The first-ever Fortnite World Cup occurred in New York City from July 26-28. The winners shared over $30 million in prize money. Epic Games also donated $3 million to various charities chosen by players. During the Celebrity Pro-Am, players competed to win money for their charity of choice. The other events included the Solo, Duo, and Creative Finals. Team Fish Fam won the Creative Finals with Jack “Cizzorz” as the team captain. Then, David “aqua” Wang and Emil “Nyhrox” Bergquist Pedersen won the Duo Finals along with $3 million. On the final day, Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf won the Solo Finals and himself $3 million.
A lot of money fell into the hands of young players during the Fortnite World Cup. Unfortunately, not everyone appreciated the hard work these players put in to get to the top of their game. The reactions range from pure comedy to pure insanity.
Social media outrage
Some people cannot handle the success of others. This became evident when traditional media outlets shared the story of teenagers winning millions of dollars.
Things like this make the world a disgusting place……
— Lisa Carey 🌊🍷📚 🇮🇪 🎧💙💙💓 (@liercarey) July 29, 2019
Apparently, working hard to master a craft makes the world a disgusting place. These kids were not handed millions of dollars for no reason. They worked hard for months preparing for the Fortnite World Cup. Instead of appreciating the efforts, many Twitter users hated on their success.
Here is another angry social media goer:
What is wrong with the world that vieweship of an online game generates enough money to incure a 3 million dollar prize. Just like keeping up with the Kardashians. You can turn bullshit into money in this degenerate world
— KevinR (@KevinR91972045) July 29, 2019
Again, it seems that winning money through a video game that people enjoy watching is a major problem with this world. Let’s ignore the fact that millions of people tuned in to watch the event, just like any major sport. Perhaps this user has similar sentiments towards NFL players as well.
Advice for young gamers
The posts did not stop there. Several users also proposed advice to aspiring gamers looking to become the next Bugha.
https://twitter.com/thecultureofme/status/1155950908884209664
Simply, the advice here is to give up. Rather than use this moment to inspire other young gamers, this user told their followers to stop dreaming. Unfortunately, according to this post, it is impossible to play video games for enjoyment. So for all of the Fortnite players out there who did not qualify for the Fortnite World Cup, this man has one message: “give up.” That is right. If at first you don’t succeed, just stop trying.
Finally, there is this:
Who effing cares… these kids grow up to be part of the Zombie plague… zero social skills, always hopped up on soda, and they think Plenty Of Fish is a bass tournament when we all know it’s a Tuna fest!
— john fromm (@johnfromm) July 30, 2019
Well, it seems that video games turn children into zombies who only drink soda. Then, there is something about a fishing tournament that is actually a Tuna Fest..? Good one John! Multiple young people won large amounts of money through hard work and determination, but this bewildering Tweet after the event gives John’s followers clarity about fishing.
Haters gonna hate
Success breeds hate, especially when the successful individuals are so young. These Tweets exemplify the misunderstanding of esports and the opportunities it presents. By working hard to master a video game, these competitors secured themselves a bright future. Nothing was simply handed to them. Over 40 million people competed in the Fortnite World Cup online qualifiers, but only a handful of players became champions. Their accomplishments deserve to be celebrated, not mocked.
How do you feel about the success of Fortnite and esports? What would you do with $3 million? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to Daily Esports for all the latest Fortnite news!
