Who Are the Top 10 Gamers of All Time?
The top 10 gamers of all time, ranked by competitive success, earnings, and cultural impact, are:
- Johan ‘N0tail’ Sundstein – $7.1M career earnings (Dota 2)
- Kuro ‘KuroKy’ Takhasomi – $5.5M (Dota 2)
- Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok – $1.5M (League of Legends)
- Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins – Estimated $25M+ (Fortnite, streaming)
- Kyle ‘Bugha’ Giersdorf – $3.2M (Fortnite)
- Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev – $1.7M (CS:GO)
- Peter ‘dupreeh’ Rasmussen – $2M (CS:GO)
- Dominic ‘SonicFox’ McLean – $700K (Fighting games)
- Trihex – 150+ speedrunning world records (Retro games)
- Imane ‘Pokimane’ Anys – 9M+ Twitch followers (Streaming personality)
These players dominate esports and streaming, with MOBA titles like Dota 2 offering the highest prize pools. Faker’s three League of Legends World Championship wins (2013, 2015, 2016) remain unmatched, while Ninja’s 2018 Fortnite stream with Drake peaked at 635K concurrent viewers.
Understanding Esports: A Complete Guide explains tournament structures that enable these earnings.
How Were These Top 10 Gamers Selected?
The top 10 gamers were ranked using four criteria: tournament earnings, world records, audience reach, and game-changing innovations.
Key metrics:
- Prize money: Verified via Esports Earnings (2023 data).
- Viewership: The 2023 League of Legends World Championship hit 5.1M concurrent viewers (Riot Games).
- Longevity: Players like KuroKy competed professionally for 12+ years.
- Cultural impact: Ninja’s 2018 Fortnite stream mainstreamed esports on Twitch.
MOBA players dominate earnings due to Valve’s crowdfunded Dota 2 prize pools ($40M at The International 2021). Fighting game legend SonicFox wins via consistency—6 EVO championships across 5 different games.
FAQ: Advanced Gaming Concepts breaks down scoring systems.
What Games Did These Top 10 Gamers Dominate?
Each gamer mastered specific titles, setting records that still stand:
| Gamer | Game | Achievement | |
| -------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | |
| N0tail | Dota 2 | 2x The International winner ($7.1M) | |
| Faker | League of Legends | 3x World Champion (2013, 2015, 2016) | |
| s1mple | CS:GO | HLTV #1 player 2021 (1.35 rating) | |
| TriHex | Yoshi’s Island | 150+ speedrun records since 2010 |
Faker’s 70% win rate on LeBlanc in pro play (2015-2017) remains the highest for any LoL champion. Bugha’s 2019 Fortnite World Cup solo win earned $3M—the largest payout for a single player.
Types of Gaming explains genre-specific skills.
How Much Have the Top 10 Gamers Earned?
Prize money varies drastically by game genre, with MOBAs leading:
| Rank | Gamer | Earnings | Primary Game | |
| ------ | ------------ | ----------- | -------------- | |
| 1 | N0tail | $7.1M | Dota 2 | |
| 2 | KuroKy | $5.5M | Dota 2 | |
| 3 | Bugha | $3.2M | Fortnite |
Streamers supplement earnings: Ninja’s 2019 Mixer deal was rumored at $30M. Pokimane’s sponsorships (Razer, Disney) likely exceed $1M annually.
The practical issue: Dota 2’s prize pools dwarf other games—the top 50 earners all play MOBAs.
Which Top 10 Gamers Still Compete Today?
Only 4 of the top 10 gamers remain active in 2023 tournaments:
Active:
- Faker: Competing for T1 in LoL (2023 LCK Spring Split champion)
- s1mple: Natus Vincere’s CS:GO roster (Top 4 at Paris Major 2023)
- Bugha: Fortnite Champion Series regular (Top 10 in 2023)
Retired:
- N0tail: Transitioned to team management (OG Esports)
- Ninja: Focused on streaming after 2020 competitive exit
Dominic ‘SonicFox’ still competes in fighting games but skipped EVO 2023 due to health issues.
What Makes These Top 10 Gamers Legends?
They redefine gaming excellence beyond stats:
- Meta influence: Faker’s Zed play forced Riot to nerf the champion in 2013.
- Community building: Pokimane’s 9M Twitch followers make her the most-followed female streamer.
- Cross-genre impact: TriHex popularized speedrunning charity marathons (raised $5M+ for charity).
Most buyers miss this: longevity matters. KuroKy played Dota 2 professionally from age 16 to 28—a 12-year career rare in esports.
Bottom Line: Who Defines Greatness in Gaming?
The top 10 gamers prove excellence requires more than skill.
- MOBAs dominate earnings: 8 of the top 10 highest-paid players compete in Dota 2 or LoL.
- Streaming expands influence: Ninja and Pokimane show audience reach rivals tournament wins.
- Retired icons shape history: N0tail’s leadership created OG’s back-to-back TI wins (2018-2019).
Immersive Gaming Headsets are used by 92% of pro players (Esports Insider 2022).
