Esports Awards
Annual international gaming awards ceremony
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Esports Awards is an annual international awards ceremony that recognizes achievements across the competitive gaming industry.[1] Established in 2016 as the eSports Industry Awards, the event was rebranded to the Esports Awards in 2018.[2]
| Esports Awards | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Awarded for | Excellence in esports performance, content creation, and industry contribution |
| Location | Various (London, Arlington, Las Vegas, Riyadh) |
| First award | 2016 |
| Website | esportsawards |
The ceremony features a broad range of competitive gaming as well as creative categories, combines public voting with panel-selected judging, and is broadcast live across digital and social media platforms.[1][3]
Over the years, the Esports Awards has grown into one of the most recognized events in the gaming industry, with ceremonies held in London, Arlington, and Riyadh, among other global locations. The event has partnered with several brands over the years, including Lexus, Verizon, Razer, and Secretlab.[4][5]
History
Origins (2016–2018)
The Esports Awards began in 2016 under the name eSports Industry Awards, with its inaugural ceremony held in London, United Kingdom.The inaugural ceremony featured 18 categories covering esports players, teams, organizations, and media figures in the competitive gaming scene.[6]
In 2017, the organisers officially registered the shorter title Esports Awards, marking the first steps toward a rebrand.[2] However, the complete transition to the new name was done in 2018, by which time the "Industry" label had been fully removed from the official logo and other brand materials.[7]
Expansion in the US market (2019–2021)
Following several UK editions, the awards expanded geographically and commercially. In 2019 the organisation staged a ceremony at Esports Stadium Arlington in Texas, marking a strategic move into the United States market.[8]
In 2021, the Esports Awards announced a complete rebrand ahead of that year's ceremony in Arlington, Texas.[9] The updated logo featured a silhouette of the new trophy design.[10]
Recent developments (2022–present)
From 2021 onward, the Esports Awards increased its production scale, commercial partnerships and global footprint. The 2021 ceremony at Esports Stadium Arlington reported large viewership, attracting over 20 million global viewers. In 2022, they relocated to Resorts World Las Vegas, marking its debut in Nevada, and returned to the same venue in 2023.[11][12]
In 2023, Esports Awards and Xfinity set the Guinness World Record for the largest digital videogame display.[13] The record-breaking installation consisted of 3,552 LED panels covering approximately 7,673 m2.[14]
In June 2024, the Esports Awards announced a multi-year partnership with the Esports World Cup Foundation.[15][16] The agreement covers a three-year collaboration beginning with the 2024 Esports World Cup, which took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In 2025, marking the tenth anniversary of the Esports Awards, organisers introduced the inaugural Esports Decade Awards.[17][18] This standalone series of honours recognised players, teams, organisations, games and events that made the most significant impact over the past decade. Meanwhile, the standard yearly Esports Awards ceremony for 2025 is also scheduled to take place later the same year.[19][20]
Categories
Over the years, Esports Awards has featured a broad and evolving slate of honours. Some categories are introduced, retired, or merged depending on industry trends. Meanwhile, here are a few core categories that have persisted since the beginning.[21]
- Esports Team of the Year
- Esports Game of the Year
- Esports Publisher of the Year
- Esports Organisation of the Year
- Esports PC Player of the Year
- Esports Console/Controller Player of the Year
- Esports Breakthrough Player of the Year
