Griffin Spikoski spends as much as 18 hours a day glued to his computer screen playing the wildly popular, multi-player video game Fortnite.
His YouTube channel — where he regularly uploads videos of himself playing the online game — has nearly 1.2 million subscribers and more than 71 million views; figures that have netted him advertisers, sponsorships and a steady stream of income.
Last year, that income totaled nearly $200,000.
—The Washington Post
Spikoski is 14 years old. His folks worried about his passion at first, now they embrace it and have hired a financial advisor. He’s one of the new athletes in e-sports.
E-sports mimic traditional sports leagues principles: Exciting content, likeable stars, catchy team names, slow motion highlights, intense competition and an uncertain outcome.
And like Spikoski, elite athletes can make big bucks.
It certainly is different world than the one we were raised in!
April 4, 2019
I wouldn’t fancy working (playing?) for 18 hours a day, even if it earned me big money. I would want a bit more of a life than that.
The point is he isn’t you. He loves what he does.
ditto Nick. and at 14 I’m not sure how healthy it is for him. but his parents seem to have been bitten by the almighty dollar. lordy lordy. what a weird world we live in today!
I would worry about his physical health, but at least he loves it. I thinks that’s a lot better than kids being pressured to get into elite colleges so they can be someone else’s ideal of a successful life.
agree with both Nick and tammy…if I was the parent, I would make sure the money earned was salted away; and I would give him a finishing date when he stops! Sadly I don’t think that will happen…
I think they are encouraging him to save the money. He loves playing the games and doesn’t want to spend wildly on other things.
Like a parent from another ‘age’ I ask – when does he go to school or even sleep? Bet he doesn’t shower very often??
I’m guessing the 18 hours a day is an exaggeration, because he goes to school online.
He’s going to need all those dollars to pay for the effects from a repetitive stress injury. That injury will affect the rest of his life including limiting the work he can do. Like other major sports injuries often do. My RSI was not sports related but with a 15% permanent partial rating from the 1980s there are still things I cannot do–like put any weight on my right arm to help me get up if I fall.
Good point — that is a real danger and he and his parents need to watch for symptoms.
Hmmm.
At first I was going to agree with Nick and Tammy but then I started to calculate the fact that he makes about 7 times more than me a year. AND then I figured I work 9-10 hours a day and add 3 hours to that for preparing for work and drive time, similar to a lot of working people.
And then I thought how most kids are glued to their phones and computers everyday anyway…
So…I don’t know what I think, except…
I think I’ve been stuck in an obsolete way of how to view “work”.
Ya know, all that team work stuff and a strong work ethic and pride in a job well done.
The world has changed. No one seems to care and such behavior is no longer rewarded with wage increases or time off.
Just the way the younger generation views everything is nothing like I was taught.
And they’ve proven that social media can reward them if they are savvy enough.
And this kid, thankfully has a financial advisor. A wise decision on the parents part, I’d say. Hopefully it’s being invested wisely and when the world moves onto the next big thing on YouTube, he’ll have money for college or whatever else he might invent.
Yeah, I’m trying to open my mind and change my beliefs a bit.
So I’d say, – Rake it in while you can kid! I doubt it will last for long.
That’s my feeling too!
Cindi raises good points – the world has changed, since the introduction of this particular tool…and her last line speaks volumes…
Yes, I agree.
It’s just a totally different world out there isn’t it. This just seems totally crazy to me but obviously very rewarding for him
He’s using his talents and is happy. As a parent I would be glad about that, but I would try to encourage him to eat healthily and get a bit of exercise.
Exercise. I know nothing about the game he plays but I know a few games I’ve played included a lot of body movement as I tried to will things to go the direction I desired. 🙂
I don’t know how the game he plays works either. I’m curious.