For those who have often wondered how some players make a living off of video games, this weekends’ past Evolution Championship tournament series should sufficiently answer those questions. Over the course of three days, talented players gathered in Las Vegas to digitally duke it out in a variety of fighting games and win their respective game titles. Not only did the top competitors get the glory and first place trophy, but they also netted the formidable prize money that went with it.
According to a report released by E-Sports Earnings, the highest prize payout amounted to approximately $36,972 and went to American player SonicFox for his victory in Mortal Kombat X.The second highest payout of $33,362 was awarded to Japanese player Momochi, after he won first place in Ultra Street Fighter IV in a controversial grand final round.
Following closely was another American player known as Rico Suave, securing a cool $32,382 along with his first place title in Killer Instinct.
Players that competed in other games didn’t fare too badly either. Here is an approximate breakdown of the other winners’ earnings:
Tekken 7 champion Nobi – $20,748
Guilty Gear Xrd champion Ogawa – $11,808
Super Smash Bros. (Wii U) champion ZeRo – $11,556
Super Smash Bros. Melee champion Armada – $11,214
Persona 4 Arena: Ultimax champion Chou – $8,622
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 champion KaneBlueRiver – $4,896
To put these numbers in perspective, registration for a single tournament at EVO 2015 cost at least $40 for a two-day attendance pass and an additional $10 per entry into a tournament. This years event also experienced the highest registration numbers the competition has seen, with at least 2,227 people officially registered for Ultra Street Fighter IV alone.
