Ukrainian Dota 2 player Danil “Dendi” Ishutin has passed American first-person shooter legend Jonathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel in total esport tournament earnings, according to website Esports Earnings.
Ishutin, a midlane player for Natus Vincere (Na’vi), now sits at $455,615.84 over the course of his career, barely edging out Wendel who sits at $454,544.98.
The majority of Ishutin’s winnings come from his team’s three stellar performance at the three Internationals, Valve’s yearly Dota 2 super tournament. His team took first place at the event in 2011, winning $1 million. In the following two Internationals, Na’vi would place second, earning $250,000 and $632,370 respectively.
Valve’s documentary, Free to Play, which was watched 5.5 million times in its release weekend in March, tells the story of Ishutin’s childhood and first International win. The film covers the tragic loss of his father to cancer and his subsequent immersion into the world of competitive Dota.
Wendel won’t likely add any big numbers to his tournament winnings soon. The superstar, who was featured in MTV’s True Life series in 2003 and made his name playing early first-person shooters like Quake and Unreal Tournament, hasn’t been competitive in the latest generation of esports. He now largely makes his living from event appearances and Fata1ty branded gaming products.
StarCraft player Lee “Jaedong” Jae Dong, who plays for North American team Evil Geniuses, currently sits comfortably in first with $511,586 in tournament winnings over the course of his seven-year career. However, should Ishutin see another big finish later this year at the International 4, he could very well jump to the top of the list.
H/T r/Dota2
