Video games used to be thought of as a pastime for the lazy and unmotivated, but the intense world of professional gaming has proved that stigma wrong. Professional gamers can become millionaires, thanks to their gaming skills.
Many people wonder who the richest gamer is among these successful players, and you can find the answer here. Plus, check out the nine runner-ups that aren’t doing too shabby either, with plenty of money to buy fancy cars and the most expensive food in the world.
PewDiePie
- Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg
- Net Worth: $60 million
- Best Game: Minecraft
PewDiePie is one of the most famous gamers in the world. He’s known for his intricate and inventive builds on Minecraft, among his skills in many other games.
He started with a Youtube channel, posting gameplay videos for his many subscribers that boosted his brand until he was swimming in sponsorships and, well, money! Now, he retains the title of the richest gamer as he continues to amass wealth and fame.
Markiplier
- Mark Fischbach
- Net Worth: $28 million
- Best Game: Five Nights at Freddy's
Markiplier is a lesser-known gamer because he plays more niche games, such as Five Nights at Freddy’s and other horror games, that aren’t as mainstream as games like Minecraft or Fortnite.
He also stayed out of the public image more than other gamers, keeping his personal life under wraps. Currently, he lives in Hawaii and has moved away from the gaming industry but continues to be one of the richest gamers in the world.
Ninja
- Richard Tyler Blevins
- Net Worth: $25 million
- Best Game: League of Legends
Ninja is one of the more well-known names in the gaming industry, as he has embraced his fame and become a celebrity in his own right. He is best known for his insane skills in League of Legends but also plays Overwatch, among other games.
He appeared on the popular mystery singer show The Masked Singer, bringing him the attention of people who don’t partake in the gaming community.
PrestonPlayz
- Preston Blaine Arsement
- Net Worth: $20 million
- Best Game: Minecraft
PrestonPlayz is a Youtube star with a similar rise to fame and wealth as PewDiePie but on a smaller scale. But $20 million isn’t really small scale, so he is a gaming legend in his own right.
He makes most of his money from his Minecraft servers which players pay to hop on and play with him and his creations. He plays other games like Roblox and Fortnite but also has a following thanks to his funny prank videos on friends and family.
Timthetatman
- Timothy John Betar
- Net Worth: $10 million
- Best Game: Fortnite
Timthetatman is a super successful gamer on both Twitch and Youtube. He spreads himself out amongst many different platforms, reaching a wider audience.
He’s best known for his skills on Fortnite but also plays Overwatch and World of Warcraft, among other games. He’s even appeared in NFL commercials with fellow gamers like Ninja, cementing his status as a celebrity gamer.
xQc
- Félix Lengyel
- Net Worth: $10 million
- Best Game: Overwatch
xQc is a young French-Canadian Twitch streamer that amassed a huge following from his skills in Overwatch. Unlike many other professional gamers, he only really plays Overwatch, making him a sort of guru when it comes to that game.
In 2020 and 2021, he was the most-watched Twitch streamer, so anyone who loves Overwatch will know his three-letter streaming handle.
N0tail
- Johan Sundstein
- Net Worth: $9 million
- Best Game: Dota 2
N0tail is one of the youngest professional gamers in the world, finding success at just 15 years old. He is known for playing Heroes of Newerth and other games but is most famous for his impeccable strategies in Dota 2.
Surprisingly, he lacked considerable skill when he first began Dota, but soon got the hang of it and swept tournaments, marking him as one of the best Dota 2 players in the world.
JerAx
- Jesse Vainikka
- Net Worth: $6.5 million
- Best Game: Dota
JerAx is known as one of the best Dota players in the world, and he retired from professional gaming in 2020, leaving behind record-setting tournament wins and sponsorship deals.
He has lost some wealth since he stopped gaming but is still among the richest gamers, with more than $6 million. He was the first two-time TI champion in 2019 and had a long-running sponsorship with OG, which helped him gain most of his wealth.
Ana
- Anathan Pham
- Net Worth: $6 million
- Best Game: Dota 2
Ana is one of the best Dota 2 players and was part of the team that won the multi-million dollar International 2018 and 2019 tournaments for the game. He also became a part of the OG-sponsored family after success as a professional gamer.
This transition is when he began making considerable money along with the prices he won from tournaments. This Australian player has many international wins, proving his skills around the world.
Ceb
- Sébastien Debs
- Net Worth: $5.4 million
- Best Game: Dota 2
Ceb is another Dota 2 guru, and he was a part of the same team with Ana that won the multi-million dollar tournaments twice.
He took some time off from gaming in tournaments to coach and mentor other up-and-coming gamers. But after imparting his wisdom to some lucky players, he re-entered the gaming arena and continued to dominate in Dota 2.
How Do People Make Money From Gaming?
There are a few different ways gamers make their money without leaving their comfy chair. Well, sometimes they have to leave their comfy chair.
But they make their money through subscribers that pay to watch their channel on platforms, whether streaming on Twitch or making Youtube videos. Players like PrestonPlayz have Minecraft servers that other players can pay to join.
Many gamers also get sponsorships from games or other companies for advertising purposes, so essentially, they get to game wearing a particular logo or showing ads on their channel.
There are also tournaments that gamers can enter to win massive prizes. While these prizes can be as much as $500,000, they usually aren’t the best avenue to make the incredible amounts of money that everyone on this list makes. Streaming is usually how gamers accrue millions of dollars.
Conclusion
So if you play hours gaming and think you’re wasting your time, maybe you're not! These ten gamers prove there are crazy amounts of money in professional gaming, whether you're a female gamer, esports player, or excel at games like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Fortnite Battle Royale, or Apex Legends.
So pick up that controller and think of the millions you could make! Or you can always just enjoy your video games in peace.