- Esports Streamer of the Year
- Esports Coach of the Year
- Esports Host of the Year
- Esports Commercial Partner of the Year
Winners
2016
| Category | Winner[6][22] |
|---|---|
| UK Esports Player of the Year | Callum “Swanny” Swan |
| Esports Console Player of the Year | Seth “Scump” Abner |
| Esports PC Player of the Year | Marcelo “coldzera” David |
| Esports Rookie of the Year | Amer “Miracle” al-Barkawi |
| Esports Coverage Website of the Year | theScore Esports |
| Esports Team of the Year | Team EnVyUs |
| Esports Personality of the Year | Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo |
| Streamer of the Year | Michael “Imaqtpie” Santana |
| Streaming Platform of the Year | Twitch |
| Esports Journalist of the Year | Richard Lewis |
| Esports Game of the Year | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive |
| New Esports Game of the Year | Overwatch |
| Esports Publisher of the Year | Valve Corporation |
| Esports Photographer of the Year | Robert Paul |
| Esports Commercial Partner of the Year | Monster Energy |
| Hardware Provider of the Year | SCUF |
| Esports Broadcaster of the Year | Auguste “Semmler” Massonnat |
| Esports Live Event of the Year | The International 2016 |
2017
| Category | Winner[23] |
|---|---|
| UK Esports Player of the Year | Spencer "Gorilla" Ealing |
| Esports Console Player of the Year | Matthew "FormaL" Piper |
| Esports PC Player of the Year | Amer "Miracle-" Al-Barqawi |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (Console) | Victor "Punk" Woodley |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (PC) | Abay "HObbit" Khassenov |
| Esports Personality of the Year | Eefje '"Sjokz" Depoortere |
| Esports Play of the Year | Matthew "FormaL" Piper |
| Esports Unsung Hero of the Year | Megan "RheingoldRiver" Cutrofello |
| Esports Game of the Year | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive |
| Esports Team of the Year | OpTic Gaming |
| Streamer of the Year | Dr Disrespect |
| Streaming Platform of the Year | Twitch |
| Esports Coverage Website of the Year | ESPN |
| Esports Breakthrough Game of the Year | PUBG |
| Esports Publisher of the Year | Riot Games |
| Esports Commercial Partner of the Year | G Fuel |
| Esports Hardware Provider of the Year | Intel |
| Esports Live Event of the Year | 2017 League of Legends World Championship |
| Esports Photographer of the Year | Joe Brady |
| Esports Videographer of the Year | Davis "OpTic Hitch" Edwards |
| Esports Journalist of the Year | Duncan "Thorin" Shields |
| Esports Broadcaster of the Year | Alex "Machine" Richardson |
2018
| Category | Winner[24][7] |
|---|---|
| UK Esports Player of the Year | Spencer "Gorilla" Ealing |
| Esports Console Player of the Year | Mossad "MSdossary" Aldossary |
| Esports PC Player of the Year | Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (Console) | Kenny Williams |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (PC) | Gabriel "Bwipo" Rau |
| Esports Personality of the Year | Tyler "Ninja" Blevins |
| Esports Play of the Year | Matthew "FormaL" Piper |
| Esports Unsung Hero of the Year | Milos "Faceit Mikey" Nedeljkovic |
| Esports Game of the Year | Overwatch |
| Esports Team of the Year | Astralis (CS:GO) |
| Esports Organisation of the Year | Cloud9 |
| Esports Breakthrough Game of the Year | Fortnite |
| Esports Live Event of the Year | 2018 Overwatch League Grand Finals |
| Esports Publisher of the Year | Blizzard Entertainment |
| Streamer of the Year | Tyler "Ninja" Blevins |
| Streaming Platform of the Year | Twitch |
| Esports Supporting Agency of the Year | Evolved Talent Agency |
| Esports Coverage Website of the Year | ESPN |
| Esports Commercial Partner of the Year | Intel |
| Esports Hardware Provider of the Year | Nvidia |
| Esports Photographer of the Year | Helena Kristiansson |
| Esports Videographer of the Year | Davis "OpTic Hitch" Edwards |
| Esports Journalist of the Year | Jacob Wolf |
| Esports Broadcaster of the Year | Clint "Maven" Evans |
