Carmel sophomore Jack Moe earns big bucks with online gaming
By EMMA QUASNY
Carmel’s own Jack Moe is living the adolescent dream. At only 16, he’s making tens of thousands of dollars playing video games at home.
Esports is a growing multiple billion-dollar industry that is becoming increasingly popular amongst the younger generations. This form of competition often manifests as organized multiplayer video games. Individuals and teams compete against one another in tournaments where members can win cash prizes ranging from hundreds to millions of dollars.
Esports is the fastest growing sport in the world and draws from every continent. Gamers are using their skills by competing in esports tournaments around the world and turning their love for video games into a profession.
Universities and schools around the world are incorporating esports into their awarding of scholarships, extracurricular activities, and some, like Butler University, are turning this profession into a minor.
Currently, Fortnite – owned by Epic Games – is the most popular battle royale game in the world with 350 million registered users in 2021. It is the most lucrative and largest game in the esports industry. This video game has gained tremendous popularity within the gaming community and by esports professionals since it was released in 2017. The game has generated over $12 billion in revenue.
Fortnite is a multiplayer online game where the goal is to be the last player standing on an island by fighting in-game enemies. The game is currently in its first chapter of its third season. There are four chapters a year and each season is two years. The game features Marvel’s Spiderman as well as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Jack Moe of Carmel, a sophomore high school student at the Indiana Agriculture and Engineering Academy, is an esports professional ranked as the 36th best Fortnite player in North America. Moe has grown up with video games and has been playing the game since it was released. His inspiration to start gaming came from his older brother, Chris Moe, who has also played competitive videos games.
Moe is a straight-A student who recently made the transition from Carmel High School to online schooling so he could dedicate more of his time to his esports profession. Being a full-time online student allows Moe to manage his time and create his own schedule to fit his gaming profession.
“Ever since I’ve been doing online school, I’ve been doing my school at times that are best for me,” Moe said. “Most people I play with are not on till later in the day so I can do all my [schoolwork] earlier.”
Denise Moe, Jack’s mom, has always been supportive of her son when it comes to his passion for esports.
“I am very proud of Jack. He is as good in esports as if he were a 16-year-old going to the NFL, Juilliard or the Olympics,” Denise said. “It’s something that the parents should take seriously. As long as the child makes good grades and is keeping up the end of their bargain, esports can be absolutely beneficial and positive because not every kid is athletically inclined or outgoing. All children have different talents and skills, and professional gaming takes extraordinary dedication, hard work, effort and determination.”
According to Denise, Jack puts in the same amount of time, dedication, and commitment it takes to be a professional in the esports world and can make the same amount of money.
On Jan. 1, Moe was recruited by TheCartel Esports, a professional esports organization, to become a content creator for the association.
From the organization, he gets paid $20,000 for the year and keeps 100 percent of his tournament earnings. Last year, he won $24,000 from tournaments while attending in-person school full-time and maintaining his grades. Including his salary, he could make $44,000 this year as a 16-year-old.
Moe uses the majority of his earnings towards new and upgraded equipment to keep his computer and gaming system up to date for his tournaments. He builds most of the equipment himself.
What money he isn’t spending on equipment he plans to save for future expenses like college tuition or a car. Moe wants to pursue a degree in engineering at Purdue University but still plans to maintain his esports profession.
“Being a full-time professional and having [esports] as your full-time job [can be] very difficult,” Moe said. “You should always have a backup plan.”
As the esports industry continues to grow, so does Moe and other esports professionals. According to Allied Research Market, the esports industry is expected to generate $4.75 billion annually by 2030, which is a 17.5 percent increase from 2021. These numbers are projected to increase even more as the esports industry continues to globally expand.