Geniuses of the Game: The Greatest Players of All Time in eSports History

Do you think you have what it takes to be the best at esports? A world where it takes those with reflexes faster than thoughts and excellent strategies to thrive. With only about 0.0084% of the global population being pro esports gamers, the competition is stiff, and many players barely get to succeed. However, within this niche, some stand out above the rest based on their achievements, and this makes them some of the best esports athletes.

In this post, in collaboration with Kate Richardson, a top tipster at MightyTips, we have curated a list of best esport players of all time. Since esports betting is now becoming super popular, you can follow Richardson and other tipsters for betting tips.

5 Famous and Greatest eSports Players of All Time

While several cyber athletes have delivered outstanding performances over the years while playing games like Fortnite, League of Legends, Valorant, Dota 2, and more, here is our list of the top five greatest players in the world of esports.

John ‘N0tail’ Sundstein – Dota 2

When it comes to naming some of the most famous esports players, the name Johan N0tail Sundstein would definitely come up at the forefront. This Danish gamer just like most others had a thing for games and got into esports quite early at the age of 15 when he started playing Heroes of Newerth. Since then, his journey has been nothing but an astronomical rise to the top.

Born in 1993, N0tail recounts how his early childhood was an integral part of his rise to becoming one of the best players in the world. Once he got into professional gaming, he soon found himself playing in a niche game, Dota 2. This was the game that finally put him in the limelight as he became one of the best esports athletes out there. He later on played at teams such as Fnatic and Team Secret. However, his rise to fame came when he co-founded the team OG alongside his former Team Secret teammate, Tal “Fly” Aizik.

With this new team, OG, this Dota 2 player went on to win four major tournaments and two international titles which is still a feat only a few can match. His incredible game sense, leadership skills and lightning-fast reflex was key to his success in Dota 2. Who would have thought the kid who dropped out in high school would later be some sort of celebrity? Especially if we consider that gaming wasn’t much of a lucrative niche at that time.

As reddit users said, “He looks like Jay from Jay and Silent Bob.”

Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok – League of Legends

Another name that definitely has to be on our list of the most remarkable esports players would be Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok. Yes, and this is because he has set the tone for the coming years when it comes to making a name in League of Legends. This South Korean pro gamer better known as Faker, is who we would call ‘Him, and don’t even let the moniker deceive you. He has an incredible reputation that comes with really impressive accolades.

In just 11 years of competitive gaming, Faker has been able to amass about Four World Championships title, Ten League of Legend Champions Korea title, a eSports World Cup Championship and MVP in 2016, amongst others. Maybe the fact that he was born in Seoul, South Korea played a role in his career, since it is like the headquarters of esports. We can’t say but this man definitely has a whole lot more than geographical related abilities.

Born on May 7, 1996, this 28-year-old gaming prodigy has always spoken about his love for games. With a career that started as a mid-laner with the team SK Telecom T1, the gaming world just knew Faker was destined for the podium. In fact, some went on and gave him the nickname “God” due to his incredible gaming style and ability.

And till date, he still continues to be remembered as one of the best League of Legends players. No wonder he was initiated into the League of Legends’ Hall of Fame. Even John Needham, President of eSports at Riot Games said, “Faker is truly the most iconic and influential figure in League of Legend and esports history.”

This was also not mere words, as Faker has amassed amazing followership in his native Asia. With the rise of esports betting, many Asian bettors support Faker and get behind his brand. Also, if you are an Asian bettor looking for the best bookmakers to place bets on the games of Faker and other sports events, you should check this list of best Asian bookies by MightyTips. This is where the biggest companies in the industry are gathered.

Lee Young-ho ‘Flash’ – StarCraft

The South Korean player Lee Young ho, known as “Flash”, is another name on our list of greatest esports players of all time. This StarCraft: Brood War and StarCraft II player born on July 5,1992 started his career quite early. At the age of 14 he began playing esports professionally and soon showed that age wasn’t a barrier. He quickly rose to the top and became one of the youngest players in history to make it in esports.

His story is more like a fairytale, and most people, especially those from South Korea have always looked up to him as a source of inspiration. Well, it’s not only kids who are into esports that draw inspiration from him. It was rumored that he was once invited by the South Korean Football team before a World Cup match, maybe to draw some inspiration and encouragement from him.

During his time of playing professionally, it is said that Flash earned close to $578,000 in prize money with teams like KT Rolster and SK Telecom T1. And this ranks him as one of the highest earners in esports. However, we also have to remember that winning so much money comes with a whole catalog of competition wins.

Throughout his career he won titles such as Intel Extreme Masters Toronto in 2014, Golden Trophy three straight seasons in ASL alone and the Bacchus OSL in 2008 (becoming the youngest OSL champion of all time).

Christoph ‘​GeT_RiGhT’ Alesund – Counter-Strike

The next player on our list of famous pro gamers is Christoph Alesund, he’s also known as “Get_Right”. This Swedish Counter Strike and Counter Strike: Global Offensive player is an OG of the game and has always been a menace to the opposing teams and players. His innovative play style earned his legendary reputation as he was ranked back-to-back as the #1 in 2013 and 2014 in Counter Strike: Global Offensive by HLTV.

Since his early days when he joined up with Begrip Gaming, he set his eyes for the top and that is exactly what he did in his 15 years competing professionally in esports. All this came with a badge of excellence which includes the Intel Extreme Masters, DreamHack Open, and ESL One for his various teams. Yes, this guy shuffled between 11 teams that included the likes of SK Gaming, Ninjas in Pyjamas and Fnatic.

However, in 2022, he retired from playing professionally juggling between CS:GO and Counter Strike. Now he plays a role as a streamer and continues to inspire younger players who dream to be famous pro gamers.

Lim ‘BoxeR’ Yo-hwan – StarCraft

Should we call him the OG of most famous esports players? This is still a debate many try to avoid, but there is no doubt that Lim “BoxeR” Yo-hwan is widely considered as one of the greatest gamers of all time. In fact, not many people get to achieve all that he did in a career that spanned over two decades.

From his early days in the 2000s, most people knew that he had some good stuff up his sleeves. And he did show it with his domination of StarCraft: Brood War, in fact, this earned him the nickname “The Emperor of Terran”. During the early parts of his career, he went on to win numerous championships which includes two OSLs and two WCG gold medals.

However, in 2002, he founded the now famous powerhouse in esports, SK Telecom T1, and the brand became one of the most successful teams in the esports world. His team was also paramount in the expansion of esports in Korea and beyond.

On a career basis, this 43-year-old is a fan favorite and his influence is still much revered. In an interview with Inven Global, Boxer said “You can gain wealth and fame by excelling at a game… but if you want to become a legend, never forget the fans.”

Conclusion

The esports industry has seen the rise and fall of some of the greatest gamers of all time. Each of these pro gamers have demonstrated that becoming one of the greatest esports players of all time requires skill, dedication, and passion. And this is something everyone can learn a thing or two from. As we celebrate them, one question still looms: who is the best esports player of all time?