2019
| Category | Winner[25][26] |
|---|---|
| Esports Console Player of the Year | Dominique "SonicFox" McLean |
| Esports PC Player of the Year | Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (Console) | Chris "Simp" Lehr |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (PC) | Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf |
| Esports Personality of the Year | Matthew "Nadeshot" Haag |
| Esports Play of the Year | Thiago "S3xyCake" Reis |
| Esports Cosplayer of the Year | Littlejam |
| Esports Panel's Choice Award | Ryan Thompson |
| Esports Coach of the Year | Danny "zonic" Sørensen |
| Esports Game of the Year | league of Legends |
| Esports Team of the Year | G2 Esports (League of Legends) |
| Esports Organisation of the Year | Team Liquid |
| Esports Breakthrough Game of the Year | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate |
| Esports Live Event of the Year | 2019 League of Legends World Championship |
| Esports Publisher of the Year | Riot Games |
| Streamer of the Year | Dr Disrespect |
| Esports Supporting Agency of the Year | Loaded |
| Esports Coverage Website of the Year | Dexerto |
| Esports Commercial Partner of the Year | HyperX |
| Esports Hardware Provider of the Year | Intel |
| Esports Photographer of the Year | Stephani Lindgren |
| Esports Videographer of the Year | Logan Dodson |
| Esports Journalist of the Year | Richard Lewis |
| Esports Caster of the Year | Henry "HenryG" Greer |
| Esports Host of the Year | Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez |
2020
| Category | Winner[27][28] |
|---|---|
| Esports Console Player of the Year | Anthony "Shotzzy" Cuevas-Castro |
| Esports PC Player of the Year | Michał "Nisha" Jankowski |
| Esports Mobile Player of the Year | Made Bagas "Zuxxy" Pramudita |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (Console) | Anthony "Shotzzy" Cuevas-Castro |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (PC) | Ryu "Keria" Min-seok |
| Esports Personality of the Year | Carlos "ocelote" Rodríguez |
| Esports Coach of the Year | Lee "Heen" Seung-Gon |
| Esports Play of the Year | İsmailcan "XANTARES" Dörtkardeş |
| Esports Cosplayer of the Year | Glory Lamothe |
| Esports Panel's Choice Award | Michal Slowinski & Steve Dudenhoefer |
| Esports Content Creator of the Year | UpUpDownDown |
| Esports Game of the Year | League of Legends |
| Esports Mobile Game of the Year | Free Fire |
| Esports Organisation of the Year | G2 Esports |
| Esports Team of the Year | Team Secret (Dota 2) |
| Esports Content Team of the Year | League of Legends European Championship |
| Esports Creative Team of the Year | Paper Crowns |
| Esports Creative Piece of the Year | League of Legends Warriors Season Opening |
| Esports Content Series of the Year | Eavesdrop Podcast |
| Esports Publisher of the Year | Riot Games |
| Streamer of the Year | Ibai Llanos |
| Esports Supporting Agency of the Year | Character Select Agency |
| Esports Coverage Website of the Year | The Esports Observer |
| Esports Commercial Partner of the Year | Logitech |
| Esports Hardware Provider of the Year | Elgato |
| Esports Photographer of the Year | Rich Lock |
| Esports Videographer of the Year | Logan Dodson |
| Esports Journalist of the Year | Emily Rand |
| Esports Analyst of the Year | Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill |
| Esports Host of the Year | Eefje "Sjokz" Depoortere |
| Esports Colour Caster of the Year | Michael "KiXSTAr" Stockley |
| Esports Play by Play Caster of the Year | Clayton "CaptainFlowers" Raines |
| Esports Collegiate Award | Tyrelle Appleton |
Lifetime Achievement 2020 recipients
Source:[29]
- Daigo Umehara
- Craig “Torbull” Levine
- Richard Lewis
- Michael Sepso
- Lim “Boxer” Yo-hwan
- Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel
2021
| Category | Winner[30][31] |
|---|---|
| Esports Controller Player of the Year | Chris "Simp" Lehr |
| Esports PC Player of the Year | Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev |
