A 15-year-old European Fortnite player is now $120,000 richer.
The teenage pro competitor from Germany who goes by JannisZ in-game and is representing Wave Esports won the Fortnite Champion Series Invitational Europe title, finishing with 254 points.
JannisZ entered the final day of the regional championship with a 10-point lead. Day 1 was an impressive one for Jannisz, with five top-five finishes. With a Victory Royale and more top-5 performances in Day 2, he would remain in the top spot until the very end, despite Fortnite Duos World Cup winner David “Aqua” Wang knocking at the door after securing a Victory Royale in Game 1.
JannisZ pulled away before the sixth and final round to secure the title. Jaden “XL Wolfiez” Ashman clawed into second with a monster final game, earning 234 total points and $95,000. Aqua slipped to third with 219 points and secured $70,000.
“For a kid like him, all the sudden dominating out of duos FNCS with his 15-year-old partner Tayson, [JannisZ] is certainly somebody to watch in the future,” Fortnite caster Arten “Ballatw” Esa told ESPN. “Even though he won $120,000, in classic Fortnite fashion … he still has to go to school tomorrow. Though I wonder what his friends will be saying!”
The Fortnite Champion Series Invitational boasted a $2 million prize pool that included $120,000 for the European winner and $100,000 for the North America East champion. On average, 95,000 viewers watched the sixth and final contest in the European region on Twitch and YouTube.
In North America East, a 16-year-old free agent going by the gamer tag “Furious” took home the top spot. Furious started the final day of the two-day affair out of the top 10, but through impressive placements and elimination counts was able to climb all the way to the top.
Meanwhile, other established Fortnite competitors finished in the top 50 in the event: Leon “Khanada” Woobin Khim placed fourth and earned $35,000. Williams “Zayt” Aubin was consistently in the hunt all of Sunday and finished ninth, earning $8,000. The 2019 Fortnite World Cup Solos Champion, Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf, had a rough weekend, finishing 40th and earning $600. In other regions, Jordan “Jordan” Eckley finished first in Oceania and earned $15,000.
