eSports
Esports earnings: Top 25 Highest Paid Players in 2020 So Far
> Five teenagers, including a 15-year-old, among the best
> Two chess players make the list
> No League of Legends players in top 25
2020 has hit a lot of industries very hard – but not esports.
The lockdown has brought huge growth in viewers to professional gaming as millions flock to watch the world’s best players in action.
This new level of interest will only help the industry grow, along with the pay packets of the gamers themselves.
But, how much do they earn?
New research by esports bookmakers Unikrn shows just how much the top 25 players have been winning in tournament prize money so far this year.
In 2019, there was a total prize pool of $227m shared between over 25,000 players playing in 5,000 tournaments.
Six months into 2020 and there’s still been $32.5m in prize money – despite the cancellation and postponement of many events.
Of that pot, the highest earning player has taken home $300,000 so far.
Brazilian Paulo Damo Da Rosa, known as PVDDR, won Magic: The Gathering Arena’s, Magic World Championship XXVI in February – pocketing the huge fee in one lump sum.
The five members of Spacestation Gaming’s Rainbow Six Siege team – Bosco, Rampy, Thinkingnade, Fultz and Canadian – also feature in the top 10.
Their victories in this year’s Six Invitational 2020 and Pro League Season 11 have earned them $210,000 each.
With a combined age of 47, teenagers Wolfiez, Furious and JannisZ are in the top 16 for their big Fortnite wins.
The UK’s Wolfiez, 16, has taken home $130,000 so far this year from two tournaments coming second in both FNCS Invitationals: Europe last month.
JannisZ, 15, from Germany, won one of those tournaments, while American 16-year-old Furious secured victory in the FNCS Grand Finals in North America – both earning $120,000+.
Among the top 25, Chess24 stars Hikaru Nakamura and grandmaster Magnus Carlsen have also taken home over $100,000 each in prize money.
STATISTICS
The average age of the top 25 earning players so far in 2020 is 24 years old.
So far this year, the top country for earning prize money is the United States with players making over $6million between 1,870 of them.
However, the best average prize winner per country belongs to Jordan.
Six players earned an average of $33,000 each – made up mostly by Doha 2 players Yapzor and Miracle-, who claimed $175,000 of the total $200,000.
Bear in mind all of these earnings do not include their sponsorships, bonuses or salaries – some of which are rumoured to be around the $500,000 mark.
So there will be players easily taking home close to $1,000,000 a year.
The highest earning esports player of all-time is Danish Dota 2 player Johan Sundstein.
Going by player ID N0tail, the 26-year-old has amassed $6.9m in prize money from 117 tournaments and been a winner at the International 2018 and 2019.
Ryan Jurado, esports analyst with the industry juggernaut Unikrn, said: “As impressive as the prize earnings are in esports, they’re just the tip of the iceberg.
“In reality, thousands of players around the world make additional income by building their brand and fan bases with non-competition activities such as gaming streams, earn income with sponsorship deals and receive a salary to play as part of an organized team.
“Amazon’s Twitch alone has 22,000 partnered streamers, most of whom are playing games and earning cash outside of tournaments. When you add in Microsoft’s Mixr, Google’s YouTube, Facebook, plus non-American platforms like Huya, plus thousands of yearly video game tournaments, the number of players making some form of income by gaming is likely well over 100,000 worldwide. For most, this is a paying hobby rather than a career, but some players do reach multi-millionaire status before they even graduate high school.”
| Real name | Player name | Game | Nationality | Age | Prize Money 2020 | Tournaments | Prize Money (Overall) |
| Paulo Damo da Rosa | PVDDR | Magic: The Gathering Arena | Brazil | 32 | $300,000.00 | 1 | $337,800.00 |
| Troy Jaroslawski | Canadian | Rainbow Six Siege | Canada | 23 | $210,000.00 | 2 | $317,628.57 |
| Dylan Bosco | Bosco | Rainbow Six Siege | United States | 25 | $210,000.00 | 2 | $275,750.00 |
| Nathanial Duvall | Rampy | Rainbow Six Siege | United States | $210,000.00 | 2 | $261,060.00 | |
| Javier Escamila | Thinkingnade | Rainbow Six Siege | El Salvador | 21 | $210,000.00 | 2 | $261,030.00 |
| Alec Fultz | Fultz | Rainbow Six Siege | American | $210,000.00 | 2 | $238,966.67 | |
