5 esports tournaments with highest expected prize pools in 2023
The esports industry has rapidly grown over the past decade and has become a significant part of the entertainment and sports industry. Today, it encompasses a wide range of video game tournaments and has developed into a global phenomenon with a massive fan base.
This rise has also seen the viewership and revenue numbers explode over the past decade, with what once started out as small events between friends in pubs and gaming cafes now becoming one of the most lucrative businesses globally.
So, when did this growth begin? There is no doubt that one of the industry's turning points was the first The International, held in 2011 in the new (back then) game, Dota 2. It featured an absurd prize pool of one million dollars which was unheard of back then.
Since then, the industry has reached a stage where the prize money has increased by almost ten times come 2023, with the potential for so much more in the future.
Prize pools are a major component of esports and play a significant role in attracting players, teams, and viewers to competitions. Esports prize pools have been growing significantly over the years, with some of the largest tournaments offering millions of dollars in prize money.
Prize money in esports is typically funded by various sources, including sponsorships, advertising, and revenue from ticket sales and merchandise. It is often split among the top performers in a competition, with the winners receiving the largest share of the prize money.
Some of the biggest prize pools have been offered at major tournaments such as The International (Dota 2), League of Legends World Championship, and Fortnite World Cup. In 2021, The International Dota 2 tournament offered a total prize pool of over $40 million, making it the largest prize pool in esports history (although that will be broken this year).
Esports prize pools are significant not just because of the amount of money involved but also because they can have a significant impact on the development of the esports industry. Large prize pools can attract more investment, more sponsorships, and more attention from the media, which can help grow the industry and make it more mainstream.
The earliest prize pools in esports events were nothing to boast about, as they were mostly held by passionate gamers without the support or sponsorship seen today. One of the earliest prizes involved a Ferrari and Quake that has become a legendary story today.
Recognized by The Guinness World Records as the first professional gamer, Dennis "Thresh" Fong, once competed in one of the earliest esports events, the Red Annihilation Quake Tournament at the 1997 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). The prize he got for winning the competition? A Ferrari 328GTS convertible that belonged to id Software CEO, John Carmack.
Such was the scene in the 1990s that this is what Fong had to say about his success as one of the early esports pioneers:
“I was one of the first, if not the first, pro gamer. Back in the mid to late 90’s I was sponsored by a bunch of different companies and making over $100,000 a year when there was really no one else making any kind of money.”
However, once his story spread around and a few more games worth investing in competitively came in, the 2000s began a shift in this journey. The World Cyber Games, an international esports competition with multi-game titles, saw hundreds of esports athletes from around the world participate in various competitions and came to be known as the Esports Olympics.
The total prize pool at this competition has slowly risen, starting at $200K before moving to $300K, 420K, $580K, and $612K at various points. Many point to this event being the biggest in esports for a long time, and definitely through the noughties, before the big league names seen today started making their entries.
The turning point was the first The International event that had a $1.6 million prize pool, including $1 million for the winner. Never before had a single esport discipline seen such a massive amount handed out, with the WCG coming closest but bringing many games under its umbrella.
With the trail now blazed, the 2016 LoL World Championship pushed its purse to $5 million before Dota 2 returned with even larger sums, and the MOBA remains the biggest-paying esports discipline today. The last five editions have not gone below $18 million in prize money, with a chance for records to be broken this year if the recent mega update can be a mega success.
There was also the inaugural Fortnite World Cup in 2019 that handed out $30 million in prize money and made a household name of out Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf. Although there has not been a repeat of this from Epic Games, fans can be sure the company will come up with something substantial in the near future, especially with the announcement of its FNCS Global Championship 2023.
Today, the scene is something no one could have imagined would be the case 20 years back. There are loads of disciplines, massive prize pools across games, and millions of dollars at the biggest events, with scope for more.
There has been a boom in organizers from different spheres coming together to host competitions with record amounts of money at stake. A good example is how the Arab world, led by Saudi Arabia, has been hosting more and more esports events with prize pools that range from $5 million to $45 million.
The future has never looked brighter, and a career in esports may never be more rewarding. With that in mind, here are the esports tournaments expected to pay out record sums this year.
Biggest expected prize pool esports competitions in 2023
#5 LoL Worlds — $2.25 million to $3 million
The League of Legends World Championship (also known as Worlds) is an annual esports tournament organized by Riot Games, the developer of the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, League of Legends. The tournament features teams from around the world competing against each other for the title of world champion and a share of the multi-million-dollar prize pool.
The LoL World Championship is widely regarded as one of the biggest esports games globally, with millions of viewers tuning in to watch the action each year. In addition to the main event, the World Championship also features various other events and activities, including fan festivals and All-Star events.
The competition has grown significantly since its inception in 2011, with the prize pool and number of teams competing increasing each year. This year, expect the League of Legends Worlds prize pool to be between $2.25 million and $3 million. It will be held from October 10 to November 19 in a new format with 22 teams over three stages of competition in two cities.
The Play-In Stage will be held between October 10 and October 15 at LoL Park in Seoul. The Swiss Stage runs from October 19 to October 23 and October 26 to October 29 at the KBS Arena in Seoul. The Knockouts will have the Quarterfinals (November 2 to 5) and Semifinals (November 11 and 12) at the Sajik Indoor Gymnasium in Busan.
