(S2E14) - Special Guest Mike Rufail Founder and Chief Gaming Officer at Envy Gaming Geaux Play Esports

Mike Rufail is the founder and CEO of Envy Gaming, Inc., which owns and operates popular esports franchise Team Envy as well as the Dallas Fuel in the Overwatch League and the Dallas Empire in the Call of Duty League.

Envy began as a professional Call of Duty team in 2007 and has grown into one of the largest and most winning esports groups in the world. Today, Envy competes, streams, and produces content and events across multiple titles including Overwatch, Call of Duty, Rocket League, VALORANT, and Super Smash Bros.

Born and raised in Lufkin, Texas, Rufail dreamed of bringing a professional esports team home to Texas. In 2017, with the support of investment partners at Hersh Interactive Group, Rufail relocated Envy Gaming operations, staff and players to North Texas. In 2019, Rufail and the Dallas Fuel hosted the first home games in esports history, as thousands of fans attended a two-day, sold out live event in North Texas. One year later in 2020, the Dallas Empire took home the World Championship trophy in the inaugural season of the Call of Duty League.

Rufail is a veteran of the esports industry, having spent time as a professional Call of Duty player, a broadcast commentator and a game design consultant. Dallas Business Journal named Rufail to its 40 Under 40 list of top business leaders in 2020.

Mike Rufail graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in moving image and sound, and currently resides in North Texas with his wife and daughter.