This 16-year-old from Pennsylvania has just become an instant millionaire.
Kyle Giersdorf, who’s known by his video gaming handle “Bugha,” won the $3 million grand prize at the Fortnite World Cup held Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
“Today was indeed the day,” he said in a tweet.
After securing 59 points, @bugha is your first ever #FortniteWorldCup Solo Champion! ???????? pic.twitter.com/O5WAcVvjRA
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) July 28, 2019
Giersdorf isn’t the only teen millionaire this weekend. On Saturday, Emil Bergquist Pedersen, a 16-year-old from Norway known as “Nyhrox,” and Austria’s David Wang, a 17-year-old who uses the handle “Aqua,” won the Fortnite World Cup duo championship, beating 50 teams. They share a $3 million prize.
Congratulations to @nyhrox and @aquaa, your 2019 #FortniteWorldCup Duos Finals Champions! pic.twitter.com/XFcmuZ4sHO
— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) July 27, 2019
Developed by Epic Games Inc., Fortnite Battle Royale is a video game where 100 competitors fight it out on a virtual island, with the lone survivor or team named as the winner.
Fortnite has become an international sensation, making Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney a billionaire. The game also sparked a rise in video-game addiction, where Lorrine Marer, a British behavioral specialist, said last year that “this game is like heroin.”
Nyhrox already has a plan for his winnings. “I’m saving most of my money, might invest some and I’m for sure going to upgrade my gaming setup,” he said.