Esports prize pools hit a new high in 2025
Esports prize money reached new territory in 2025, with more than $270 million awarded across competitive gaming worldwide. According to data compiled by Esports Charts, the total prize pool grew by around 15.5 percent compared to 2024, driven by heavier investment from publishers, tournament organisers, and global events like the Esports World Cup.
The dataset spans more than 10,500 tournaments across over 100 esports titles, covering events that concluded in 2025, even if they began earlier. From long-standing PC esports to booming mobile scenes, the year delivered one of the most diverse and lucrative competitive calendars the industry has ever seen.
Counter-Strike leads the way in 2025
Counter-Strike was the biggest winner of the year, finishing as the highest-earning esports title by total prize money. More than $32.2 million was awarded across CS tournaments in 2025, a massive 41.5 percent increase year over year.
That growth was fuelled by an expanded top-tier calendar, including new PGL events and the debut of the BLAST Bounty series. The Chinese Counter-Strike scene also made a strong comeback, highlighted by major events such as the Asian Champions League, CS Asia Championships 2025, and IEM Chengdu.
CS2 also dominated at the team level. Team Vitality stood out as one of the year’s top earners, collecting roughly $4 million in prize money while lifting trophies at several S-Tier events, including a Major victory in Budapest.
Dota 2 slips to second, but remains a giant
Dota 2 finished second in the 2025 rankings, with total prize money sitting at approximately $23.1 million. While that figure was largely unchanged from 2024, it marked a shift after Dota topped the standings last year.
The International 2025 remained the centrepiece of the season, accounting for around one-tenth of Dota 2’s annual prize pool. Beyond TI, prize money was spread across a packed calendar of million-dollar events such as PGL Wallachia, BLAST Slam, FISSURE PLAYGROUND, and DreamLeague.
That crowded schedule has created challenges for teams, with some forced to skip tournaments due to calendar overload, a growing issue as more organisers enter the ecosystem.
Honor of Kings holds strong in third place
For the second year running, Honor of Kings secured a spot in the top three. The TiMi Studio Group MOBA awarded $21.7 million in prize money across 2025, with nearly half coming from the King Pro League Grand Finals.
Unlike other titles, Honor of Kings operates within a tightly structured competitive system. As a result, total prize growth was limited to just 3.8 percent, with much of the increase influenced by currency fluctuations, as most prize pools are paid in Chinese yuan.
Fortnite and PUBG Mobile round out the top five
Fortnite climbed to fourth place in 2025, awarding $15.6 million in prize money, up 14.6 percent from the previous year. The boost came from changes to the competitive format, including the split of North America into NA West and NA Central, alongside new events like the FNCS 2025 Pro-Am.
PUBG Mobile followed closely in fifth with $15.3 million awarded. While that figure represented a slight year-over-year decline, the change was largely attributed to currency adjustments and a redistribution of prize pools across regions, particularly within the Chinese Peacekeeper Elite League.
League of Legends and Valorant see major growth
League of Legends recorded one of the biggest percentage jumps of any major esport. Total prize money rose to nearly $15 million, a 59 percent increase compared to 2024. Riot Games significantly boosted international events, with the Mid-Season Invitational jumping to a $2 million prize pool and Worlds increasing to $5 million. The addition of new events like First Stand and a larger Esports World Cup presence also played a key role.
Valorant climbed to seventh place with $11.2 million in prize money, up 23 percent year over year. The game’s inclusion in the Esports World Cup proved pivotal, with teams competing for more than $1.2 million in Riyadh, where Team Heretics claimed the title after defeating Fnatic.
Rocket League, Rainbow Six, and PUBG close out the top 10
Rocket League enjoyed a strong year, with prize money rising 45 percent to $9.7 million. Growth came from increased payouts at majors, Saudi eLeague events, and a near-doubling of prize money at the Esports World Cup. The introduction of RLCS 1v1 tournaments also added new earning opportunities.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege placed ninth with $9.4 million, a modest decline of 2.3 percent due to small changes in the seasonal format.
Rounding out the top 10 was PUBG: Battlegrounds, which awarded $7.8 million in 2025. The PUBG Nations Cup doubled its prize pool, and the year featured more A-Tier events, including two Twitch Rivals tournaments.
Top esports games of 2025 by prize pool
| Rank | Esports Game | Total Prize Money in 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Counter-Strike | $32,279,855 |
| 2 | Dota 2 | $23,149,768 |
| 3 | Honor of Kings | $21,777,087 |
| 4 | Fortnite | $15,649,066 |
| 5 | PUBG Mobile | $15,308,988 |
| 6 | League of Legends | $14,923,025 |
| 7 | Valorant | $11,259,422 |
| 8 | Rocket League | $9,783,302 |
| 9 | Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege | $9,408,120 |
| 10 | PUBG: Battlegrounds | $7,825,308 |
TOP esports games of 2025 by Prize Pool 📈
1️⃣ @CounterStrike
2️⃣ @DOTA2
3️⃣ @HonorOfKings
4️⃣ @Fortnite
5️⃣ @EsportsPUBGM
6️⃣ @LeagueOfLegends
7️⃣ @VALORANT
8️⃣ @RLEsports
9️⃣ @R6esports
🔟 @PUBGRead the full report:
➡️ https://t.co/YnFHD8mInH pic.twitter.com/SAmuBCFfv4
— Esports Charts 🇺🇦 (@EsportsCharts) December 17, 2025
A foundation for even bigger years ahead
With the Esports World Cup distributing more than $70 million across 25 tournaments and publishers continuing to invest heavily, 2025 has set a new benchmark for competitive gaming. The growth of mobile esports, the resurgence of Counter-Strike, and expanding international circuits suggest prize pools could climb even higher in 2026.
For players, teams, and fans alike, esports is no longer just growing, it is scaling fast.