Summary
An infamousStarCrafttournament in 2011 awarded runners-up a consolatory prize of 25 Bitcoins worth over $2.5 million today. Thirteen years later, the cryptocurrency’s astronomically inflated value far makes this 2011StarCraftcompetition one of the most potentially lucrative in the history of esports.
Bitcoin horror stories, such as that of the unfortunateprogrammer with over $200 million worth of Bitcointrapped on a locked hard drive, regularly circulate the internet. The world of esports now has its own pre-Bitcoin bubble tale of missed fame and fortune. While Blizzard Entertainment’s sci-fi RTS seriesStarCraftis widely known for its pivotal role in catapulting competitive esports into the global phenomenon it is today, these early tournaments were a modest affair compared to today’s highly lucrative competitions. AlthoughStarCrafthas lost its dominant position to modern games likeLeague of LegendsandValorant, it still retains a highly competitive esports scene. This year’s Esports World Cup 2024 (SC2) in Saudi Arabia offered a prize pool of $1,050,000.00 with a grand prize of $450,000 awarded to the French victor Clement “Clem” Desplanches.
In contrast, Scan, the winner of 2011’sStarCraft: Brood WariCCup StarLeague event took home $500 from a total $1,000 prize pool – a measly amount, even taking thirteen years of inflation into account. However, no one in 2011 could have predicted that the tournament’s losers would receive one ofthe most valuable prizes in the history of esports. While the top four players received winnings of $500, $250, $150, and $100 respectively, the fifth to eighth-ranked competitors won aprize of 25 Bitcoinseach. A token prize in the early days of the fledgling cryptocurrency, the 25 Bitcoins had a total value of approximately $41.25 in 2011. At the time of writing, one Bitcoin is worth over $100,000, making each 25 Bitcoin prize equivalent to over $2.5 million.
2011 StarCraft Bitcoin Tournament Prize Worth Millions Today
Unfortunately, it seems that the unknowing players did not hold on to the cryptocurrency to become millionaires today. Commenting on theTeam Liquid forumin 2021, fifth-placed competitor Sziky revealed that luck has not been on his side over the years. Sziky doesn’t state exactly when he cashed his Bitcoins, only confirming that he is no millionaire, although he implies that he might have treated himself to a beer using the prize. However, this appears to be more than his fellow runners-up ever received. Jumper, the tournament’s eighth-placed players, has previously revealed that they never even claimed the Bitcoins, which have now gone forever. Seventh placed Hejek has supposedly revealed the same. Only sixth-placed Koll appears to have not revealed the fate of their potential fortune. However, perhapsStarCraft’s recent revival on Game Passmay inspire future players to take up the mantle in the hopes of becoming aStarCraftmillionaire.
Although these players may go down in history as gaming’s millionaires that never were, regularStarCraftfans may still have something to get excited about. Blizzard is rumored to be rebooting the franchise and may have evenconfirmed the newStarCraftgame by mistake, although the new title might break away from the series’ real-time strategy roots.
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