Esports is big business. In 2021 alone, esports revenues exceeded one billion US dollars, representing a 50 percent rise on 2020 revenues. By 2024, it’s forecast that annual esports revenues will be pushing the 1.6 billion dollar mark. These increased revenues are also good news for professional esports players. In recent years, the combined prize winnings of Dota 2 and CSGO live have broken the 400 million dollar mark. While these titles are almost guaranteed to remain the most profitable for pro-level gamers, they’re not the only titles out there for esports professionals looking to make their fortune. In fact, in recent years, esports players have taken to video game marketplace to sell their skills.
Rocket League
This unique take on soccer games has been a firm fixture of the professional esports circuit since 2016. Like classic soccer, Rocket League sees two teams of players pitted against each other, with the aim to score more goals than the other. However, rather than being put in control of virtual soccer teams, Rocket League sees players put in charge of turbocharged cars. The inaugural Rocket League championship offered a very respectable prize pool of 55,000 dollars. However, in just a few short years, the overall prize pool stands at 350,000 dollars. The highest individual earner to date is Courant “Kaydop” Alexandre, who has amassed a small fortune of half a million dollars playing Rocket League.
Hearthstone
Unlike first-person shooters and other high-octane titles, Hearthstone takes a less aggressive approach to gameplay. This card-based title involves players constructing unique decks of virtual cards, with a few different play modes to choose from. Thanks to its fantasy-inspired aesthetics, this card trading title have attracted considerable viewership in recent years. In August 2021, Hearthstone pulled in over 31,000 viewers on Twitch.
Fortnite
The continued success of Fortnite won’t come as much surprise to anyone. The free-to-play nature of this title means it’s constantly attracting legions of new fans, while its Battle Royale approach to gameplay makes it an attractive option to those looking for fast-paced co-operative action. You’ll find dozens of Fortnite channels streaming live on Twitch at any given time, with millions of concurrent players joining in the fun. Epic, Fortnite’s developers, have taken note of the game’s popularity and continue to pour significant investment into the competitive scene. In 2021, Epic promised to throw 20 million dollars into the prize pool. In 2022, prize money investment is likely to soar even higher.
Esports Earning Potential
The highest-earning esports players can comfortably pocket tens of millions of dollars throughout their careers. However, unless you’ve put years into training and have considerable sponsorship behind you, you’re going to have to settle for markedly more modest prize pools.
If you’re a semi-professional gamer looking to take your skills into the competitive field, your best bet for success is to carve out a role in an established team or explore less competitive titles where you stand a greater chance at walking away with a top prize. In addition to the likes of Hearthstone and Rocket League, less established titles like Super Smash Bros. and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds are worth investigating if you’re planning on chasing the best prizes.
