Esports is turning young competitors into multi-million-dollar champions – and it’s a growing trend. Every day, thousands of aspiring professional gamers break into the esports industry, eager to become the next world champion. With dozens of competitive games existing in the market, there’s a dynamic and diverse world for players to explore. This billion-dollar phenomenon is only just getting started in some ways, and the best esports countries are carving out their place in the industry.
Which country has the best gamers, though? This is an international endeavour – there are competitive gamers in every country on Earth, but which country is the best at esports? From the countries that field the most players to the ones that have earned the most money over the years, there’s plenty of data to get into to list the best esports countries. To learn as much as possible about the top gaming countries, simply read on.
© The International
China is a stunning country when it comes to esports players. It fields a vast number of teams and is home to some seriously capable organisations that have established themselves as world champions time and again. For a while, the Chinese government opposed the idea of competitive gaming, but thanks to the popularity of the concept, it has opened its doors to the esports industry, going as far as to facilitate the construction of dedicated esports stadiums.
While the highest-earning players are focused on Dota 2, esports in China are spread across a diverse array of titles, from PUBG to League of Legends.
At the time of publishing, a whopping forty-eight Chinese esports players have won more than $1 million – which is far more than any country on the planet.
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Image Credit: ONE Esports
The United States is one of the best esports countries without a doubt. It fields far more competitive players than any other country in the world, but does that alone make it the country with the best gamers? There’s a very diverse market in the United States, with representation existing in almost every major title in the esports industry. From Halo to Rainbow Six and from Rocket League to Call of Duty, the United States has proven itself to be a mixed nation when it comes to esports games.
However, despite there being more than 25,000 ‘professional gamers’ in the United States, ‘only’ twenty-four of them have earned more than $1 million from esports. With that being said, the United States remains one of the strongest contributors to the esports industry, from the esports education side of things to the facilitation of a next-generation esports infrastructure.
The USA also boasts the highest concentration of top-tier, high-earning content creators and streamers, effortlessly dominating that market.
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South Korea is often considered the founding father of the modern esports industry, having spearheaded the growth of the market more than a decade ago. It’s one of the best esports countries by far, boasting a vast audience and some of the most instantly recognisable competitors in the world. In South Korea, some esports players are seen as being rockstars and they’re treated like A-list celebrities wherever they go.
With that in mind, drastically few esports players from South Korea have made more than $1 million through esports winnings. At the time of writing, just five players boast that achievement, but that’s mostly because esports in South Korea was blowing up long before there were million-dollar prize pools in gaming. Regardless of the earnings, South Korea is one of the top gaming countries without a doubt.
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Political concerns aside, Russia is one of the best esports countries in games like Counter-Strike and Dota 2. Twelve competitors from Russia have earned more than $1 million from esports winnings, making it a firm contender for the highest-earning esports country in the world. Over time, the nation is fielding more recognisable organisations and players, and the government is starting to support the esports industry in a much more visible way.
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Brazil has an electric esports community that’s deeply passionate about the industry. It might not have fielded the most championship-grade organisations, but there’s an intense love for esports in Brazil that’s always reflected in the determination and dedication of the players from the country. With teams powering through the likes of VALORANT, Counter-Strike, and Rainbow Six Siege, Brazil is a relatively diverse nation, leaning much more into competitive first-person shooters than any other genre.
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Danish esports players are nothing short of phenomenal, with some top-tier talent having emerged from this Scandinavian country over the years. Twelve competitors from Denmark have earned more than $1 million, and the highest-earning esports player in history hails from the country. Some of the most dominating teams in esports – such as Counter-Strike’s FaZe Clan squad – feature representation from Denmark, making this one of the best countries for esports players by far.
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Some of the best CSGO players, like GeT_RiGhT and olofmeister, have emerged from Sweden over the years. It’s still considered a developing country where the esports industry is concerned, but over time, it’s becoming much more invested in the market. Some of the biggest esports tournaments ever have been hosted in the country, but does that mean it’s the best esports country for player-based talent?
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France has seen a surge in success in the esports industry over the last few years. It has gone from being a relatively underrepresented nation in the esports space to being an industry leader, and that’s mostly thanks to the government’s growing interest in the esports market. At the time of publishing, only two French esports players have managed to secure more than $1 million in earnings, though. There’s still plenty of room for improvement in France when it comes to esports champions.
In the overall rankings, France and Sweden are separated by just a few thousand dollars.
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Germany has been trying for years to become one of the best esports countries, but despite investment from the government, the country has yet to establish itself as an industry leader. There are just three esports players from Germany with more than $1 million in winnings, despite the country fielding some 6,500 competitors. It’s
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Canada sits a little way behind Germany in terms of overall earnings, but seven players from the country have earned more than $1 million through esports winnings. Overall, Canada has a ways to go before it’s considered the best esports country on Earth. It has fielded some fantastic players in ‘Western’ games, with Fortnite, CSGO, Call of Duty, and Rocket League sitting high up in the Canadian charts.
If we’re honest, there could be more esports representation from Canada in general. There aren’t many tournaments hosted in the country, despite there being a great infrastructure there and a massive contingent of sports fans in general. Could that change shortly?
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Image Credit: ONE Esports
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