by JameThere is no denying that gaming offers a huge amount of fun. Many of us get a real sense of pride and achievement when we make progress in a game, while others enjoy claiming those all-important bragging rights. After all, few things are better than beating your friends and reminding them about it for days afterward.
However, in more recent times, the gaming world has in some ways moved on from the notion of simply playing for fun. Prize pools have become a big part of the scene and they are having an impact in several areas.
eSports success
For World of Warcraft players though, the idea of prize pools is probably more associated with eSports. The industry has been on a meteoric rise in recent years, with many top players competing to win huge sums of cash.
Of course, a recent notable eSports event was held concerning WoW, with the Arena World Championship Season 1 taking place. The official site details how Skill Capped won the EU Regional Championship, while Method NA was successful in the NA Regional Finals. The competition features a global prizing of around $200,000, which means those sides took home $50,000 each.
While that level of prize money is impressive, it is well behind some of the biggest pools in eSports history. As eSports Earnings highlights, Dota 2’s event The International takes some beating when it comes to prize money. The site states that the 2019 version of the event featured a total pool of more than $34 million, with the winning side OG taking home a massive $15.6 million for coming out on top.
Progressive prizes
Many forms of gaming have embraced prize money in recent years, including casino games. Online slots and similar titles have always featured potential winnings, but the size of prizes on offer has gone to a new level through the use of pools.
For example, Paddy Power features slots that operate with the Jackpot King system. The site explains how the concept features a community prize pool that essentially runs across a network of different games. Players simply have to get involved in one of the related slots to be in with a chance of winning the progressive jackpot.
Jackpot King also features several different prizes. Paddy Power outlines how the main Jackpot King can be won on any spin in the related games, while the Regal Pot has to drop before £35,000. Finally, the Royal Pot has to drop before £3,500.
Winning big
With eSports on the rise and other forms of gaming like slots also doing well, it is interesting to see how the prize money is becoming a big part of the industry.
Some huge sums are now generated with major competitions and titles, so all eyes will be on whether the funds involved continue to rise going forward. The developments in eSports particularly mean that the very best players now have a serious chance to win big if they prove their skills on the global stage.
