eSports
6 Highest-Paying Esports Games Of 2020 So Far
Despite the world grinding to a halt, esports continues to thrive.
In 2019, global revenue from esports topped $1billion and with the popularity of competitive increasing, gamers and sponsors continue to see the benefits.
But, what about during a pandemic?
Though many big tournaments have been cancelled, the gaming goes on at home and viewing figures are rising each month.
New research from esports betting company Unikrn has revealed the biggest esports of 2020 so far by prize money won**.
1. DOTA 2
Prize money (2020): $6,000,000
Tournaments: 54
Average prize: $111,111
Prize money (all-time): $224,300,000
The highest-paid game in esports continues to lead the way when it comes to prize money in 2020.
Last year, the game offloaded $52million in prize money with The International 2019 contributing to $34.3million of that.
Winning team OG picked up $15.6million between their five members, each taking home more than Tiger Woods at the 2019 Masters ($2.07million)
2. CS:GO
Prize money (2020): $4,900,000
Tournaments: 96
Average prize: $51,042
Prize money (all-time): $96,200,000
The most active game in 2020, CS:GO has had tournaments going out almost every week.
Since the start of the year, the average number of Twitch viewers watching streamers and matches has almost tripled from 45,000 viewers in January to 120,000 viewers in April.
3. Rainbow Six Siege
Prize money (2020): $4,000,000
Tournaments: 18
Average prize: $222,222
Prize money (all-time): $12,100,000
This year’s Six Invitational 2020 in February saw a $3million prize pot, higher than any previous year.
Despite being released in 2015, Rainbow Six Siege’s popularity continues to grow.
As of this month, the game has surpassed 60 millions players worldwide.
4. League of Legends
Prize money (2020): $2,900,000
Tournaments: 26
Average prize: $111,538
Prize money (all-time): $75,600,000
The real-time strategy game developed by Riot Games is the fourth highest-paying game in history with over $75million in prize money.
The publisher announced last month that it was having to cancel this year’s Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), the game’s second largest international annual event.
However, fans will be excited for the start of the LPL that begins this weekend.
5. Rocket League
Prize money (2020): $1,500,000
Tournaments: 17
Average prize: $88,235
Prize money (all-time): $8,900,000
Rocket League has recently stepped into the mainstream with the BBC broadcasting the European Spring Series last month.
Previously, Season 9 of the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) saw almost $1million paid out across the tournament from February to April.
6. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)
Prize money (2020): $1,500,000
Tournaments: 21
Average prize: $71,429
Prize money (all-time): $22,000,000
Another esport that has had to cancel a big tournament. In PUBG’s case, the PGS 2020 in Berlin was set to go ahead in April.
The creators have since committed to hosting four events around the world in 2020 as long as it adheres to government advice.
—————————————————————————————————————————————–
A spokesperson for Unikrn said: “Postponing The International 2020 was the responsible choice from Valve, and it is only making this event larger and more anticipated.
“In the first 24 hours, The International compendium earned $24,000,000 from fans supporting the event, putting it on pace to be the largest esports prize in history.
“This enthusiasm isn’t unique to DOTA 2. Esports are continuing to accelerate in popularity, especially during these unprecedented times.”
—————————————————————————————————————————————–
** Statistics taken from www.esportsearnings.com (does not include charitable prize money, salaries, earning reductions)
HIGHEST-PAYING ESPORTS OF 2020 (BY PRIZE MONEY)
| 2020 prize money | No. of tournaments | Average prize money | |
| Game | |||
| DOTA2 | $6,000,000 | 54 | $111,111 |
| CS:GO | $4,900,000 | 96 | $51,042 |
| Rainbow Six: Siege | $4,000,000 | 18 | $222,222 |
| League of Legends | $2,900,000 | 26 | $111,538 |
| Rocket League | $1,500,000 | 17 | $88,235 |
| PUBG | $1,500,000 | 21 | $71,429 |
| Hearthstone | $1,200,000 | 8 | $150,000 |
| Magic The Gathering | $1,100,000 | 1 | $1,100,000 |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare | $1,100,000 | 19 | $57,895 |
| Arena of Valor | $827,000 | 2 | $413,500 |
HIGHEST-PAYING ESPORTS OF ALL-TIME (BY PRIZE MONEY)
| Total Prize Money | 2020 prize money | No. of tournaments | Average prize money | |
| Game | ||||
| DOTA2 | $224,300,000 | $6,000,000 | 54 | $111,111 |
| CS:GO | $96,200,000 | $4,900,000 | 96 | $51,042 |
| Fortnite | $85,300,000 | $600,000 | 3 | $200,000 |
| League of Legends | $75,600,000 | $2,900,000 | 26 | $111,538 |
| Starcraft | $32,800,000 | $500,000 | 46 | $10,870 |
| PLAYERUNKNOWN | $22,000,000 | $1,500,000 | 21 | $71,429 |
| Overwatch | $21,700,000 | $12,000 | 2 | $6,000 |
| Hearthstone | $21,200,000 | $1,200,000 | 8 | $150,000 |
| Heroes of Storm | $18,100,000 | $4,000 | 1 | $4,000 |
| Arena of Valor | $14,600,000 | $827,000 | 2 | $413,500 |
eSports
Emmy-Winning Director R.J. Cutler’s Docuseries Esports World Cup: Level Up Premieres June 6 on Prime Video
Prime Video, one of the leading entertainment destinations, will premiere the five-part documentary Esports World Cup: Level Up on June 6, with new episodes released weekly. Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler (Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, Elton John: Never Too Late and Martha), the series goes behind-the-scenes of the inaugural Esports World Cup (EWC) in 2024 — a defining moment in global esports, where over $60 million in prize money ignited a high-stakes, multinational battle to crown the world’s top esports Club.
