Olivia R. February 28, 2019
100 Thieves has a new addition to its Fortnite roster in Maurilio “Blind” Gramajo.
In an announcement on Twitter, 100 Thieves called Blind a “true competitor.” The competitive Fortnite player took home two first-place victories at Ninja Vegas 2018, and also placed in the top 10 at the Summer and Fall Skirmishes at PAX West and TwitchCon, respectively.
“We absolutely can’t wait to see him back in the ring this year,” 100 Thieves said.
Blind is not the only new Fortnite signing for 100 Thieves. The growing esports organization’s Fortnite squad now sits at seven players. This includes new additions Davis “Ceice” McClellan, Hayden “Elevate” Krueger, and “Kyuzi,” who will join veterans Archie “Parallax” Shrader, “Kenith,” and “SirDimetrious.”
Many of 100 Thieves’ Fortnite roster picks are competitors and streamers who have remained under the radar despite showing promising skill.
Most of 100 Thieves’ Fortnite signings seem to have been in response to Epic Games’ Fortnite World Cup announcement. With $100 million in prize winnings to be paid out over the course of the year, the $30 million July event is set to be the richest esports tournament to date.
The World Cup Finals in New York City on July 26 will have the top 100 solo players and top 50 duos teams competing for a $30 million prize pool, with each qualifying player being guaranteed at least $50,000. The Solo Champion will take home $3 million.
Leading up to the Finals, Epic Games will host ten weekly online open qualifiers, running from April 13 to June 16. These competitions will feature a wide variety of modes and formats. One million dollars will be on the line each week.
Epic Games noted that the qualifications for the Fortnite World Cup will be based on “merit” as a way to appeal to the game's large player base. The developers will not be selling teams or franchises, and will not allow third-party leagues to do so either.
Many have speculated that this huge tournament may in part be in response to the surge in prominence of competitor Apex Legends. Either way, esports organizations now have their eyes on the giant prize pool.
