Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Axios
Axios
Technology
Ina Fried

Pennsylvania teen wins $3 million in Fortnite tournament

Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf celebrates winning Fortnite World Cup at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City. Photo: Eric Ananmalay/ESPAT Media/Getty Images

Kyle Giersdorf, a 16-year-old from Pennsylvania, won the solo event at the inaugural Fortnite World Cup on Sunday, taking home $3 million in the process.

Why it matters: Such prizes show there is real money to be made in the booming esports arena, but lots people on Twitter on Sunday pondered whether such winnings are overglorifying the economic prospects for playing video games.


Yes, but: Jaden Ashman, a 15-year-old from Essex, U.K., finished as the runner-up in the doubles event and says his mother once thew away his Xbox after a fight. These days, though, she's OK with him being a professional video gamer.

Between the lines: Despite the big prizes in some of the top tournaments, some analysts believe the growing industry is in the midst of a giant bubble, while others say its a budding entertainment field just in its infancy.

Go deeper: Fortnite's mobile game continues to soar

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.