Esports is one of the fastest-growing participation events in the world. Over the last decade, it has grown from a relatively small grassroots scene into an industry that brings in millions every year. The sponsorship for esports has resulted in prize money and revenue growing at a rapid rate, especially in the last five years as it has started to gain more traction.
As such, the top players are beginning to become minor celebrities in their own right. As is often the case, players from the USA are normally seen as the big players in the industry, however, there are plenty of top-class Canadian and Canadian-based players. Take a look at some of the top Canadian players on the market.
Arteezy
At just 23 years old, Arteezy is a player for Evil Geniuses. He was initially at school in Vancouver, but the pro gaming world took his fancy and he has stuck with it. Although a lot of pro gamers move towards online gambling, with this online casino in Canada offering a lot of high-quality blackjack play, Arteezy chose regular video games. Of course, Arteezy is old enough to make the move to playing slots online now, so don’t be shocked if you see it on his Twitch stream from time to time.
Arteezy is an extremely popular streamer on Twitch, with almost 700,000 followers at the time of writing. He mainly plays Dota 2 and has earned over $2m during his career.
NAF
NAF is another Vancouver-based player, his handle is an acronym for something that can’t be repeated in polite company, which is surprising for a player who is relatively sensible in the risk-taking stakes. His normal game of choice is CS:GO and he currently plays with Team Liquid. However, in the past, he has played with a number of other teams, including Luminosity and Renegades.
AUI_2000
AUI is another Dota 2 player, who’s mainly based in British Columbia. He was formerly with Evil Geniuses but was actually removed to make space for Arteezy. Since then, he has played for a number of different teams, including another stint at Evil Geniuses before being kicked out again, before settling in at CR4ZY.
He’s earned around $2m during his esports career, so he’s certainly enjoyed a lot of success. AUI_2000 was originally studying sociology but decided that a career playing Dota 2 full-time was more appealing. It’s obviously worked out and looks like it was a very good decision.
WildTurtle
Jason ‘WildTurtle’ Tran is a professional League of Legends player who has been a staple of the North American League Championship Series (LCS) since 2013 when he exploded onto the scene with TSM. Playing in the bot lane position, his career has spanned three organizations, and he has built a reputation for a high-risk, high-reward playstyle, as well as a strong personal brand thanks to his enthusiasm and friendly demeanor.
With four LCS titles under his belt and five playoff finals, in addition, he is one of the most accomplished North American players in the professional League. He currently plays for Counter Logic Gaming, with his fellow Canadian Andy ‘Smoothie’ Ta alongside him in the support position.
MoonMeander
MoonMeander plays Dota 2 for CR4ZY. Although Dota 2 wasn’t his original game of choice, he has managed to fit into the higher stakes and faster-paced world of the game without any problems. MoonMeander is based in Vancouver, meaning he’s quite close to a number of other big-name players in the Canadian world.
MoonMeander is known for adding some spice to his streams by taking some time out to have a dance or even drop down and throw out some pushups. If he doesn’t maintain his position in the competitive gaming world, it’s safe to say that his streams will still draw plenty of interest due to how entertaining they are.
Twistzz
Twistzz is known for being outspoken on his streams. After telling another player exactly what he felt they should do during a game of CS:GO, Twistzz shot into the world with plenty of notoriety. Even though he’s only 20, he’s still known as one of the top CS:GO players in the world.
The world is Twistzz’s oyster at the moment. There is certainly a lot of potential for the British Columbia native to make something big for himself. As part of Team Liquid, he could achieve legendary status before his 25th birthday.
