After a year of intense competition and lucrative prize pools, the highest earning esports team of 2023 has finally been revealed
The lines between virtual arenas and real-world sporting events are blurring at an accelerated pace as the Esports industry experienced another successful year in 2023, witnessing multiple disciplines hitting record viewerships. The surge in popularity has unsurprisingly made Esports a more financially rewarding pursuit for organizations. As the CPUs cool down and the pixels settle ahead of the new year, the highest earning Esports team of 2023 has now been revealed.
Which is the Highest Earning Esports Team of 2023?
According to Esportsearning.com, Team Spirit have walked away with the fattest pile of Benjamins this year. The Russian organization has raked in a whopping $7.5 million in Esports prize money in 2023.
Credit: Team Spirit
The bulk of this sum, approximately 93%, stemmed from the victories of their Dota 2 roster. Notably, their triumphs in two major events—the Riyadh Masters 2023, where they secured a substantial $5 million, and The International 2023, where they brought in $1.5 million more, contributed significantly to their overall earnings.
Credit: Esportsearning.com
While Dota 2 constituted the lion’s share, the team also amassed a commendable sum of around $300,000 from competitions in CSGO and CS2. These supplementary earnings, albeit comparatively smaller, added to the team’s diverse portfolio of successes across multiple gaming disciplines.
Next in line is Team Liquid, who are also renowned for their widespread participation across various gaming titles. Despite taking part in 222 tournaments across various disciplines, a predominant portion of their earnings can be attributed to their Dota 2 performance. Their $2.5 million winnings at Riyadh Masters, and multiple appearances in finals have primarily contributed to their income.
FaZe Clan came third on the list. The NA outfit secured the largest share of their $4 million earnings through their exploits in CS, particularly through their triumph in the Intel Grand Slam S4, where they clinched a remarkable $1 million from the prize pool. Gaimin Gladiators claimed the fourth place, thanks to their incredible feat of winning all three Valve majors in a calendar year.
Team Vitality, who capped off the year on a high note by emerging victorious in the BLAST Premier: World Final 2023, solidified their position as the sixth most financially successful Esports team of 2023. This French organization predominantly attributes its earnings to their Counter-Strike roster despite maintaining an active presence across various gaming domains, including League of Legends, Rocket League, Valorant, among others.
They were one of the most in-form teams in Counter-Strike in 2023, having secured victories in prestigious events such as IEM Rio 2023, BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, and the BLAST Premier Fall Final 2023.
Vitality’s Rocket League squad also contributed significantly to their earnings by clinching the RLCS 2022-23 – World Championship title. This triumph served as a notable addition to their overall earnings, boosting their total haul to an impressive $3.02 million for the year.
Evil Geniuses, reportedly on the verge of halting their operations, were nevertheless listed among the top 10 Highest Earning Esports Teams of 2023. Securing the ninth position, they navigated through a year marked by a blend of accomplishments and setbacks. Despite clinching victory in the Valorant Champions 2023, their Dota 2 and Counter-Strike performances fell short. Their overall earnings for the year amounted to USD 2.045 million.
Dota 2 Continues to Be The Most Lucrative Esports Title
In recent times, Dota 2 has suffered dwindling viewership and a decline in its player base. Despite these hurdles, the game maintains its position as the most financially rewarding title in the Esports world. A closer look at the top five teams that amassed the highest prize money in 2023 reveals a significant trend: three of these teams derived most of their earnings from participating in Dota 2 tournaments.