Team BDS officially rebrands as Shifters

Team BDS has officially rebranded as Shifters, marking a new chapter for the company following recent leadership changes and a broader repositioning strategy.

The rebrand was revealed in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), featuring a new purple visual identity and messaging centred on transformation and collective energy. The announcement stated: “Every shift begins with a pulse. A spark born from those who dared to challenge the game… From the heart of Switzerland, home of precision and mastery, we shift everything.”

The organisation has confirmed that the Shifters identity will fully replace the Team BDS name across its competitive teams, branding and operations.

The rebrand was first reported by Swiss business magazine PME, which revealed that the organisation would drop the Team BDS name as part of a wider repositioning. According to the report, the change also coincides with the organisation’s planned move to a new headquarters in central Geneva.

Jocelyn Roux, Legal Director at the organisation, said the transformation was intended to strengthen its local roots in Switzerland. Roux explained that Shifters will operate out of a 730-square-metre space in Geneva’s Bel-Air district, which was undergoing renovation and expected to open before the end of the year.

The report also revealed that the creation of the new visual identity, including online and promotional assets, was estimated to cost close to CHF300,000 (~£265,000), with parts of the work handled internally to reduce costs.

Founded in 2018, the organisation has grown into Switzerland’s largest esports team, competing in titles such as League of Legends, Rainbow Six Siege and Rocket League. More than half of its staff are professional players and coaches.

The rebrand followed the appointment of Alexandre Lopez, CEO of Team BDS, earlier this year. Lopez, who previously served as the organisation’s Head of Strategy, took on the CEO role in June and said at the time that the organisation was preparing for a ‘next chapter’ aligned with its future ambitions.

As previously reported, the organisation also planned to open both a new headquarters and a gaming house in Geneva by the end of 2025, alongside launching a nonprofit initiative aimed at bringing gaming and esports into hospitals and underserved communities.

In addition to its core esports operations, Shifters is reportedly expanding into esports consulting for Swiss and European brands, as well as philanthropic projects through its Play&Share association, which aims to install gaming spaces in paediatric hospital wards.

Esports organisations are no strangers to rebranding as they adapt to new commercial and cultural realities. Over the past year alone, several prominent teams and leagues have announced major identity changes, reflecting broader shifts across the global esports industry.