Envy Gaming

Method

Mike Rufail founds Team EnVyUs in 2007, and on September 18, 2017 Ken Hersh's Hersh Interactive Group invests a reported 35 million dollars, moving 50 players and the headquarters from Charlotte to Dallas and buying the Dallas Fuel slot in the Overwatch League for a reported 20 million dollars. Envy adds Preston Arsement as investor in July 2018, subleases 20,872 square feet at 3030 Olive Street in Victory Park in October 2019, merges with OpTic Gaming in November 2021, takes the Esports Stadium Arlington operating contract in January 2022 and retires its own brand on June 27, 2022 as OpTic Texas. The Fuel folds with the league in 2023. Rufail buys the Envy, Dallas Fuel and Dallas Empire brands back from OpTic on January 18, 2025, announces a performance lab in Fairview on October 23, 2025, relaunches the Fuel on November 29, 2025 for the Overwatch Champions Series and tells D Magazine he expects profit in 2026 on a rental and training model rather than franchise fees.

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The path: money and goods moving

• backed byHersh Interactive Group (Ken Hersh)Hersh Interactive Group invests a reported 35 million dollars in Team EnVyUs on September 18, 2017, moving the company from Charlotte to Dallas.2017
• spawnedDallas FuelEnvy buys the Dallas Overwatch League slot for a reported 20 million dollars in September 2017, the Fuel folds with the league in 2023, and Rufail's Envy reestablishes it on November 29, 2025.2017 to 2023, 2025 to present
• backed byPreston Arsement (PrestonPlayz)Preston Arsement joins Envy Gaming as an investor and content creator on July 19, 2018; the stake is not disclosed.2018
• acquiredOpTic GamingEnvy Gaming and OpTic Gaming merge in November 2021 to form OpTic Texas, and Envy retires its own brand on June 27, 2022, keeping the Dallas Fuel name, with Hector Rodriguez as president and Mike Rufail as chief gaming officer.2021 to 2022
• came out ofOpTic GamingOpTic sells the Envy, Dallas Fuel and Dallas Empire brands back to Mike Rufail on January 18, 2025 and Rufail exits OpTic's shareholding.2025

Representation, events, tools

• atEnvy Gaming headquarters, Victory ParkEnvy subleases 20,872 square feet at 3030 Olive Street in Victory Park in October 2019 as headquarters and training center for the Fuel and Empire staff.2019 to 2022
• atEsports Stadium ArlingtonEnvy Gaming buys the operating contract for Esports Stadium Arlington from Esports Venues LLC on January 13, 2022, opening with the CDL Kickoff Classic on January 21 to 23.2022
• atEnvy Gaming Performance Lab, FairviewEnvy announces its performance lab at Fairview Town Center on October 23, 2025 as its post league training base.2025 to present