eSports is growing at an incredible rate, and with that growth comes more money and bigger opportunities. Tournaments are being hosted worldwide, with millions of dollars on the line.
So which teams are reaping the benefits?
Let's look at the world's ten highest-performing and earning eSports teams. We will also take a look at some of their most impressive accomplishments!
#1 - SKT Telecoms T1
This South Korean team has consistently been at the top of the eSports world since its creation in 2002. T1, the home team of the legendary Faker (LoL), has won three League of Legends World Championships, four Mid-Season Invitationals, and eight LCK (League of Legends Champions Korea) Championships, as well as many other tournaments.
The BEST SK Telecom T1 plays from Worlds (2013, 2015, 2016) ft. Faker, Impact and Marin
As a result, they are estimated to have earned over $12 million through the prize money won through 448 tournaments. The following of T1 stretches and reaches every corner of the planet, and there are fans on every continent.
They are beloved if they win and beloved if they lose, and it's very difficult for any other eSports team even to get close to the legacy that SKT has.
#2 - Team Liquid
Team Liquid is a Dutch-based eSports organization that was founded in 2000, making them one of the oldest professional teams in the world.
They have been incredibly successful across multiple games, with their most dominant titles being Starcraft II and Dota 2. They have won numerous championships, including a Dota 2 International Championship and four LCS Championships, amongst many others. This has earned them over $42 million in prize money alone.
#3 - G2 Esports
G2 Esports is a Spanish eSports organization founded in 2013, and while it's relatively new, the organization has quickly made itself a name as the most entertaining eSports team in the world.
Whatever game or competition you're watching, G2 never fails to pick some off-meta fun champions and can still dominate the playing field with them and are fully smiling and joking while doing so.
Their relaxed and charismatic attitude has won the hearts of many, and it's easy to see why they're so popular. Check out their voice comms video from their LCK League Sweep back in early 2022.
How it sounds to sweep the LEC | LEC 2022 Spring Finals Voicecomms
It's envious how relaxed and fun they can be in such high-pressure situations, and it's one of the team's major attractions.
They have competed in multiple eSport tournaments, with their most successful games being League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. In 2019 they won the Mid-Season Invitational and became the first European team to win an international championship.
This accomplishment earned them over $11 million in prize money across 612 tournaments.
#4 - DRX
DRX (formerly DragonX) is a South Korean team that was founded in 2018 and has quickly made a name for itself in the eSports world. They compete in games like League of Legends, Tekken, Valorant, and Warcraft and have won three championships in League of Legends and one championship in Valorant, earning them over $1.8 million in prize money across 83 tournaments.
In 2022, they were catapulted into the limelight when they won the League 2022 World's series against the titans that are SKT Telecoms T1, an underdog win that will continue to propel them forward for years to come.
T1 vs DRX - Game 5 | Grand Finals LoL Worlds 2022 | DRX vs T1 - G5 full game
#5 - Fnatic
Fnatic is a British-based eSports organization that was founded in 2004. They have competed in multiple games and have been incredibly successful, especially in League of Legends tournaments. However, they have rosters in nearly every eSports game, including Apex Legends, CS:GO, DOTA 2, FIFA, Valorant, and many more.
They've won over 200 tournaments across 30 games, earning them $18 million in 1059 tournaments.
#6 - Astralis
Astralis is a Danish eSports organization that was founded in 2016. They are most well-known for their success in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and have won numerous championships, including four Major Championships. This has earned them over $9 million in prize money across 150 tournaments.
#7 - Evil Geniuses
Evil Geniuses is a North American eSports organization founded in 1999. They have had great success in multiple games, including Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2. They've won two International Championships and one Major Championship, earning them over $26 million in prize money in 953 tournaments.
The team frequently shows off nail-biting plays, like this insane play during the DOTA 2 2015 series where a play was dubbed the $6.6 million Slam Dunk, a play that won them the game.
Universe $6,000,000 Echo Slam Dunk Dota 2 TI5
#8 - Ninjas in Pyjamas
Ninjas in Pyjamas is a Swedish eSports organization that was founded in 2000. They have competed in multiple games, but their greatest success has been in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. They've won three Majors and four DreamHack championships, earning them over $7.4 million in prize money in 165 tournaments.
As you may guess, the name was actually created just to be fun, but when the team went on to find success in their eSports efforts, the name stuck, making them a fan favorite, and truly iconic in the eSports industry.
#9 - FaZe Clan
FaZe Clan is a North American eSports organization that was founded in 2010. They have competed in multiple games and have been incredibly successful, especially in Call of Duty tournaments. They've won two World Championships and several other tournaments, earning them over $14 million in prize money across 583 tournaments.
However, while FaZe is perhaps not the most successful team in the world, they are hyper-connected with their fanbase and have an incredibly integrated online presence.
Across its social media channels, the Clan prides itself on over 510 million fans. It is seen as the disruptive bad-boy group of the eSports world, usually known to be involved in some kind of controversy with its players or connected people.
#10 - Invictus Gaming
Invictus Gaming is a Chinese esports organization founded in 2011. They have been incredibly successful in League of Legends, with one World Championship and two Mid-Season Invitational titles under their belt. This has earned them over $14 million in prize money across 594 tournaments.
Invictus Gaming is always fun to watch as the games they partake in are brutal and known to be some of the highest-kill games in the world.
Summary
It's fantastic to see how far eSports has come and how much money top teams can earn. With the right combination of skill, strategy, and dedication, eSports teams can make a lot of money.
The ten highest-earning teams alone have earned hundreds of millions in prize money - now that's impressive! It will be interesting to see how much this evolves over the coming years!