The CelebriScape is changing. While red carpets of the industry’s hottest events might still be reserved for TV and movie stars, a smattering of digital natives – vloggers, bloggers, YouTube stars who post videos of themselves doing just about anything – are becoming just as famous (and making just as good a living) as some of the ‘traditional’ celebs.

The rise of online gaming has been a disruption of phenomenal proportions, with a far-reaching influence that goes well beyond demographics, it’s turned into a pop-culture juggernaut with mind-boggling reach. 

Here, you will learn about the biggest professional gamers, the games for which they compete, their winning strategies, and how their style on-screen has had a lot of real-world impacts.

The Rise of Online Gaming

Online games seemed to take off with a life of their own in recent years, mainly thanks to technological advancements. Firstly, the introduction of high-speed internet and the widespread availability of stable wi-fi networks enabled smooth and instantaneous online gaming sessions. Technology has also enabled games to be played on much smaller devices like phones and tablets, which has made accessibility to these online games much wider.

Mobile gambling has seen remarkable growth, driven by the convenience of playing casino games on smartphones. This has sparked a surge in mobile gambling apps and platforms, offering a range of sophisticated features.

Mobile gambling options typically provide intuitive interfaces designed for touchscreens, support real-time multiplayer gaming, and even offer live dealer games streamed directly to mobile devices. These represent the advantages of playing casino games on mobile, as they keep millions of gamblers flocking to mobile versions of popular games, such as poker, baccarat, roulette, and more. 

Moreover, casino platforms integrate seamlessly with mobile payment systems, allowing for easy transactions. Many platforms also offer personalized experiences based on user behavior and preferences, along with social features that enable players to engage and compete with friends. Ultimately, this and many other benefits of online gaming have led to the rise of popular gaming streamers and their consequent massive fanbases. 

The Most Popular (and Wealthiest) Figures in Gaming

As the online gaming community has grown over the years, so has its celebrity and polarisation. Stars like Mr Beast or SSSniperWolf are just as common phenomena as models or football players, and Youtubers, Twitch streamers, and eSports champions are celebrities with real clout. Here are some of our favourites with an influence that might rival Hollywood offerings. Chances are you’ve already heard of them.

Daniel Negreanu

Most memorably, perhaps, there’s Daniel Negreanu. He’s been on the tournament circuit for more than 20 years, which means he’s won so much money – more than $46 million in live tournaments – that he’d be on this list almost by default. The Canadian-born ‘Kid Poker’, whose appearance belies the fact that he went professional aged just 18, is not your typical online gamer.

But he played his A-game across online poker tables throughout his career, and his charismatic, affable personality and regular TV appearances over the years contributed to his considerable success with a healthy income playing casino games online.

Alexey Pajitnov 

Alexey Pajitnov, renowned for creating the globally popular video game Tetris, is a Soviet-born Russian computer engineer and game designer. He developed Tetris in 1984 while employed at Moscow’s Dorodnitsyn Computing Centre.

Following Tetris’s international release in 1987, Pajitnov relocated to the United States in 1991, eventually becoming a U.S. citizen. In 1996, he co-founded The Tetris Company with Dutch game designer Henk Rogers. Prior to this, Pajitnov didn’t receive royalties from Tetris, with the Soviet government being the sole Russian beneficiary of its success. 

However, this didn’t hold him back, as he kept maintaining his focus on video game development, creating other puzzle games like Hexic HD. His career has been dedicated to crafting engaging and much-beloved games that have entertained players worldwide for decades. 

Johan Sundstein (N0tail)

Perhaps the greatest player ever to play Dota 2, N0tail’s professional earnings to date exceed $7 million. Rarely has anyone amassed such a cabinet’s worth of Dota 2 trophies. Pixel mastery aside, away from the competition field N0tail is as dedicated to his off-time, frequently seen in interviews and events dressed down in clean lines with an occasional Scandinavian minimalism.

Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins

This Fortnite icon broke ground for online streaming. While Ninja’s exact earnings are up for debate (some estimates have it at $17 million, others as high as $50 million), his influence is undeniable. Ninja leveraged his charisma and skill in Fortnite into an enormous following, and a propensity for lucrative sponsorships and apparel deals. Ninja has had his own branded apparel line, as well as a collaboration line with a major sportswear brand, Adidas. 

Felix ‘xQc’ Lengyel

This variety streamer, who has made more than $5 million, gained notoriety for exposing a raw and human side of gameplay and has used a brash, uninhibited, and unfiltered personality to resonate with and entertain a large audience. 

xQc is also a huge fan of variety and doesn’t shy away from experimenting with different games. He currently streams a variety of popular games, including Overwatch and, recently, GTA V. xQc’s default choice of fashion is streetwear and can mostly be seen wearing hoodies and graphic t-shirts. The Canadian streamer has also worked on clothing collaborations and created a limited-edition line of hoodies and t-shirts that sold out in minutes, which has now turned into his own clothing brand.

The Future is Pixelated and Bright

In just a few decades, online gaming went from being a fringe activity to a truly global superstar, and film actors, athletes, singers and other movie stars are heading increasingly for a B-list. Professional gamers – and the people who stream great gaming performances online – have huge followings, lucrative sponsorship contracts, and the status of cultural leaders. And this is just the beginning – the future of online gaming and its stars look even more exciting as technology evolves.