The Finals, scheduled for November 19, will be played at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, the largest indoor venue in the country and the home of the Seoul-based baseball team, Kiwoom Heroes.
#4 The FNCS Global Championship 2023 — $4 million
After a lot of haggling with fans and players, Fortnite will be back with an in-person event worth the admission price. While it is not the Fortnite World Cup 2023, the FNCS Global Championship 2023 will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark's capital, with a prize pool of $4 million.
Usually, the Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) is a series of online and offline tournaments organized by Epic Games, the developer of the popular battle royale-building game. This year will have three major tournaments, each lasting five weeks, with the first one being held in February.
Duos will battle it out over the first three weeks, earning points for placement, with each major culminating in a grand final — involving the top 40 teams that have qualified — for a chance at laying their hands on the $2 million prize pool and qualification for the global championship at the end of the year. The other major kicked off in April, while the last one will happen in July.
The FNCS Global Championship 2023 will be a major highlight of the Fortnite esports calendar, with the best players and teams from around the world competing for a pretty large prize pool. We can also expect the event to draw a large online and in-person audience, with millions of viewers tuning in to watch the action.
Overall, this much anticipated Fortnite event has the potential to be a significant event in the world of esports, and we can expect it to showcase the best Fortnite players and teams from around the world.
#3 PUBG Mobile Global Championship — $4.5 million
The PUBG Mobile Global Championship (PMGC) is an annual esports competition organized for the famous battle royale smartphone title. One of the most viewed esports events, it features top teams from around the world competing against each other for a share of the multi-million-dollar prize pool.
The PMGC features several regional competitions, including the PMPL (PUBG Mobile Pro League) and the PMSL (PUBG Mobile Super League), which serve as qualifiers for the main event. The top teams from each region then compete in the PMGC Finals, which typically take place over several days in a single location.
The PMGC Finals feature multiple rounds of competition, including a group stage and knockout rounds, with the top-performing teams advancing to the grand finals. The grand finals consist of numerous matches, with the team that earns the most points across all matches being crowned the PMGC champion.
This esports competition is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious and competitive PUBG Mobile tournaments in the world, with millions of viewers tuning in to watch the action each year. The tournament has grown significantly since its inception in 2018, with the prize pool and the number of teams competing increasing each year.
Overall, the PUBG Mobile Global Championship is a major highlight of the PUBG Mobile esports calendar and a significant event in the world of competitive gaming. This time around, it will carry a not-so-insignificant prize pool of $4.5 million.
#2 The International 12 — $25 million to $30 million
The International (TI) is an annual Dota 2 esports tournament organized by Valve Corporation, the developer of the legendary multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game. The tournament features the world's best Dota 2 teams competing for the title of World Champion and a share of the multi-million-dollar prize pool, which is expected to be between $25 million and $30 million this year.
The International typically takes place over several days and features a group stage followed by a double-elimination bracket. The top teams from each group advance to the upper bracket, while the bottom teams are placed in the lower bracket. Teams compete in a best-of-three format, with the grand finals being a best-of-five series.
The prize pool for The International is largely crowdfunded, with a portion of the revenue from the sale of the in-game Battle Pass going toward the tournament prize pool. The prize pool for The International has grown significantly over the years, with the 2021 event featuring the largest esports prize pool of over $40 million.
The International is widely regarded as one of the best esports games globally, with millions of viewers tuning in to watch the action each year. The tournament has a rich history and has featured some of the most iconic moments in esports history, such as "The Play" in 2012.
In addition to the main event, The International also features various other events and activities, including fan gatherings, cosplay competitions, and All-Star matches. Overall, The International is a major highlight of the Dota 2 esports calendar and a significant event in the world of competitive gaming.
#1 The Land of Heroes — $45 million
In early March, Saudi Arabian esports organizer Gamers8 announced its 2023 event, The Land of Heroes. What was of historical significance was that it would carry the largest prize pool ever for any esports tournament, at $45 million.
Gamers8 will split this milestone prize money record between a list of games that have not yet been revealed. Last year, it had six titles: PUBG Mobile, Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite, Dota 2, and Rocket League.
Initially, the company had announced a prize purse of $30 million for this year, but it was increased to three times 2022’s prize pool ($15 million). This was because they wanted it to be “bigger in every way,” including more games and a larger prize pool.
Like last year, there will also be bonuses for players, and there's still a chance this amount will be further increased. With the Saudi government on a mission to become a powerhouse in the esports industry, one of its entities, Savvy Gaming Group, recently purchased two of the biggest tournament organizers — ESL Gaming and FACEIT — for a combined $1.5 billion.
Overall, today's esports industry is rapidly growing and dynamic, attracting more investment, viewers, and players than ever before. With the continued growth and professionalization of the industry, we can expect esports to become an even more significant part of the sports and entertainment landscape in the years to come.
Top five esports tournaments by prize pools in 2023
|
Discipline
|
Name of the event
|
Prize pool or expected prize pool
|
|---|---|---|
        |
Gamers8's 'The Land of Heroes'
|
$45 million
|
|
|
The International 12
|
$25 million to $30 million
|
|
|
PUBG Mobile Global Championship
|
$4.5 million
|
|
|
FNCS Global Championship 2023
|
$4 million
|
 |
LoL World Championship
|
$2.25 million to $3 million
|
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