| Lee, Byung Ryul | Rogue | Starcraft II | Korea | 26 | $155,128.20 | 9 | $832,543.20 |
| Marcio Carvalho | Marcio Carvalho | Magic The Gathering Arena | Portugal | 34 | $150,000.00 | 1 | $214,900.00 |
| Jaden Ashman | Wolfiez | Fortnite | UK | 16 | $130,000.00 | 2 | $1,300,026.67 |
| Lasse Urpalainen | Matumbaman | Dota 2 | Finland | 25 | $122,413.40 | 7 | $3,684,194.44 |
| Clement Ivanov | Puppey | Dota 2 | Estonia | 30 | $122,413.40 | 7 | $2,783,899.63 |
| Ludwig Wåhlberg | Zai | Dota 2 | Sweden | 22 | $122,413.40 | 7 | $2,443,054.42 |
| Yazied Jaradat | YapzOr | Dota 2 | Jordan | 25 | $122,413.40 | 7 | $1,452,524.07 |
| Michał Jankowski | Nisha | Dota 2 | Poland | 19 | $122,413.40 | 7 | $852,679.11 |
| Furious | Fortnite | United States | 16 | $121,500.00 | 3 | $122,400.00 | |
| JannisZ | Fortnite | Germany | 15 | $120,000.00 | 1 | $131,362.42 | |
| Asger Larsen | AcilioN | CS:GO | Denmark | 23 | $117,688.05 | 6 | $205,471.35 |
| Lucas Andersen | Bubzki | CS:GO | Denmark | 21 | $113,800.00 | 5 | $186,770.86 |
| Frederik Gyldstrand | acoR | CS:GO | Denmark | 22 | $113,800.00 | 5 | $183,034.72 |
| Rasmus Beck | sjuush | CS:GO | Denmark | 21 | $113,800.00 | 5 | $178,613.09 |
| Fredrik Jørgensen | roejJ | CS:GO | Denmark | $113,800.00 | 5 | $167,242.03 | |
| Hikaru Nakamura | Hikaru | Chess24 | Japan | 32 | $102,632.19 | 10 | $148,117.61 |
| Sven Magnus Carlsen | DrNykterstein | Chess24 | Norway | 29 | $101,170.48 | 7 | $130,928.92 |
| Seth Manfield | Seth Manfield | Magic: The Gathering Arena | United States | 29 | $100,000.00 | 1 | $141,900.00 |
| David Wang | Aqua | Fortnite | Austria | 18 | $98,750.00 | 4 | $1,868,341.23 |
| Country | Prize Money | Players | Average per |
| United States | $6,340,646.89 | 1870 | $3,390.72 |
| China | $2,918,944.04 | 340 | $8,585.13 |
| Brazil | $2,161,506.14 | 401 | $5,390.29 |
| Korea, Republic of | $2,067,293.52 | 455 | $4,543.50 |
| France | $1,516,403.65 | 419 | $3,619.10 |
| Russian Federation | $1,495,117.67 | 440 | $3,397.99 |
| Denmark | $1,472,041.31 | 173 | $8,508.91 |
| Germany | $1,262,670.52 | 483 | $2,614.22 |
| United Kingdom | $1,255,641.62 | 333 | $3,770.70 |
| Canada | $1,170,591.49 | 308 | $3,800.62 |
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Highest Earning Players of All Time (By Prize Money)
| Real name | Player name | Game | Nationality | Age | Prize Money Overall | Tournaments |
| Johan Sundstein | N0tail | Dota 2 | Denmark | 26 | $6,895,040.18 | 117 |
| Jesse Vainikka | JerAx | Dota 2 | Finland | 28 | $6,470,000.02 | 65 |
| Anathan Pham | ana | Dota 2 | Australia | 20 | $6,000,411.96 | 24 |
| Sébastien Debs | Ceb | Dota 2 | France | 28 | $5,501,233.01 | 54 |
| Topias Taavitsainen | Topson | Dota 2 | Finland | 22 | $5,415,046.17 | 21 |
| Kuro Takhasomi | KuroKy | Dota 2 | Germany | 27 | $5,177,764.81 | 110 |
| Amer Al-Barkawi | Miracle- | Dota 2 | Jordan | 22 | $4,743,118.88 | 57 |
| Ivan Ivanov | MinD_ContRoL | Dota 2 | Bulgaria | 25 | $4,534,193.36 | 67 |
| Maroun Merhej | GH | Dota 2 | Lebanon | 24 | $4,137,126.44 | 44 |
| Lasse Urpalainen | Matumbaman | Dota 2 | Finland | 25 | $3,674,181.04 | 69 |
**Stats taken from www.esportsearnings.com and do not include salaries, bonuses or sponsorships
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BETBY strengthens its Asian position with agreement to power leading brand SABA Sports
Premium sportsbook provider BETBY has entered into a strategic partnership with renowned sports gaming supplier SABA Sports, marking a significant step in bringing BETBY’s award-winning esports feature, BETBY Games, to the Asian-facing market.
The partnership with SABA Sports, the largest sports betting provider in Asia, will kick off with the integration of NBA focused eBasketball content in its esports portfolio. Going forward SABA Sports will be expanding its e-sim offering with additional BETBY Games titles, which are renowned to increase player engagement through fast-betting content designed for the next generation of players.
“This partnership with SABA represents an important milestone for BETBY as we expand our footprint into the Asian market,” said Chris Nikolopoulos, BETBY’s Chief Commercial Officer. “SABA’s exceptional market presence and reputation make them an ideal partner to bring BETBY Games content to life for operators across the region. Together, we aim to deliver unparalleled esports experiences and redefine how players engage with these dynamic esports offerings.”
