TryGOLD- Free

'I'm the Highest Earner in Esports'
Newsweek Europe|November 22, 2024
Johan "NOtail" Sundstein has won over $7 million but says, "I don't really crave that status...I play for my own reasons"
- JOHAN "NOTAIL" SUNDSTEIN
'I'm the Highest Earner in Esports'

MY EARLIEST GAMING MEMORIES ARE OF playing Mario on the Nintendo Game Boy. It was a big thing at school, and then after that came Pokémon. My mom even has a picture of me playing the Game Boy while on the potty.

I don't know how I got the Game Boy. I think everybody was riding the same wave and it was the new fad, but my parents weren't really gamers. They are into sports and traditional games, such as badminton, volleyball and cards.

I love gaming but I also like sports and I can see a natural correlation between the two. They're both about competing and reaching your potential, and breaking down how the game could and should be played to maximum effect.

The gaming was just a generational thing, I guess. All my friends at school were playing console games together, like connecting our Game Boys together to play Pokémon. And we advanced through games together, going to each other's homes to play each other's consoles, working together to defeat difficult puzzles, and so on.

In my early gaming years, there was some concern from my parents about how much I was playing. It could get a bit extreme where I would cut into my sleeping hours and I even developed facial tics, which often happens to people who play too much.

They were asking the stereotypical questions of kids who love to game a lot. What will my future look like? Who will I turn into? Will I be able to take care of myself? And can this really be a career? But my parents were always very supportive. There was never any crazy resistance to my gaming.

Then, when I got my first paycheck from gaming, even though I was very young and it was minuscule, it helped to calm their concerns. They felt this would all work out for me one way or another. I started to realize this could be a career for me in the very first game I played seriously, Heroes of Newerth. There were some tournaments where we were able to win a few thousand euros.

This story is from the November 22, 2024 edition of Newsweek Europe.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the November 22, 2024 edition of Newsweek Europe.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NEWSWEEK EUROPEView All
Not Seeing...But Believing
Newsweek Europe

Not Seeing...But Believing

How COVID reshaped our understanding of invisible air particles and the spread of disease

time-read
10+ mins  |
February 28 - March 03, 2025
Chelsea Handler
Newsweek Europe

Chelsea Handler

AS A SIX-TIME NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR, CHELSEA HANDLER knows the secret to a successful book is to stay true to herself.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 28 - March 03, 2025
Stephen Amell
Newsweek Europe

Stephen Amell

WHILE IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYONE ON SOCIAL media was binge-watching Suits during the pandemic, there was one person who was intentionally not watching the long-running series that ended in 2019: Stephen Amell.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 28 - March 03, 2025
Slimmer Side Effects
Newsweek Europe

Slimmer Side Effects

Weight-loss drugs have become hugely popular but can cause gastrointestinal issues. A breakthrough could be about to change that and also make treatment more affordable

time-read
3 mins  |
February 28 - March 03, 2025
AMERICA'S BEST NEW PRODUCTS 2025
Newsweek Europe

AMERICA'S BEST NEW PRODUCTS 2025

VERY YEAR, COMPANIES PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF CREATIVity and develop new products that promise to make your life healthier, more convenient and more fun.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 28 - March 03, 2025
The Strongman of Ecuador
Newsweek Europe

The Strongman of Ecuador

Daniel Noboa's bravado, aggressive policies and alignment with Trumpian politics has positioned him as a formidable figure in Latin America. But his fight to retain the presidency isn't over

time-read
5 mins  |
February 28 - March 03, 2025
HIGH WIRE ACT
Newsweek Europe

HIGH WIRE ACT

FAULTY POWER LINES AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT ARE BEING BLAMED FOR CAUSING DEADLY FIRES IN LOS ANGELES AND ACROSS THE U.S. IS ENOUGH BEING DONE TO PREVENT THESE DEVASTATING BLAZES?

time-read
9 mins  |
February 28 - March 03, 2025
Spheres of Influence
Newsweek Europe

Spheres of Influence

Donald Trump is channeling the great power politics of past centuries to deal with China and Russia, experts tell Newsweek

time-read
7 mins  |
February 28 - March 03, 2025
Winning the Global Game
Newsweek Europe

Winning the Global Game

The U.S. holds more cards than China. Whether we keep our strategic advantage depends on how we play our hand

time-read
3 mins  |
February 21, 2025
Jasmin Savoy Brown
Newsweek Europe

Jasmin Savoy Brown

SHOWTIME'S YELLOWJACKETS IS REALLY TWO shows in one.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 21, 2025

We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies. Learn more