On April 9, 2024, the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup officially entered the virtual world with the launch of AC Sailing, the official simulation game of the competition. Built on the same physics engine used by America’s Cup teams in their real-world simulators, the game was made available as a free download on Steam and Epic Games, democratizing access to the most prestigious yacht racing competition in the world.
Alongside the game, the America’s Cup e-Series was announced: the first-ever esports league in the history of the competition, open to players worldwide, with online qualifiers leading to a Grand Final in Barcelona in September 2024.
TEAMMATE was part of the core team behind the strategy, product launch concept, and esports league design that brought this initiative to life. Working in partnership with America’s Cup Event (ACE) and alongside agencies Experientia and Burson, TEAMMATE contributed its expertise across three key areas. At the thinking stage, it helped define the conceptual framework that would make sailing accessible to a new generation through the ‘Gamer to Sailor’ philosophy. At the building stage, it shaped the competitive structure of the e-Series and the experience design connecting the digital and physical worlds. At the growing stage, it supported the activation and visibility strategy that drove over 100,000 game downloads and positioned the e-Series as a landmark moment in sports and esports convergence.