Most Successful eSports Players from Canada - Article
by Craig S , posted on 07 October 2021 / 5,882 Views
The following is a guest editorial.
eSports is among the fastest-growing sectors of the gaming industry, and Canada is a powerhouse when it comes to top competitive gamers. Thanks to the attention it's begun receiving, the world has seen the emergence of a number of successful and popular eSports players, with some making substantial amounts from tournament winnings, org salaries, and sponsorship deals. Below are Canada's most successful ones to-date.
5. Jacky Mao (EternaLEnVy)
Jacky Mao, also known as EternaLEnVy, is the most eccentric pro Dota 2 player in the world. His unusual, strong personality and crazy in-game strategies ensure he always makes waves within the scene and is equal part loved and loathed by the community.
Throughout his exciting Dota 2 career, EternaLEnVy has earned around $992,000, meaning he'll soon become one of just five Canadian players with total career tournament earnings of over $1 million. Despite being in the eSports scene for a while, EternaLEnVy’s didn't come until 2016, when he and Team Secret won the Shanghai Major tournament. Since 2018 he's struggled to perform well in major international tournaments, but his unorthodox approach to the game means that his teams are always a wildcard prospect to take down even the most unbeatable teams.
4. Keith Markovic (NAF)
Instead of mastering Dota 2, NAF perfected Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Since entering the competitive scene, the 23 year old Canadian has racked up 24 tournament championships and a further 26 runner-ups, making him the game's most successful Canadian player and a millionaire in the process.
His first major win came while playing for OpTic Gaming during ELEAGUE Season 2 in 2016, but he would only go on to further success, most notably by playing for Team Liquid. Since joining the squad in 2018 Keith Markovic has won over a dozen tournaments, making him a force to be reckoned with.
3. Williams Aubin (Zayt)
Dota 2 certainly isn't the only lucrative eSports title. Other incredibly popular games like Fortnite, CS:GO, and League of Legends also boast strong prize pools and salary opportunities for the best players. Their competitive games also feature in online casinos that are legal for Canadians to bet on. That's where Williams Aubin, also known as Zayt, comes in - he's one of the best and most successful Fortnite players in the world.
His biggest success came at the 2019 Fortnite World Cup Finals. There, in the singles competition, he managed a respectable 33rd-64th and $50,000. But in the duos, with his American partner Saf, he picked up a cool $750,000 by finished 3rd. That rocketed him up the leaderboard and lands him in 3rd place on this list. With over $1.2 million in earnings already, and a very popular Twitch channel, Zayt is making a very lucrative career for himself.
2. Kurtis Ling (Aui_2000)
Kurtis Ling, popularly known as Au_2000, is a successful Dota 2 pro player, coach, and commentator. Kurtis attended British Columbia University and later left school to play games competitively. Though initially doing so against his parents' wishes, Aui_2000's quickly went on to become a recognizable name within the world of competitive Dota 2.
In 2015, as part of the team Evil Geniuses, he won Dota 2's The International 5, and with it a cheque for $1.3 million. Thanks to that win he became the most successful Canadian gamer of all time in 2015, and although his tournament earnings would later be eclipsed by another Canadian Dota 2 player, Kurtis 'Aui_2000' Ling remains to one of the best and most well-regarded eSports players from Canada.
1. Artour Babaev (Arteezy)
Arteezy is an Uzbekistan-born Canadian Dota 2 icon who burst into the eSports gaming scene when he was just 17 years old. Ever since his debut win at MLG Columbus, Artour has been considered a young genius within the Dota 2 scene and is highly desired by the best teams, which has caused him to yo-yo between Evil Geniuses and Team Secret.
Artour has yet to win a lucrative International - the game's biggest yearly tournament - but despite that he manages to be Canada's highest paid competitive gamer. That's largely thanks to his teams' off-season consistency and strong 3rd place finishes at The International 4 & 8. To-date he's made over $2.3 million from tournament winnings alone.
Apart from the above-listed players, other popular and successful eSports players from Canada that you should watch out for include David Tan (MoonMeander), Russel Van Dulken (Twistzz), Damon Barlow (Karma), and Mathew Fiorante (Royal2). These players have not only proven their mastery of different games, but also earned small fortunes taking part in renowned tournaments.
