Steven R. November 29, 2018
Three of the founding members of Astralis have cleared a long-standing Counter-Strike hurdle.
According to Esportsearnings.com, Andreas "Xyp9x" Højsleth, Nicolai "device" Reedtz, and Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen have become the first players in Counter-Strike history to earn over $1 million in prize winnings. The threshold was passed at the Esports Championship Series Season 6 finals.
Astralis’ 2018 has been one of the most successful years in the game’s history. After opening with a poor showing at the 2018 ELEAGUE Major, the team rallied and has taken first place in a whopping eight tournaments thus far, including the 2018 FACEIT Major London, ESL Pro League Season 7, and ECS seasons 5 and 6.
That success has ballooned the organization’s total winnings to $4.5 million, and put its players at the top of the all-time earnings hierarchy. Long trailing behind the ex-SK Gaming squad in historical winnings, Astralis’ 2018 has seen its three remaining founders top the leaderboard, with Xyp9x leading with $1,038,721.90.
Not counting Dota 2 competitors, Astralis’ core are the highest paid players in esports behind League of Legends star Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok.
The trio have a substantial lead over the rest of the pack. Brazilian rivals Epitacio "TACO" de Melo, Marcelo "coldzera" David, and fellow Astralis member Lukas “gla1ve” Rossander are all currently sitting between $850,000 and $875,000.
While the players have been undeniably successful, these numbers are not exact. Organizations often take a cut of players’ winnings, and pros also receive money from contract salaries, streaming revenues, and sponsorships.
Regardless, Astralis show no signs of contentment with what they’ve raked in thus far. With how hot the team has looked this year, don’t be surprised if their lead grows further.