Gaming News At 15, at his mother’s urging, he left school to make money playing Fortnite. Five years later, success or failure?
The world of video games is constantly evolving and offering passionate gamers more and more options. This is the case with Kyle. A young man who gave up traditional classes at the age of 15 to focus on Fortnite. A decision encouraged by his mother, who quickly recognized her son’s talents for the popular battle royale. An initiative that is still bearing fruit today.
550,000 dollars at Fortnite
Fourteen days
In 2017, many players are excited about Fortnite. A third-person shooter video game, playable alone or with others, where the objective is to be the last man standing on the island. This video game is well suited to a young audience, allowing teenagers to meet and have good times together. It’s Benji Fish, a teenager who is also seduced… to the point that he spends most of his time there. The Englishman meets American players and is forced to spend nights playing the game. A nighttime activity that is incompatible with his college classes.
When his mother first saw the income her son could earn from Fortnite (a first online competition allowed him to earn around ten thousand dollars), she decided to make a change. She changes her child’s curriculum and has them take online courses. The training usually lasts three years for two. Enough for him to concentrate on his video game.
This initiative is still controversial today. Competitive video game enthusiasts know how competitive the world of professional eSports is and how difficult it is to break through as a gamer. However, BenjiFishy managed to do this. His career at Fortnite between 2019 and 2023 allowed him to earn around $600,000 (around $550,000).. A win that he owes to his first appearances at tournaments, but also to sponsors and his job as a content creator. But Fortnite no longer satisfied him and he decided to move on.
“Fortnite is not a competitive game”
Today we can find BenjiFishy playing the competitive shooter Valorant. Last March, he explained to a media outlet why he made this transition. His answer is that of a person looking for challenges and problems.
“I’m a very competitive person and Fortnite is not a competitive game. I wanted to do something that I enjoyed more and that I would have more motivation for. That’s why I made the change.”
However, Riot Games’ debut in competitive play isn’t as sparkling as Epic Games’. In fact, Benji arrived two years after the game’s release: a significant delay compared to the professionals present since its release in 2020: they have already gained a lot of experience. If his earnings are meager (about $5,000 recovered), he may have a good career ahead of him. Benji Fish has already been voted the best rookie of 2023 and took part in his first major competition of the year in Madrid in March.
My first reward in Valorant: Thank you to everyone who voted for me!
Although this story is ongoing, it offers several lessons. That of the difficult transition between two games; or that the phrase “fifteen minutes of glory” takes on its full meaning in the competitive video game scene. And that it is up to each individual to continue on this path despite the initial failures or to return to a more traditional path.
