dota 2.
Further Repayments Targeted for Early 2027
FISSURE is now working on new commercial agreements that Vesnin hopes will support another significant round of repayments during the first quarter of 2027.
The timeline remains conditional. Vesnin explained that the company has developed a financial plan, but its implementation depends on future commercial arrangements. He declined to announce specific amounts while negotiations remain unfinished.
Crucially, the target does not mean FISSURE has promised to clear all outstanding prize money by March 2027. Instead, the company expects to carry out another major phase of repayments if its financial plan succeeds.
Vesnin also said FISSURE intends to negotiate repayment schedules individually with affected clubs. The organizer has committed to publishing a report during Q1 2027 detailing its actual payment progress and efforts to reduce the remaining debt.
The executive acknowledged the damage to the company's credibility, saying "our progress should be judged by what we actually do."
CEO Admits Financial Mistakes Behind the Debts
Vesnin attributed the financial problems to decisions made during FISSURE's expansion in 2025, when the company committed to major tournament expenses without securing enough guaranteed commercial revenue.
One particularly important agreement with a prospective partner in the international English-speaking betting market was never signed. The organizer also struggled to secure sponsorships from other industries, leaving its revenue sources insufficiently diversified.
Another tournament failed to meet participant lineup targets included in a commercial agreement, creating further financial losses. According to Vesnin, the combination of higher costs and disappointing revenue left several projects performing well below expectations.
The CEO accepted personal responsibility for the company's financial planning. After explaining that FISSURE should have protected its obligations to teams against potential commercial setbacks, he stated: "We failed to do that."
The difficulties also affected the company's employees. Vesnin said FISSURE had to part ways with many staff members toward the end of 2025.
Why FISSURE Plans to Keep Organizing Tournaments
Despite the unpaid prize money, FISSURE has no plans to stop organizing esports events. Vesnin argued that tournaments and broadcasts remain the company's primary business activities and are necessary to generate revenue for repayments.
He said shutting down operations would substantially reduce FISSURE's ability to fulfill its existing financial commitments.
The company also claims to have changed how it finances future competitions. According to Vesnin, prize pools for new tournaments are now secured before events begin, rather than depending on the organizer's financial position during the competition.
Other measures include reducing production costs, working more closely with host cities and local partners, and reconsidering tournament locations to improve financial sustainability.
FISSURE also shared the statement through its official English-language X account on November 4.
The company's next publicly promised milestone is its Q1 2027 repayment progress report. Until then, the amount of debt remaining and the extent of the payments received by individual teams remain unclear.
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Featured image credit: Fissure
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