| Esports Mobile Player of the Year | Zhu "paraboy" Bocheng |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (Controller) | Evan "M0nkey M00n" Rogez |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (PC) | Valerii "b1t" Vakhovskyi |
| Esports Personality of the Year | Bruno "Nobru" Goes |
| Esports Coach of the Year | Moon "Moon" Byung-chul |
| Esports Play of the Year | Jake "Virtue" Grannan |
| Esports Cosplayer of the Year | Peyton Cosplay |
| Esports Panel's Choice Award | Jas "Fizzi" Laferriere |
| Esports Content Creator of the Year | Ashley Kang |
| Esports Game of the Year | Valorant |
| Esports Mobile Game of the Year | Free Fire |
| Esports Organisation of the Year | 100 Thieves |
| Esports Team of the Year | Atlanta FaZe (Call of Duty League) |
| Esports Creative Team of the Year | Alex Productions |
| Esports Creative of the Year | Thorsten Denk |
| Esports Creative Piece of the Year | No Clue | Adidas Partners with G2 Esports[32] |
| Esports Creative Series of the Year | Metagame Documentary |
| Esports Broadcast/Production Team of the Year | Riot Games |
| Esports Video Production Team of the Year | G2 Esports |
| Esports Apparel of the Year | 100 Thieves |
| Esports Publisher of the Year | Riot Games |
| Streamer of the Year | Ibai Llanos |
| Esports Supporting Service of the Year | Discord |
| Esports Coverage Platform of the Year | The Esports Observer |
| Esports Commercial Partner of the Year | Intel |
| Esports Hardware Provider of the Year | Corsair |
| Esports Photo of the Year | Eric Ananmalay |
| Esports Journalist of the Year | Kevin Hitt |
| Esports Analyst of the Year | Marc Robert " Caedrel" Lamont |
| Esports Host of the Year | Eefje "Sjokz" Depoortere |
| Esports Colour Caster of the Year | Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill |
| Esports Play by Play Caster of the Year | Miles Ross |
| Esports Collegiate Program of the Year | Maryville University |
| Esports Collegiate Ambassador of the Year | Dr. Chris "Doc" Haskell |
Lifetime Achievement 2021 recipients
- Amber Dalton
- Amy Brady
- Adam Apicella
- Michal "Carmac" Blicharz
- Stephanie "MISSHARVEY" Harvey
- Justin Wong
- Dave "Walshy" Walsh
2022
| Category | Winner[35][36][37] |
|---|---|
| Esports Controller Player of the Year | Matthew "FormaL" Piper |
| Esports PC Player of the Year | Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev |
| Esports Mobile Player of the Year | Ceng "Order" Zehai |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (Controller) | Enzo "Seikoo" Grondein |
| Esports Rookie of the Year (PC) | Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov |
| Esports Personality of the Year | Matthew "Nadeshot" Haag |
| Esports Coach of the Year | Andrii "B1ad3" Horodenskyi |
| Esports Play of the Year | Russel "Twistzz" Van Dulken |
| Esports Cosplayer of the Year | Kinpatsu Cosplay |
| Esports Game of the Year | Valorant |
| Esports Mobile Game of the Year | PUBG Mobile |
| Esports Organisation of the Year | OpTic Gaming |
| Esports Team of the Year | LOUD (Valorant) |
| Esports Content Creator of the Year | Juan Manuel "Hungrybox" DeBiedma |
| Esports Content Group of the Year | S8UL Esports |
| Esports Creative of the Year | Christian Skimmeland |
| Esports Creative Team of the Year | LOUD |
| Esports Creative Piece of the Year | The Bellhop | Gucci Gaming Academy |
| Esports Content Series of the Year | Players |
| Esports Broadcast/Production Team of the Year | Riot Games |
| Esports Apparel of the Year | 100 Thieves |
| Esports Publisher of the Year | Riot Games |
| Streamer of the Year | Ibai Llanos |
| Esports Supporting Service of the Year | Esports Engine |
| Esports Coverage Platform of the Year | Dexerto |
| Esports Commercial Partner of the Year | Verizon |
| Esports Hardware Provider of the Year | Logitech G |
| Esports Photo of the Year | Colin Young-Wolff |
| Esports Journalist of the Year | Ashley Kang |
| Esports Desk Analyst of the Year | Jessica "JessGOAT" Bolden |