The series is produced by This Machine (a part of Sony Pictures Television), with R.J. Cutler directing, John Dorsey serving as showrunner, and Jane Cha Cutler, Trevor Smith, Elise Pearlstein and Mark Blatty executive producing. Level Up will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Esports World Cup: Level Up offers a rare look inside a global competition that’s redefining what it means to be a champion for a new generation of athletes and fans. R.J. Cutler and his team of expert storytellers embedded themselves within the eight-week tournament – watched by over 500 million fans globally – to uncover the personal sacrifices, rivalries and stakes driving the action.
Shot in verité style, the series combines intimate home visits from around the world and on-the-ground coverage from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It follows a wide cast of characters – from Club CEOs orchestrating million-dollar strategies to rising stars chasing life-changing wins – while capturing the pulse of elite esports competition.
“What drew me to the Esports World Cup was the compelling human stories unfolding within this high-stakes arena. Level Up isn’t just about the incredible competition and prize money; it’s about the dedication, the passion, and the sheer will of these athletes and teams pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Under high pressure, we discover the true character of the competitors who vie for $60 million, but who also expose their humanity in the process,” said Cutler.
At the heart of Level Up is the “EWC Club Championship,” an unprecedented, multi-title tournament format where Clubs compete across more than 20 games, earning points toward a single leaderboard. Every match, every point, reshapes the race for global dominance. With the highest prize pool in esports history on the line, the EWC is not just a tournament – it’s a proving ground for the next generation of sports icons.
“A win might make the headlines — but the real story is the people behind it. Level Up dives into the human side of esports: the pressure, the ambition, the sacrifices. It’s about what it really takes to compete at the highest level — and why it matters. R.J. is the best at bringing those stories to life, and this one captures the heart of what we’re building,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.
The post Emmy-Winning Director R.J. Cutler’s Docuseries Esports World Cup: Level Up Premieres June 6 on Prime Video appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Esports betting pioneer adds daily fantasy esports offering to its growing range of products, with its sights set on the US market
PandaScore, the award-winning provider of esports odds, data and betting products, has continued to push boundaries with the launch of Daily Fantasy eSports, a truly groundbreaking product for operators and players.
Daily Fantasy eSports has been developed for the US market but will have global appeal with players drawn in by the chance to create virtual teams of real-life players and earn points based on their actual game performances.
Contests range from daily matchups to season-long leagues, with plenty of prizes up for grabs.
PandaScore’s Daily Fantasy eSports is backed by an expert-led esports trading team to deliver fast, accurate settlement data across unique, player-focused markets driven by the provider’s established and proven betting models.
An Interactive Player Widget serves up rich player stats and profiles, with PandaScore’s powerful BetBuilder enabling same-game parlays.
But that’s not all. PandaScore has more than 17,000 players in its esports player age and info database, the largest in the market.
It also offers dedicated helper codes and documentation to ensure smooth and seamless operator integration. It really is as easy as 1-2-3.
1 – There is a kick-off call to align on goals, timelines and fantasy formats.
2 – The operator accesses PandaScore’s dedicated fantasy-focused API to accelerate the build
3 – The dedicated integration manager ensures effortless onboarding and a successful launch
By leveraging PandaScore’s odds and data, alongside its team of experts and specialists, online sportsbook and daily fantasy sports operators can launch faster, ensure accuracy and scale their Daily Fantasy eSports offering with confidence.
Oliver Niner, Head of B2B at PandaScore, said: “Daily Fantasy eSports is a pioneering product from PandaScore that will really hit the mark with operators across North America, as well as other global markets.
“It allows operators to engage esports fans and bettors with a compelling product and proposition, but without the degree of risk that comes with standard betting as the payouts are controlled.
“Daily Fantasy eSports is already live with Dabble and is performing incredibly well, so we look forward to going live with more operators in the coming months.
“This really is a game-changing product, and we can’t wait to see it become available at some of the biggest betting brands in North America and beyond.”
The launch of Daily Fantasy eSports complements PandaScore’s growing esports betting offering, which includes odds and data for a huge number of disciplines, plus betting products like its BetBuilder, MicroMarkets and StoryBuilder.
The post PandaScore launches game-changing Daily Fantasy eSports product appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Esports Charts, a Ukraine-born analytics company that aggregates real-time viewership insights about esports, has won the Esports Innovation Award at the EsportsNext Industry Awards, hosted by the Esports Trade Association (ESTA) in Dallas, US.
The Esports Innovation Award recognizes an organization or individual that has introduced groundbreaking technology, services, or strategies significantly advancing the esports industry.
Esports Charts was honored for its scalable analytics platform, which provides comprehensive tournament and viewership statistics across more than 25 livestreaming services — helping stakeholders from publishers and teams to fans make smarter, data-driven decisions.
“Winning the Innovation Award from ESTA is an important milestone for us as a leading esports analytics service in the world. Also, we’re especially proud to represent Ukraine-born innovation on an international stage.
“From day one, our mission has been to bring clarity and transparency to the world of esports data. And this recognition from the industry is both an honor and a motivation to keep raising the bar.
“Thank you to our incredible team and partners, who believed in us from the start. This award is a shared success — and we’re just getting started,” Artyom Odintsov, co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts.
The post Esports Charts Wins “Esports Innovation Award” at the EsportsNext Industry Awards appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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