The Esports Awards 2025 celebrated a decade of competitive gaming on a star-studded night at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas. The ceremony honoured players, creators, teams and organisations shaping global esports — crowning League of Legends as Esports Game of the Year and recognising creators and teams including iShowSpeed, Animesh “Thug” Agarwal and Team Falcons. Here’s a full roundup of winners, notable moments and what the results mean for the esports ecosystem.
Event snapshot: what happened and why it mattered
The tenth edition of the Esports Awards combined high production values with heartfelt speeches and industry recognition. Over 24 award categories were presented, and the event also inducted the first members into the Lifetime Achievement in Esports: Class of 2025. The awards highlighted competitive performance, creative influence, and commercial partnerships — a snapshot of how esports now blends sport, entertainment and branded collaboration.
Top winners and headline moments (quick view)
- Esports Game of the Year: League of Legends
- Esports Mobile Game of the Year: PUBG Mobile
- Esports Personality of the Year: Animesh “Thug” Agarwal
- Streamer of the Year: iShowSpeed
- Esports Team of the Year: Team Vitality (CS2)
- Esports Organisation of the Year: Team Falcons
- Esports PC Player of the Year: Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
These headline awards reflected both competitive excellence and the growing influence of creators and commercial partners across the scene.
Notable winners — what stood out
League of Legends taking Game of the Year underlines Riot’s continued dominance in PC esports, driven by league ecosystems and international events.
iShowSpeed winning Streamer of the Year shows how top streamers now sit at the center of mainstream attention, drawing millions of viewers and brand deals.
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut being named PC Player of the Year reinforces the star power of top competitive athletes whose individual skill still drives storylines across tournaments.
Team Falcons and Team Vitality showed competitive depth, while content groups such as S8UL signal a thriving creator economy in regions like South Asia.
Lifetime Achievement: honoring esports pioneers
The Lifetime Achievement inductees — names like Johan “N0tail” Sundstein and Tom & Tony Cannon — highlight both competitive legends and community builders. These selections celebrate contributions that span competition, event organisation and long-term industry growth, a recognition that esports has matured into a century-spanning cultural movement.
Industry reaction and social buzz
Winners were quick to receive congratulatory posts across platforms. Streamers and pro players amplified their recognition with clips and acceptance moments, while sponsors shared campaign tie-ins. Industry analysts noted that awards for creative campaigns and supporting platforms (e.g., Liquipedia) demonstrate a more complex ecosystem where content, data and brand activations matter as much as match results.
Commercial trends the awards underline
- Brands as partners: Red Bull winning Commercial Partner of the Year highlights how global brands now invest heavily in events, teams and talent.
- Creator monetisation: Awards for content creators and groups confirm that media IP and creator-led content are monetisation engines.
- Cross-platform reach: Winners across PC, mobile and streaming show the necessity for multi-platform strategies for publishers and teams.
Regional impact & growth signals
The mix of winners — from European competitive stars to South Asian content groups — shows esports’ truly global footprint. Markets such as India are gaining recognition through groups like S8UL and creators winning international awards, which in turn attracts investment, sponsorship and local tournament growth.
Behind the scenes: production and partnerships
The HyperX Arena show mirrored mainstream entertainment award productions: coordinated stagecraft, branded moments, and sponsor activations. Partners such as HyperX, Oakley and Esports World Cup amplified event reach through cross-promotion and on-site engagement, demonstrating how esports events now serve as major branding platforms.
What this means for fans, creators and organisations
- Fans: More polished events, richer storytelling, and a broader slate of winners mean richer fan content and moments to share.
- Creators: Recognition at global awards validates creators as primary content drivers — better sponsorship and cross-market opportunities follow.
- Teams & publishers: Awards create reputational capital that helps recruit talent, secure sponsorships and expand global operations.
Winners list — full categories (selected highlights)
- Esports Game of the Year: League of Legends
- Esports Mobile Game of the Year: PUBG Mobile
- Esports Personality of the Year: Animesh “Thug” Agarwal
- Streamer of the Year: iShowSpeed
- Esports Content Group of the Year: S8UL
- Esports Content Creator of the Year: Jynxzi
- Esports Play of the Year: Choi “Doran” Hyeon-joon
- Esports Commercial Partner of the Year: Red Bull
- Esports Publisher of the Year: Riot Games
- Esports PC Player of the Year: Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
- Esports Team of the Year: Team Vitality (CS2)
- Esports Organisation of the Year: Team Falcons
(For the full 24-category winners list, see the official announcement.)
Takeaway: the industry keeps professionalising
The Esports Awards 2025 emphasized how the industry now rewards competitive prowess, production quality and creator influence equally. With awards for platform services, creative campaigns and commercial partnerships, esports is moving beyond a tournament-centric model into a multi-dimensional entertainment industry.
What to watch next
- How publishers capitalise on award momentum for product launches and league expansions.
- Whether brands translate award visibility into longer-term investments.
- Growth of regional creator groups and local competitive circuits, especially in South Asia and Latin America.
Stay tuned for more coverage and interviews from the winners — we’ll bring you exclusive clips and post-award analysis in the coming days.
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