The post BETBY PARTNERS WITH SABA SPORTS TO DELIVER ESPORTS CONTENT THROUGH BETBY GAMES appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
ESIC and WIPO Unveil IGET: A Landmark Dispute Resolution Body for the Global Video Games and Esports Industries
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) and the World Intellectual Property Organisation Arbitration and Mediation Center (WIPO AMC) announced the launch of the International Games and Esports Tribunal (IGET), a groundbreaking not-for-profit dispute resolution body designed to meet the unique needs of the global video games and esports industries.
IGET represents a pioneering effort to provide tailored, professional and accessible Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services for stakeholders in gaming and esports. Its innovative platform addresses the broad scope of disputes that arise in these fast-evolving sectors, ranging from anti-doping violations and player disciplinary matters to intellectual property (IP) conflicts and contractual disagreements.
A Game-Changing Approach to Dispute Resolution
Traditional legal frameworks often fail to accommodate the complexity, pace and global nature of disputes within gaming and esports. IGET fills this critical gap with:
• Specialised Expertise: IGET’s panel consists of arbitrators and mediators with in-depth knowledge of esports, video games, and intellectual property. This ensures disputes are resolved by professionals who understand the industry’s nuances and challenges.
• Global Accessibility: With a fully international approach, IGET enables parties from anywhere in the world to resolve disputes seamlessly and efficiently, regardless of jurisdiction.
• Comprehensive Coverage: IGET addresses a wide range of dispute types, from integrity-related matters like match-fixing and cheating to a wide range of commercial disputes including but not limited to IP disputes, player contracts, sponsorship agreements and beyond.
• Efficient Procedures: IGET’s bespoke ADR processes are designed for swift, effective resolutions, minimising disruption to the industry’s fast-moving ecosystem.
With the establishment of IGET, the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) will immediately transition the functions of its Independent Appeals Panel to IGET, making IGET the exclusive jurisdiction for all ESIC appeals.
Stephen Hanna, CEO of ESIC, said: “The launch of IGET is a significant and important milestone for the global video games and esports industries. By combining ESIC’s expertise in maintaining integrity with WIPO’s authority in intellectual property dispute resolution, this initiative will ensure that disputes are handled professionally and swiftly, maintaining the integrity that underpins these industries’ growth and credibility. IGET is a critical step towards fostering trust, professionalism, and fairness across our industries.”
Marco M. Alemán, Assistant Director General of WIPO’s IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector, added: “At WIPO, we understand the increasing relevance of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms in evolving sectors such as video games and esports. Our partnership with ESIC to establish IGET highlights our dedication to providing the essential infrastructure for impartial and effective dispute resolution within the esports and video gaming communities.”
To support stakeholders in understanding IGET’s services and processes, a series of public webinar information sessions will soon be made available. These sessions will provide an overview of IGET’s dispute resolution offerings, the steps involved in bringing a matter to the tribunal and guidance on how to incorporate the IGET model clause into agreements.
The post ESIC and WIPO Unveil IGET: A Landmark Dispute Resolution Body for the Global Video Games and Esports Industries appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Skillhub Online Games Federation and Global Esports Federation Unite to Bring Global Esports Tour 2025 to India
In a landmark moment for India’s esports ecosystem, Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF) proudly announces its collaboration with the Global Esports Federation (GEF) to bring the Global Esports Tour (GET) 2025 to Mumbai. This historic event marks the first-ever Global Esports Tournament in India, further cementing the nation’s role as an emerging force in global esports.
The first ever Global Esports Tournament in Mumbai will bring together top-tier professional esports athletes and teams to compete on a world-class stage. This initiative is a direct outcome of the Strategic Framework Agreement signed between SOGF and Global Esports Federation (GEF) in October 2024, signifying a long-term commitment to developing esports across South Asia, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The Global Esports Tour Mumbai will not only showcase high-stakes competition but also serve as a launchpad for India’s esports talent onto the international stage. By hosting a prestigious event of this scale, SOGF aims to bolster India’s esports industry, drive investments, and create unparalleled opportunities for athletes, developers, and organizations within the ecosystem.
Sibtain Baqri, Chief Executive Officer of SOGF, expressed his excitement about this milestone,“Bringing the Global Esports Tour to India is more than just a tournament—it’s a movement. This event underscores India’s potential as a global esports powerhouse, providing athletes with an international platform to showcase their skills and compete at the highest level. SOGF is committed to nurturing this ecosystem, and GET Mumbai is just the beginning of our larger vision to shape the future of esports in India and South Asia.”
Echoing this sentiment, Rustam Aghasiyev, Chief of Staff & Operations at Global Esports Federation, stated: “We are thrilled to expand our global footprint with the Global Esports Tour in Mumbai, which will introduce a new wave of opportunities for Indian and South Asian esports communities. Our partnership with SOGF is a significant step toward fostering an inclusive, competitive, and world-class esports environment in the region.”
Global Esports Tour, the GEF’s professional team series, showcases elite-level esports athletes and teams competing in high-stakes tournaments across iconic global cities. The arrival of GET in India underscores GEF’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and delivering impactful experiences for athletes, audiences, and stakeholders alike.
The post Skillhub Online Games Federation and Global Esports Federation Unite to Bring Global Esports Tour 2025 to India appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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