Team Vitality and Bodyguard publish the first report on online hate and toxic messages in esports

Paris, Tuesday 7 October 2025 – For the first time in France, an esports club is taking a stand against online hate and toxic behaviour.

A leader on both the French and international esports scene, Team Vitality and its partner EVNIA have joined forces with Bodyguard, the technology solution that enables brands and platforms to moderate text, comments, images, and videos on their online spaces in real time.

This initiative is part of the KARE programme, launched by Team Vitality in 2023. The shared ambition is to protect the mental health of those involved in esports, preserve performance levels, and offer the community a safer online environment. Together, the three organisations are promoting a healthier, more respectful culture within the esports industry.

Tens of thousands of hateful messages controlled

As Team Vitality regularly competes in major global tournaments — from the Esports World Cup to the Rocket League Worlds — its players and talents are directly exposed to online hate.

Since 1 August, 19 of the club’s official accounts have been protected by Bodyguard. Thanks to its hybrid technology combining AI with human expertise, Bodyguard can detect, analyse, and remove toxic content in real time, according to custom moderation rules defined by Team Vitality. The result: over 2,000 hateful messages have already been blocked, mainly on Team Vitality’s X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram accounts, where toxicity levels reach 4.6% and 2.5%, respectively.

Since 1 August, approximately 4.5 million followers across the 19 protected accounts have benefited from this protection against toxic messages. These are far from harmless: violent attacks linked to sporting performance, calls for certain players to be excluded, racist, homophobic, fatphobic, or religious insults, and even threats targeting families. Some users repeatedly post toxic comments — sometimes making up 80% of their messages. If left unchecked, this digital violence can have serious consequences for mental health and athletic performance.

“In esports, as in traditional sport, online hate can destroy careers. With Bodyguard, we’re protecting both the talent and the passion of millions of fans,” explains Charles Cohen, Founder and CEO of Bodyguard.

“In esports, the pressure doesn’t stop when the match ends. It often carries on across social media, where every decision and action is scrutinised. After a win, the messages can be friendly and supportive, but after a defeat, they often become a heavy burden. For both coaches and players, that constant pressure can take its toll. It’s essential to protect our teams and stay on course — even when the online storm feels stronger than the match itself,” says James “Mac” MacCormack, League of Legends coach at Team Vitality.

A controlled — but still concerning — level of toxicity

Sport or esports, the fight is the same. Insults, hate speech, and cyberbullying can have devastating effects on athletes, undermining confidence, morale, and performance. Team Vitality currently records 3.6% of hateful messages — slightly below the esports average of 4.2% — showing that the measures in place (partnership with Bodyguard, awareness campaigns, community engagement, etc.) are beginning to make an impact.

By comparison, football is less exposed to toxicity (3%) but more affected by unwanted content (3.5% versus 1% in esports).

“In esports, social media is everywhere, and its influence is enormous. For a player or even a staff member, it can be a source of comfort when the messages are positive — but when they’re not, they can hurt, wear you down, and sometimes even destroy you over time. This constant overexposure leads to self-doubt, not always in the right way. It’s vital to find balance and set boundaries. In this fight, Bodyguard is a true ally,” says Fabien Devide, known as “Neo”, President and Co-founder of Team Vitality.

Creating a more respectful and accessible environment for everyone

By its very nature, esports lives on social media and streaming platforms — spaces where passionate communities react and share emotions in real time. While this exposure fuels enthusiasm and fan loyalty, it also comes with a higher-than-average level of toxicity, underscoring the urgency of protecting those involved in esports to preserve their mental wellbeing.

The Bodyguard x Team Vitality joint report highlights this double reality. On the positive side, 10% of messages received by Team Vitality are positive — consistent with industry standards. Esports fans particularly value video content, vlogs, interviews, and behind-the-scenes clips, showing genuine loyalty and solidarity with their club.

However, this encouraging sign contrasts with traditional sports: in football, nearly one in four messages (24%) is positive, whereas in esports the figure is around 18%.

This gap reveals a unique challenge: esports fans express their passion as much through criticism and toxic comments as through support, requiring tailored moderation. Esports remains more exposed to online hate than traditional sport, but Team Vitality, EVNIA, and Bodyguard demonstrate that with innovative solutions, it is possible to reduce toxicity and protect the community.

A pioneer in its approach, Team Vitality is raising awareness of the need to reduce digital violence. Together with Bodyguard, the club is paving the way for an esports world where performance, inclusion, and freedom of expression can coexist. This strong commitment is reflected in concrete tools that protect the community, players, and staff from the harm of online hate.

About Bodyguard

Bodyguard is a leading player in AI-assisted content moderation. The platform helps companies and platforms protect their users from harmful online interactions. With unmatched accuracy, real-time processing, and fully customisable solutions, Bodyguard enables brands to build safer, more engaging digital communities.

Find out more: https://www.bodyguard.ai/

About Team Vitality

Team Vitality is a French esports club founded in 2013 by Fabien “Neo” Devide and Nicolas Maurer. In twelve years, the club has become a leader in France and across Europe, and now competes internationally across 15 major titles, including: League of Legends, CS2, VALORANT, FC24, Rocket League, Tekken 8, StarCraft II, RENNSPORT, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), TeamFight Tactics (TFT), Fatal Fury, Free Fire, Honor of Kings (HoK), PUBG Mobile, and Chess.

Made up of world-class players, the club is dedicated to identifying and developing a new generation of esports athletes. The Team Vitality community counts over 10 million fans across all social platforms. The club is proud to partner with leading global brands.

Team Vitality has teams based around the world:

• Paris (France) – its main hub, featuring a cybercafé, official store, and performance centre located inside the Stade de France
• Berlin (Germany) – close to the biggest European competitions
• Jakarta (Indonesia)
• Find out more on the Team Vitality website.

Press contacts

Bodyguard / Atlantic Lab

• Nicolas Schmit
• Press@bodyguard.ai
• Contact@atlanticlab.fr
• 0619233175

Team Vitality

• Sarah Mittelette: sarah.mittelette@vitality.gg
• Amélie Dangel: amelie.dangel@vitality.gg