How a lot has Johan Sundstein comprised of esports?

Within the ferociously aggressive world {of professional} esports, there’s little doubt who has been essentially the most financially profitable.

Danish celebrity Johan Sundstein, higher often known as N0tail, earned greater than $7 million from numerous Dota 2 tournaments.

And regardless of not being an energetic participant, he’s nonetheless very a lot a part of the gaming world on account of his function as head coach of the OG workforce.

Right here we check out N0tail’s profession, the wealth he’s constructed throughout his profession, the professionals and cons of reaching the head of his occupation, and the way he spends his downtime.  

N0tail’s actual title is Johan Sundstein, a 31-year-old Dane who has amassed a multi-million greenback fortune from taking part in Dota 2 tournaments. He’s also called Large Daddy.

He was twice a part of the successful workforce in The Worldwide (TI), essentially the most profitable esports occasion that boasts an unimaginable seven-figure prize pool.

Though he’s stepped again from competing over the previous couple of years, he stays energetic on the scene as head coach of the OG workforce, which he co-founded again in 2015.

He additionally has a considerable social media following on the likes of Twitch and Instagram, whereas his autobiography, entitled ‘Character Beats Expertise’, was launched in 2024.

N0tail has earned tens of millions of {dollars} in event winnings. A big quantity got here from twice successful The Worldwide, essentially the most prestigious Dota 2 occasion.

Based on Esports Earnings, he gained prize cash of $7.18 million from 130 tournaments between 2010 and 2021. 

His most profitable yr was 2019, when he walked away with earnings of $3.15 million from eight occasions, having scooped $2.82 million the earlier yr.

Nevertheless, his total internet price is prone to have been boosted by a wage from the OG workforce, in addition to from his autobiography that was launched final yr.

It’s believed that N0tail advantages from quite a few income streams, though the inspiration for his wealth is regarded as the $7 million gained in tournaments.

The OG workforce additionally sells merchandise, with shirts, hats, jumpers, jackets, socks, and lanyards out there. It even sells a branded gaming chair for £578 ($781).

N0tail additionally stands to earn cash from his substantial social media following, with greater than 1 / 4 of 1,000,000 on Instagram and 172,000 YouTube subscribers.

N0tail printed his autobiography, ‘Character Beats Expertise’, co-authored with Danish journalist Jacob Mignon, in October 2024.

The guide supplies an perception into his journey from a boy in Denmark with a ardour for video video games to successful the world’s most profitable esports event.

It additionally covers the darker aspect of esports, together with “grasping managers, false friendships, and anger as a driving drive”, in keeping with the again cowl blurb.

In an X submit, N0tail acknowledged that he’d lastly determined to disclose his full story after being requested to for a few years.

The person who would turn out to be N0tail was born on 8 October 1993 in Denmark. In a video launched on OG’s YouTube channel, he mirrored fondly on his adolescence.

He recalled that he had a “good college, good childhood, superb classmates”, and made some lifelong buddies throughout this era.

As with most esports stars, he began taking part in video video games at a really early age, spending time in Copenhagen’s LAN cafes, the place the high-speed web made them in style with players.

“My dad and mom have at all times been supportive of me,” he recalled, although they expressed concern about his plans to go away college early and focus on his ardour.

He transitioned from taking part in on his Nintendo Recreation Boy to changing into an expert participant in Heroes of Newerth across the age of 15. His expertise quickly obtained seen as a part of the Fnatic workforce.

Whereas N0tail loved success with NoN, it’s been his long-running affiliation with Dota 2 that has actually cemented his legacy as an esports celebrity.

He made the swap in early 2012, with one of many largest incentives being the seven-figure prize swimming pools for the sport’s most prestigious competitions.

In 2015, he co-founded the workforce (monkey) Enterprise, later to turn out to be OG, with long-term teammate Tal “Fly” Aizik. This could find yourself being a particularly profitable and profitable determination.

Three years later, the workforce gained The Worldwide, the world’s most profitable esports event, in Canada, after which shocked the gaming world by repeating the victory a yr later in China.

In the identical yr, he was named within the Forbes 30 beneath 30 Video games listing, which was a substantial honour and highlighted his meteoric rise within the sport.

Writing on Fb, again in November 2021, N0tail acknowledged the influential function that the sport had performed in his story. He wrote: 

Essentially the most vital recorded buy by N0tail is his 17-bedroom mansion in Lisbon, Portugal, which is a gamer’s dream and, unsurprisingly, geared up with the very newest expertise.

In a video launched by Purple Bull Gaming, he defined the thought behind shopping for it was to have the “bootcamp set-up” that he’d at all times needed.

The sprawling property featured a most important gaming room with entry to the skin, in addition to a “haunt room” and swimming pool.

So far as his private life is worried, N0tail appears to favour a extra modest existence with an emphasis on nature, canine, and travelling, in keeping with his Instagram feed.

N0tail mirrored on what made him significantly profitable through the peak of his Dota 2 powers throughout his interview with Purple Bull. He mentioned:

However whereas his devotion to the trigger helped him obtain nearly unparalleled success, the victories got here at a considerable worth.

N0tail recalled how he was unable to benefit from the comparatively easy, human facets of life, together with rising vegetation and having a canine.

He additionally admitted relationships have been “an entire mess” due to the time dedication concerned in getting ready for tournaments.

A few years after successful the second TI, N0tail introduced he was taking a break from aggressive Dota 2 to give attention to mentoring the following era of gamers.

He has since established himself as head coach of the workforce and doesn’t seem to have any intention of stepping again full-time into the taking part in fray.

It’s understood that N0tail has made a number of donations over time, together with to the aid efforts following the Australian bushfires in 2020.

He additionally reportedly teamed up with Danil “Dendi” Ishutin for a charity stream in support of Ukraine following the nation’s invasion by Russia.

N0tail retains his place as primary within the all-time incomes charts, regardless of not having performed competitively for a couple of years.

The Dane has gained $7.18 million from primarily Dota 2 tournaments, together with back-to-back wins within the annual TI occasions, in keeping with Esports Earnings.

Jesse Vainikka, often known as JerAx, is in second spot with $6.48 million, whereas each Yaroslav Naidenov (Miposhka) and Anathan Pham (ana) have every gained greater than $6 million.

There’s little doubt that Johan ‘N0tail’ Sundstein’s give attention to turning his ardour for video video games right into a full-time profession was a sensible determination.

The 31-year-old is having fun with the spoils of success in a 17-bedroom mansion in Portugal, having earned greater than $7 million in prize cash from Dota 2 tournaments.

However he has additionally spoken candidly in regards to the struggles concerned in skilled gaming, slightly than focusing solely on the constructive facets, and for that, he deserves credit score.

Whereas it’s been a couple of years since N0tail was an energetic competitor, he nonetheless performs an vital function within the sport via his function as head coach at OG, the place he’s inspiring upcoming players.