Ninjas in Pyjamas notifies all Swedish staff as Abu Dhabi shift deepens

Ninjas in Pyjamas, one of Sweden’s most recognizable esports organizations, may be close to cutting its final major operational ties to the country.

According to Expressen, NIP notified all employees in Sweden during a meeting at the organization’s Stockholm office on Thursday. The report says the Swedish operation is expected to be handled from Abu Dhabi, where NIP already has its global headquarters.

NIP Group CEO Hicham Chahine told Expressen that the company is reviewing parts of its operational structure as part of its wider international business.

“We are currently reviewing parts of our operational structure as part of our broader international operations,” Chahine said in a statement to Expressen. “This review includes planned changes related to certain roles and functions. No final decisions have been made and the relevant process is ongoing.”

Chahine also said the company will continue to maintain existing esports-related facilities and activities as part of its operating structure. He declined to comment on individual employment matters out of respect for employees.

Core operations could move to Abu Dhabi

Expressen also reports that it has seen an email sent to NIP employees after the meeting. In the email, staff are told that the company is considering moving core operations to the global headquarters in Abu Dhabi. The Swedish office would only continue to exist for certain purposes, such as bootcamps before tournaments.

“This means that you are at risk of being made redundant from your role. No final decisions have been made,” the email reportedly says.

Union negotiations are now expected to begin.

The development follows a gradual shift away from Sweden for NIP. According to Expressen, more parts of the organization have been moved to Abu Dhabi over the past two years. The outlet reports that this is linked to a five-year agreement with the Emirati government worth up to SEK 440 million.

Expressen has also reported that NIP previously tried to convince players on its Counter-Strike team to relocate to the United Arab Emirates. The players rejected the proposal, according to the report, due to concerns that Abu Dhabi offered weaker development opportunities than Europe.

The reported notice does not mean that the Swedish staff have already been dismissed. Both Chahine’s statement and the reported employee email say no final decisions have been made. Still, the move marks a major moment for an organization long tied to Swedish esports history.

NIP was founded in Sweden and remains one of the country’s best-known esports names. If the proposed changes go through, the organization’s Swedish presence could be reduced to a limited support role while its central operations continue to move abroad.