An American teenager has won £2.4 million after winning the Fortnite World Cup.
Kyle Giersdorf, 16, from Pennsylvania, took the top prize in the tournament for the popular online video game. He came top out of 100 players in New York. Playing under the name “Bugha,” Kyle won the solo finals by scoring 59 points, 26 more than his nearest competitor “psalm”.
“Words can’t even explain it. I’m just so happy,” the boy said in an interview at the event at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens. “Everything I’ve done, the grind, it’s all paid off. It’s just insane.”
Launched in 2017, Fortnite’s popularity helped Epic Games reach a £12.1 billion valuation last year.
The massive prize money at Sunday’s tournament highlights the booming popularity of video and online gaming. Global revenues from esports, or professional video game competitions, will hit £891 million in 2019, up 27 per cent since last year. It is thanks to ballooning revenues from advertising, sponsorship and media rights.
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