FaZe Clan have made a bold acquisition to the esports organization’s Fortnite roster in new player “H1ghSky1.”
That the move is bold isn’t a comment on H1ghSky’s skills. His age is the reason, as H1ghSky1 only 13 years old.
According to FaZe’s announcement of the signing, he’s the youngest member to ever be signed to the massive competitive gaming team. The announcement was slightly spoiled by Ali “Myth” Kabbani of TSM, who accidentally leaked information on the deal during a live stream.
Despite his youth, H1ghSky1 is no stranger to active competition. He won $2,500 for qualifying for the Fortnite Winter Cup and placed 22nd in the recent Scallywag Cup contest. He does not yet have an announced duo partner. One possibility could be fellow Fortnite pro Josue “Sway,” who was signed to FaZe Clan earlier in the month of March.
FaZe has now signed a total of 10 pro players to its competitive Fortnite roster, the most famous of which include Turner “Tfue” Tenney and Dennis “Cloak” Lepore. The pair of players make for one of the most dominant duos in the game today.
Fortnite has seen some downright lucrative prize pools in recent tournaments, but none have been more enticing than that of the upcoming Fortnite World Cup. There will be 10 weekly qualifiers for the Cup beginning on April 13, with a $1,000,000 prize pool per week. The World Cup itself will feature a $30,000,000 prize pool, with the Solo winner taking home a cool $3,000,000. Each player that qualifies for the Cup is guaranteed at least $50,000.
In total, Epic Games will be rewarding $100,000,000 in winnings to esports competitors throughout the 2019 Fortnite calendar.
If H1ghSky1 places well in competition, he could end up becoming the most independently wealthy young teenager esports has ever seen.
With a prize pool like that, it’s no wonder why Fortnite is maintaining its global popularity in the face of strong competitors for its massive fanbase. Apex Legends has been heavily competing with Fortnite for viewership on Twitch, but despite an initial surge, Fortnite viewership has been holding strong.