| Esports Host of the Year | James "Dash" Patterson |
| Esports Colour Caster of the Year | Andy "Bravo" Dudynsky |
| Esports Play by Play Caster of the Year | Lauren "Pansy" Scott |
| Esports Collegiate Program of the Year | University of Hawaiʻi |
| Esports Collegiate Ambassador of the Year | Christine Fang |
Lifetime Achievement 2022 recipients
- Jason Lake
- Alexander Garfield
- Morgan Romine
- Daniel "OGRE1" Ryan
- Tom "OGRE2" Ryan
- Emil "HeatoN" Christensen
- Dennis "Thresh" Fong
2023
| Category | Winner[40][41] |
|---|---|
| Esports Controller Player of the Year | Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez |
| Esports PC Player of the Year | Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok |
| Esports Mobile Player of the Year | Mohamed “Mohamed Light” Tarek |
| Esports Breakthrough Player of the Year | Max “Demon1” Mazanov |
| Esports Personality of the Year | Disguised Toast |
| Esports Coach of the Year | Christine “potter” Chi |
| Esports Play of the Year | Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov |
| Esports Cosplayer of the Year | Akemikun |
| Esports Game of the Year | Valorant |
| Esports Mobile Game of the Year | Mobile Legends: Bang Bang |
| Esports Organisation of the Year | Team Vitality |
| Esports Team of the Year | T1 (League of Legends) |
| Esports Content Creator of the Year | S8UL Esports |
| Esports Content of the Year | Faker: A Decade Of Greatness |
| Esports Creative of the Year | Seso |
| Esports Creative Team of the Year | Paper Crowns |
| Esports Broadcast/Production Team of the Year | ESL FACEIT Group |
| Esports Publisher of the Year | Riot Games |
| Streamer of the Year | RiversGG |
| Esports Supporting Service of the Year | Prodigy Agency |
| Esports Coverage Platform of the Year | Esports Charts |
| Esports Commercial Partner of the Year | GUCCI |
| Esports Hardware Piece of the Year | Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 |
| Esports Journalist of the Year | Richard Lewis |
| Esports Desk Analyst of the Year | Mimi “aEvilCat” Wermcrantz |
| Esports Host of the Year | Caleb “WavePunk” Simmons |
| Esports Colour Caster of the Year | Dan Gaskin |
| Esports Play by Play Caster of the Year | Mitch “Uber” Leslie |
Lifetime Achievement 2023 recipients
- Chris Puckett
- Ian "Crimsix" Porter
- Marc Merrill
- Lee "Flash" Young Ho
- Manuel "Grubby" Schenkhuizen
- Shane "rapha" Hendrixson
- Victor "Nazgul" Goossens
- Michael "Odee" O'Dell
2024
| Category | Winner[44][45][46][47] |
|---|---|
| Esports Controller Player of the Year | Anthony "Shotzzy" Cuevas-Castro |
| Esports PC Player of the Year | Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok |
| Esports Breakthrough Player of the Year | Stanislav "Malr1ne" Potorak |
| Esports Sim Racer of the Year | Sebastian Job |
| Esports Play of the Year | Alexander “jawgemo” Mor |
| Esports Personality of the Year | Seth "Scump" Abner |
| Esports Coach of the Year | Kim "Kim" Jung-su |
| Esports Community Leader of the Year | Marc Robert "Caedrel" Lamont |
| Esports Game of the Year | Valorant |
| Esports Mobile Game of the Year | Mobile Legends: Bang Bang |
| Esports Breakthrough Game of the Year | Teamfight Tactics |
| Esports Organisation of the Year | Team Falcons |
| Esports Team of the Year | T1 (League of Legends) |
| Esports Content Creator of the Year | Naman "Mortal" Mathur |
| Esports Content Group of the Year | S8UL Esports |
| Esports Content of the Year | GODS ft. NewJeans (뉴진스) (Official Music Video) | Worlds 2023 Anthem - League of Legends |
| Esports Creative of the Year | Tiago "Liquid Enigma" Paixao |
| Esports Creative Team of the Year | Team Liquid |
| Esports Broadcast/Production Team of the Year | ESL FACEIT Group |
| Esports Publisher of the Year | Riot Games |
| Streamer of the Year | RiversGG |
| Esports Supporting Service of the Year | Blitz.GG |
| Esports Content & Coverage Platform of the Year | Liquipedia |
| Esports Live Event of the Year | 2023 League of Legends World Championship |
