How To Become A Millionaire Playing Videogames

Many readers might not be familiar with Dota 2, nor know that one can get paid for playing a videogame. However, last weekend, being geeks made five pro gamers millionaires.

On Saturday, a U.S.-based team won a $6.6 million prize after coming out triumphant in a gaming “tournament” called The International 2015 (or just, TI5).

The final round of the competition, broadcasted by ESPN -owned by Walt Disney Co DIS- offered $18 million in prizes, and the U.S. team got the largest part the pool.

The event is organized by the creator of the videogame, Valve Corporation, which also developed other blockbuster games like Half-Life and Counter-Strike. The company contributes with $1.6 million for prizes every year. “The rest comes from sales of an annual compendium, an interactive booklet that tracks the tournament and challenges fans to predict winners in exchange for cosmetic items that can be used in-game,” a Mashable article explains. “A quarter of the income from the compendium funds the rest of The International's prize pool. In this case, that came out to $16.4 million (meaning Valve pocketed almost $50 million from compendium sales).”

Interestingly enough, not only ESPN was interested in the event. Time Warner Inc TWX’s CNN also covered the action, transmitting a special report on the rise of professional gaming and e-sports. So, while e-sports are far from having a really massive appeal, like soccer of football, their importance continues to grow, and gaming companies like Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. TTWO, Activision Blizzard, Inc. ATVI and Electronic Arts Inc. EA likely stand to benefit from the trend.