This week in our two-part series, we look at the life and times of US pro player Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf. If you are a young kid that wants to make money by playing Fortnite, Bugha is the perfect example for you.
On the other hand, if you are a parent that tends to argue with your kids when they want to play video games, you should also not miss out on Kyle’s story since this youngster sets a great example for every parent and every kid.
How Did Bugha's Career Start?
Bugha's real name is Kyle Giersdorf. He was born on December 30, 2002, so it's ok to say that Kyle’s career is only just starting. It all began with his YouTube channel where his followers saw how good and talented this Fortnite player he really is.
After a couple of months of uploading his own content and gameplay to YouTube under the moniker of Bugha, Sentinels came knocking, and in March of 2019, Kyle joined his first professional esports team.
Contrary to many other professional esports athletes such as Doublelift, Bugha got all the support he needed from his parents. On top of that, his father played video games all his life! They were also present at Arthur Ashe Stadium to see their son lift the Fortnite World Cup trophy.
Prior to his Fortnite World Cup win, Kyle had only played in some minor tournaments and bagged himself around $25,000 in prize money. You can only imagine how much a victory like this meant for a 16-year-old kid.
I was at a very bottom and I had to work my way to the top.
Bugha's Twitch, Social Media Channels, and Followers
There is no denying that Fortnite is the most played video game in the world. We believe that you can paint a picture in your head of how popular someone could become after winning the biggest tournament in Fortnite.
Ever since his final Victory Royale, Bugha started to gain more and more followers. Below, we will provide you with his social media statistics and links where you can find Kyle and watch him do some amazing things in Fortnite:
- Instagram (@bugha) – 5.1 million followers
- Twitch (@bugha) – 4.2 million followers
- Twitter (@bugha) – 1.7 million followers
- YouTube (@Bugha) – 3.84 million subscribers
Bugha's Personal Life: Age, Girlfriend and Career Earnings
Kyle is only 18 years old, and he has already won over $3 million in prize money and his net worth is estimated at $4 million. However, he is not the highest-paid esports athlete (yet). That title goes to OG's Dota 2 roster who won The International twice in a row and netted themselves around $6 million per player.
Did you know that Bugha only has one friend that he trusts? He even took him to the Fortnite World Cup. Must be lonely at the top.
Can you imagine how hard it is for someone to manage both their education and playing Fortnite on a professional level? Kyle stated that he spent around 6 hours a day sharpening his gaming skills.
Did you know that Jimmy Fallon invited Kyle to his TV show? Here is his interview with Jimmy:
Alongside playing Fortnite and regularly attending school, Kyle likes to play basketball with his friend.
At the time of writing, Kyle is in a relationship with another Twitch streamer called Angelica. You can find her Twitch channel angelicuh. She is also very active on Instagram @angelicuhx, where she has more than 25k followers.
His daily routine goes like this: warming up his hands for around 20-30 minutes. After that, he hops on a Discord channel with his friends in order to discuss strategy and game plans.
Kyle got the nickname "Bugha" from his grandpa. While he was little, his grandpa often said “bugha, bugha, bugha” and he laughed. All in all, it stuck to him.
But we're here for what Bugha can really do on the esports scene, right?
Stick around for Part 2 of our story of the life and times of Bugha, where we will take a deep dive into his performance during the Fortnite World Cup 2019, so do not miss out!