| Esports Commercial Partner of the Year | Red Bull |
| Esports Analyst of the Year | Jacob "Pimp" Winneche |
| Esports Host of the Year | Chris Puckett |
| Esports Colour Caster of the Year | Chad "SPUNJ" Burchill |
| Esports Play by Play Caster of the Year | Brandon "BSmith" Smith |
| Esports Panel's Choice Award | Corey Dunn |
| Lifetime Achievement in Esports | Jens Hilgers |
Decade Awards
| Category | Winner[48][49][50][51][52] |
|---|---|
| Esports Game of the Decade | League of Legends |
| Esports Personality of the Decade | Matthew "Nadeshot" Haag |
| Streamer of the Decade | Félix "xQc" Lengyel |
| Esports Organisation of the Decade | Team Liquid |
| Esports Team of the Decade | T1 (League of Legends) |
| Esports PC Player of the Decade | Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok |
| Esports Controller Player of the Decade | Anthony "Shotzzy" Cuevas-Castro |
| Esports Breakthrough Player of the Decade | Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut |
| Esports Coach of the Decade | Kim "kkOma" Jeong-gyun |
| Esports On-Air Talent of the Decade | Eefje "Sjokz" Depoortere |
| Esports Live Event of the Decade | 2017 League of Legends World Championship |
| Esports Publisher of the Decade | Riot Games |
| Esports Commercial Partner of the Decade | Intel |
| Esports Content & Coverage Platform of the Decade | Liquipedia |
2025
| Category | Winner[53][54] |
|---|---|
| Esports Commercial Partner of the Year | Red Bull |
| Esports Supporting Service of the Year | Prodigy Agency |
| Esports Creative Campaign of the Year | Team Liquid 25 Year Anniversary Campaign |
| Esports Supporting Platform of the Year | Liquipedia |
| Esports Content Group of the Year | S8UL Esports |
| Esports Content Creator of the Year | Nicholas "Jynxzi" Stewart |
| Esports Publisher of the Year | Riot Games |
| Esports Host of the Year | Laure "Bulii" Valee |
| Esports Colour Caster of the Year | Andrew "Vedius" Day |
| Esports Play by Play Caster of the Year | Clayton "CaptainFlowers" Raines |
| Esports Analyst of the Year | Mimi "aEvilcat" Wermcrantz |
| Esports Personality of the Year | Animesh "8Bit Thug" Agarwal |
| Streamer of the Year | Darren "IShowSpeed" Watkins Jr. |
| Esports Game of the Year | League of Legends |
| Esports Mobile Game of the Year | PUBG Mobile |
| Esports PC Player of the Year | Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut |
| Esports Controller Player of the Year | Zeng "Xiao Hai" Zhuojun |
| Esports Coach of the Year | Kim "Kim" Jung-su |
| Esports Breakthrough Player of the Year | Mason "Mercules" Ramsey |
| Esports Team of the Year | Team Vitality (Counter-Strike 2) |
| Esports Organisation of the Year | Team Falcons |
Lifetime Achievement 2025 recipient
- Tom Cannon and Tony Cannon
- Steve Arhancet
- Dan "Artosis" Stemkoski and Nicolas "Tasteless" Plott
- Matthew "FormaL" Piper
- Johan "N0tail" Sundstein
- Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen
Controversies and criticism
During the 2018 ceremony, YouTuber Deji Olatunji, the younger brother of KSI, mistakenly announced Epic Games as the winner of Esports Publisher of the Year. Moments later, he revealed it had been a joke and corrected himself, announcing Blizzard Entertainment as the actual winner. The incident drew criticism from attendees and viewers who considered it unprofessional and disrespectful.[56]
In 2024, the three-year partnership announcement between Esports Awards and the Esports World Cup Foundation provoked significant backlash from the esports community.[57] Several commentators and industry figures expressed concern over the new partnership. Some members of the Esports Awards panel stepped down following the announcement.[58] During the same period, Silviu Stroie, the CEO of PGL Esports announced they were withdrawing from the Esports Awards after being nominated for the Broadcast/Production Team of the Year award, stating that the event “has lost its credibility.”[59][60]