Marco Mereu Launches M80

In December 2022, Marco Mereu, a co-founder of the esports organization XSET, announced his departure from the company to launch a new venture, M80. This transition followed a period of organizational changes at XSET, including the appointment of Steve Birkhold as chief operating officer, a role previously held by Mereu. While Mereu’s exact financial status regarding his ongoing stake in XSET remained ambiguous at the time of his exit, the launch of M80 marked his formal pivot toward building a new competitive entity.

M80 entered the esports landscape with a focus on competing across multiple titles, beginning with a strategic entry into the Valorant scene. To support this, the organization unveiled a professional roster for the 2023 Valorant Challengers league. The team was composed of established talent, including Mohamed “johnqt” Amine Ouarid, Gianfranco “koalanoob” Potestio, and Marc-Andre “NiSMO” Tayar, formerly of Ghost Gaming, alongside Daniel “eeiu” Vucenovic from NRG Esports and Alexander “Zander” Dituri, who previously competed for Version1.

The establishment of M80 represents a significant career move for Mereu, who brought extensive industry experience to the new organization. Prior to his tenure at XSET, which he helped found in 2020, Mereu served as a senior executive at Super League Gaming and founded the content distribution company Framerate. By assembling a competitive roster for a high-profile title like Valorant, M80 signaled its intent to establish a rapid foothold within the professional esports ecosystem.