Last night, the 2022 Esports Awards were held in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it was a star-studded show that represented the best of the best in the esports industry. It was a who’s who of esports, with representatives surfacing from almost every corner of the landscape, from organisations and developers to streamers and competitors. This show comes a mere week after The Game Awards was held, and while that barely covered esports, this show was a veritable feast of competitive gaming.
So, without further ado, here are our highlights from the award winners at the ceremony.
So Many Winners, So Little Time
OpTic Gaming won Organisation of the Year (Image Credit: OpTic Gaming)
There were dozens of categories put forward at the 2022 Esports Awards – more than we can sensibly list here! With that being said, there were some standout results that really made the show worth watching; examples of the representation and gratitude that the Esports Awards is designed to exude. So, while the spotlight was cast across many recipients of these Esports Awards, we’ve highlighted our pick of the bunch below.
Esports Organisation of the Year: OpTic Gaming
OpTic has had a phenomenal year – and a phenomenal lifecycle, in general. From winning the HCS World Championship to performing remarkably well in the VALORANT Champions Tour, and from Dallas Fuel winning the Overwatch League to countless content creators being signed, it has been an incredible year for OpTic Gaming.
Esports PC Player of the Year: S1mple
S1mple is one of the most iconic CSGO competitors of all time, and after a lengthy career studded with huge wins, he understandably refuses to stop being nothing short of incredible. As an accomplished competitor in every sense of the word, he absolutely deserves this award.
Streamer of the Year: Ibai
This is the third year back-to-back that ibai has won the Streamer of the Year award. As the number-one Spanish streamer on Twitch, ibai has enjoyed more rapid growth than the likes of xQc and Ludwig, and his high production value content never ceases to amaze viewers. In 2022, Asmongold referred to ibai as ‘one of the most influential streamers’.
Esports Personality of the Year: Nadeshot
Nadeshot truly deserves the Personality of the Year award.
There were few personalities more deserving of his award than Nadeshot. It could have been a lifetime achievement award, given how influential and impactful Nadeshot has been within the esports industry in the last few years. From founding 100 Thieves to winning the Call of Duty League, and from pioneering a near household name brand to being a consistent streamer himself, he really is doing it all.
Esports Game of the Year: VALORANT
Since debuting in 2020, VALORANT has really gone from strength to strength. It’s one of the fastest-rising esports titles in the world, and in just two years, it has pulled in a fanbase that numbers in the tens of millions. Given how successful the VALORANT Champions Tour was in 2022, it comes as no surprise that VALORANT wins this award.
Esports Mobile Game of the Year: PUBG Mobile
When PUBG went free-to-play at the start of the year, the ecosystem blew up, with millions more players flooding into the game. For years, PUBG Mobile has been a consistent player in the mobile gaming space, and as an esports ecosystem, it’s second to none – definitely a well-deserved award.
And Many More to Come
These are just a few of all the awards handed out during the ceremony. For the recipients, there are no awards in the esports scene more prestigious than these, so we firmly tip our hats to them. Fortunately, that’s not all she wrote, as the Esports Awards will return in 2023.
