14-year-old Griffin “Sceptic” Spikoski makes $200,000 a year streaming Fortnite on YouTube and Twitch.
While the Long Island native started off playing Fortnite just for fun, he skyrocketed to almost instant fame when he received over 7.5 million views on a YouTube video of him beating pro battle royale player Turner “Tfue” Tenney. The high schooler currently has over 1.2 million YouTube subscribers, 1.8 million Twitch views, and even a deal with esports organization Misfits Gaming.
According to ABC7NY, Sceptic streams eight hours a day during the week and a whopping 18 hours per day on the weekends. Sceptic admitted in the local news piece that he played “too much,” though the results of his playing investment are certainly bearing out.
When asked if he should “cut back” on his gaming habit, Sceptic was quick to disagree.
“It’s kind of my job,” he said.
The pressure to stream daily has led to Sceptic being pulled out of public high school, and his parents now have him enrolled in online schooling.
Sceptic’s father Chris Spikoski admitted that he was shocked when Twitch gave the family its first $100 check in June 2018 as Sceptic slowly began to build his following. Two months later, his parents hired for him a financial adviser and an accountant to help Sceptic manage his new six-figure income. Luckily, Sceptic has no plans to spend the majority of his money, and told the reporter that he can use the cash towards college or even a house. Properly managed and saved, the young streamer has already made enough money to give himself a big boost in life even if his streaming career should falter.
“For this job, you have to have patience and dedication,” he said.
Balancing being a full-time streamer with being a full-time student, Sceptic has certainly shown plenty of dedication.
Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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