EDM Producer and Lifelong Gamer Steve Aoki Buys Share of Pro Overwatch, Counter-Strike Team

You can now add Steve Aoki's name to the list of celebrity investors in professional gaming teams.

The EDM producer and DJ announced this weekend that he is now an investor in the Overwatch and Counter-Strike team Rogue. He made the announcement during his set at TwitchCon on Sunday.

According to ESPN, Aoki will work with Rogue in the areas of management and brand development. Rogue is a new team, having only formed back in May.

"As many of my fans know, I've been a gamer all my life and have been getting more and more involved in Esports," he said. "I can finally take my love for gaming to the next level as an owner of Rogue, the professional esports team. As an avid player of Overwatch, their dominance caught my eye and after getting to know them, I realized that we shared the same goals and interests in team building and competition."

Rogue CEO Frank Villarreal added that the team was growing quickly, so it was considering bringing on another financial partner. Aoki turned out to be a great fit. "His genuine passion for the Esports scene was exactly what we were looking for," Villarreal said.

Aoki's exact level of financial investment into Rogue was not disclosed.

Aoki is not the first celebrity or private organization to invest in a pro gaming team. Last week, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA team bought Team Dignitas and Team Apex, merging them into one. Before that, Boston Celtics player Jonas Jerebko bought a team, while former NBA player Rick Fox bought the team Echo Fox in December 2015. Additionally, Shaquille O'Neal invested in the NRG Esports team earlier this year, while retired MLB player Alex Rodriguez and Jimmy Rollins also invested in NRG Esports.