League Pro Perkz is Now Building a Cozy Esports Cafe Franchise

Luka ‘Perkz’ Perković is one of League’s most famous players. Now, he’s climbing to the top in the entrepreneurship world as co-owner of a gaming cafe franchise. Here’s everything to know.

League of Legends has intense esports lore. With Worlds officially beginning in 2011, the title’s circuit has over a decade of competitive history, and its key players have become household names within its tightly knit community. Luka ‘Perkz’ Perković has been one such industry mainstay, beginning his career in 2014 and spending time on teams like G2, Cloud 9, and Team Vitality. Last year, he retired. Have you ever wondered what Perkz has been up to since? Here’s the scoop: he’s growing a franchise of esports cafes. Here’s everything we know.

Who is Perkz?

For the uninitiated, Luka ‘Perkz’ Perković is one of League’s most famous mid-lane players (though he has also spent time as top and ADC). Perkz, originally hailing from Croatia, played in League’s competitive circuit from 2014 to 2025, starting off at GSI Gaming. As his career picked up steam in 2015, Perkz moved to G2 Esports, where he served as a mid-laner and ADC for five years. Perkz then played for Cloud9, Team Vitality, and Team Heretics for a period of time before ending his run with British org The Ruddy Sack.

Perkz is extremely well-known for his performances in the LEC (League of Legends EMEA Championship), where he has won 8 titles. During his time on G2, the team made history by becoming the first from EMEA to win the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI). Later, Perkz also qualified for the Worlds 2019 finals with G2, ultimately losing the title to FPX but showcasing a strong individual performance. Since LCK and LPL teams have long dominated the League competitive sphere, Perkz’ accomplishments carry extra significance: EMEA and NA players look up to his performances.

Perkz is Growing an Esports Cafe Franchise

On June 5, 2025, Perkz uploaded a video titled ‘End of an Era’. This post revealed he was officially retiring from competitive League of Legends, stating, “the reasons are very straightforward… there is just no time allocation.” He also lamented the “stress from competing”, but affirmed that “I gave it my all… I’m very grateful for all the successes, all the people that I’ve met, all the failures that taught me lessons. I’m very grateful to all the organizations that had me.”

After this announcement, Perkz reappeared on December 2, 2025, with another video post about a “new chapter.” He unveiled that he had moved into entrepreneurship: “I’m now officially a co-owner and face of Friendly Fire.”

Friendly Fire’s YouTube describes it as “a premier gaming café franchise and esports hub.” The business is founded and headquartered in Croatia, Perkz’ home country. Perkz stated on X.com that he was “Super excited to finally share [this] news,” and called Friendly Fire “the fastest growing gaming cafe franchise and I’m excited to push this further and beyond. Building safe communities all over Europe (and [the] whole world soon) where we can enjoy our favorite hobby, together.”

Are Gaming Cafes a Growing Trend?

Perkz is not alone in investing in this trend. Gaming cafes have been popular for years in the APAC region, where they are relatively mainstream and ingrained in local culture. In an apropos twist, Perkz will once again bring NA and EMEA head-to-head with this industry. The locations help bridge an accessibility gap for young players who might not have the space, time, or resources to build a personal setup. They also serve as comfortable ‘third spaces’ where these gamers can interact and socialize with peers who have similar interests.

Friendly Fire comments on this phenomenon: “With 8 out of 10 Gen Zs identifying as gamers, they’re craving spaces to connect offline. Arcades are outdated, cafes are uninspired. The market is wide open, and we’re here to fill it.”

The company maintains a competitive atmosphere by hosting tournaments and including cash prize pools. However, it also emphasizes the connection and coziness aspects of gaming, offering birthday parties, team-building events, and a concessions section with “Snacks, soft drinks, and the option for customisation.” The space emphasizes that all gamers are welcome, and hosts Student Days, Girls Nights, LANs, and more events.

What’s Next for Perkz and Friendly Fire?

Six months later, Friendly Fire is reportedly expanding rapidly, with locations in Austria, Croatia, the Netherlands, the USA, and several other countries. Though it currently includes 20 total locations, Friendly Fire states: “more than 200 additional locations are currently in development across the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain.” The org plans to bring US locations to Florida and Texas, two esports hotspots (OpTic, Envy, and Complexity fans will recall Texas’ esports influence.)

A recent press release revealed it was named Croatia’s “Franchise of the Year” at the country’s largest branding and marketing event. Friendly Fire also received an award as the “Best Croatian Export Franchise”. Perkz stated: “If anything defined this year’s celebration, it was the message that franchising is no longer a topic reserved only for large systems — but for the people, communities, and brands stepping out from Croatia onto the world stage.”

Friendly Fire and Riot Games Partnership

On March 3, 2026, Friendly Fire announced that it had reached a partnership deal with Riot Games, League of Legends’ developer. The company is reportedly Europe’s “first game café franchise to secure Riot Games Unlocked Partner status.” This means the brand may have potential to integrate into Riot’s existing esports ecosystem. In addition, it will unlock full League Champion rosters for every player, XP boosts, and ‘over 5,000 skins’ (hopefully the legendary Corporate Mundo and Spaghetti Alla Vel’Koz will be in there!).

It’s important to note that while Friendly Fire was first founded in 2017, its expansion is relatively new. It remains to be seen if the esports cafe trend will catch the same attention it previously has in European and American markets, but the concept appears to be integrating smoothly into the larger gaming industry.

Friendly Fire’s webpage here contains further information.