'Words can't explain it': 16-year-old Fortnite video game world champ wins $3M
The Associated Press | Posted: July 29, 2019 3:18 PM | Last Updated: July 29, 2019
Some 40 million players competed for a chance to play in the finals
All those hours playing video games have paid off for a 16-year-old.
Kyle Giersdorf, of Pottsgrove, Penn., racked up the most points and won $3 million US as the first Fortnite World Cup solo champion. The competition took place Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
Giersdorf said "words can't explain it." He goes by the name Bugha when competing.
Some 40 million players competed for a chance to play in the finals, which was narrowed down to 100 contestants from 30 countries.
The award-winning battle royale video game, which has become a cultural phenomenon since it was released in 2017, involves 100 players being dropped onto a virtual island to compete for survival.
It was developed by company Epic Games and is a cartoon shooting game with three distinct modes for gamers to play in, on console and desktop.
WATCH: The final moments before victory
Canadian finalist
The tournament offered $30 million in cash prizes.
Canadians came to represent with 17-year-old Hayden Krueger.
The Calgary native, who now lives in the U.S., brought home $1.2 million in the World Cup.
In second place, Harrison Chang, 24, of the U.S. won $1.8 million.
The duo competition was won by 17-year-old David Wang, of Austria, and 16-year-old Emil Pedersen, of Norway. They'll split the $3-million prize.