The 10 most influential esports players of all time

TL;DR

• Aceu is one of the first esports influencers to showcase the fluid movement in Apex Legends.
• Diamondprox, as part of the Moscow Five, is widely credited as the pioneer of counter-jungling.
• Myth is a worthy entrant for his building techniques in Fortnite that were way ahead of the curve.
• In VALORANT, nAts perfected the Sentinel role and masterfully anchored the objective he was defending.
• Stewie2k makes the list for his disruptive style that annoyed pro players and brought energy to the Counter-Strike scene.

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In esports, trailblazers and pioneers come into the competitive scene early and set the standard for future rivals. When a game is new and its competitive scene is in its infancy, many of the early techniques will fade away as the general skill of the playerbase and understanding grow. However, some players are so ahead of the meta that their original ideas stand the test of time.

We’ll take a look at 10 esports legends whose games would be very different without their influence. These personalities revolutionized the competitive landscape and changed esports history.

The 10 most influential esports players of all time

We aren’t looking at achievements and accolades here (although that certainly comes with the territory). We’re looking at influential players whose ideas are still used in the current esports metagame. Esports athletes whose unique playstyle impacted pros and casuals alike. Players who made an impact out of their bubble and drew more fans to their game. Many conversations and debates can come from that criteria, but these famous esports players in history deserve their recognition first.

Former Counter-Strike pro Aceu is one of the first esports influencers to showcase the fluid movement in Apex Legends. Aceu solo vs trio pubstomping videos proved that a single skilled player can leverage movement to take down whole squads in style. He perfected all the essential tech used by competitive players and chased high-kill games with his famous bald Wraith. 

The grandfather of movement was an informative content creator who created seminal guides on the topic that are still used today. Whenever you see players camp the zip line buildings in Worlds Edge and parkour at max speed, you can thank Aceu for that.

Diamondprox and the Moscow Five reinvented the whole League of Legends metagame as we know it, centered around their jungler, Diamondprox. Moscow Five perfected the concept of priority, where their players would permanently shove the lane and look to make aggressive movements. Diamondprox challenged the meta with Shyvana, clearing camps at lightning speed, then invading the enemy jungler to drain their resources.

Diamondprox is widely credited as the pioneer for counter-jungling, and their aggressive strats were oppressive. He was also creative with surprising opponents with off-meta picks like jungle Karma and Dr. Mundo. League of Legends esports wouldn’t be the same today without their short, dominant streak.

Fortnite — Myth

Before Ninja became a household name or Bugha won millions, there was Myth. The quiet kid who saw Fortnite not as a shooter, but something similar to Chess. He was way ahead of the curve in building techniques: taking high ground, boxing out, and quick editing all without turbo build, as showcased in one of the first ever build fights.

At a time when most top players guarded their strategies, he streamed his thought process openly. Myth’s tutorials on buildings set the foundation for Fortnite’s competitive scene.

Though later overshadowed by flashier players, Myth’s influence is everywhere in modern Fortnite. Every time you see a player instantly build a fortress after taking a single shot, that’s Myth’s legacy. 

VALORANT — nAts

There’s no doubt that nAts is one of VALORANT’s smartest players. Jokingly referred to as “no access to site” by the community, nAts perfected the Sentinel role and masterfully anchored the objective he was defending. He was notorious for his sneaky lurking and would usually catch players off guard. 

Using his favored Agents Viper and Cypher, he’d instill a dreadful paranoia that other regions and players tried their best to emulate his playstyle. Where most players would peek into a crossfire, nAts would come from off angles. Where most players would favor the Vandal, nAts shows off spray control with the Phantom. He pioneered many utility setups on Viper on Bind and Icebox that are still used to this day.

Overwatch — Jjonak

JjoNak was plucked from Overwatch’s ranked ladder and straight into New York Excelsior’s (NYXL) starting lineup as their second support for the Overwatch League. From the beginning, it was clear that JjoNak thrived on the frontlines with his signature Zenyatta. JjoNak would play recklessly, flanking and taking off angles to get game-changing picks for his team. He would showcase how lethal Zenyatta’s Orb Volley was that Blizzard nerfed it in response. 

JjoNak’s aggressive play was exciting and highly effective, rivaling DPS players’ stats in eliminations, damage, and kill participation. His aggressive positioning and playmaking mindset inspired support players everywhere to step up their impact. JjoNak was admired and feared by other top-tier players; he was rightfully granted the first MVP and a custom skin for his stellar performance.

Counter-Strike — Stewie2k

Stewie2K burst onto the scene as Counter-Strike‘s ultimate disruptor, bringing a fearless, chaotic, and disrespectful playstyle. Stewie2k started a pug star who annoyed pro players with unpredictable movements, especially with how he plays around smoke grenades. Most players would treat a smoke as an impassable wall, but Stewie2k would always push through, with or without a pop flash, earning him the “smoke criminal” nickname.

Stewie2k brought this energy to the scene, which North American fans loved. He was a trash-talking, highly energetic player who taunted teams with knife eliminations and verbal insults in LAN events. Stewie doesn’t play for stats, but was highly effective on entry fragging, carelessly throwing his own life to break open the site. No one can deny that he helped Cloud9 win the 2018 Boston Major. Stewie2k’s journey from pug star to Major winner paved the way for teams to take their chances on dominant online players.

Dota 2 — Dendi

Dendi is an energetic personality who helped bridge the transition to Dota 2. The Ukrainian mid player was pivotal to NAVI’s win during the first International. Dendi was the face of Dota 2’s esports and had this undeniable star power whenever he played. Crowds would cheer whenever he picked his iconic Pudge and landed impossible hooks. Dendi’s fountain hook shenanigans are still remembered to this day.

More than a decade later, Pudge is still the most popular hero, and most players default to Dendi’s Blink Dagger and Force Staff build. Dendi’s influence extended beyond his mechanical skill. His joyful, showman-like approach to competition made Dota 2 more accessible and entertaining for casual viewers, helping grow the esports’ early fanbase.

Call of Duty — Nadeshot

Nadeshot was instrumental in gathering interest for Call of Duty esports. Encouraged by OpTic CEO H3CZ to focus on content creation, he amassed a following on YouTube through high-level Call of Duty plays, yet there was this transparency and honesty in his personal blogs. He offered fans an authentic glimpse into the life of a professional gamer, demystifying a career that wasn’t fully accepted by the public at the time.

Fans tuned in to support Nadeshot and OpTic: their victories, rivalries, and near-misses. As a player, Nadeshot performed decently but was known for his objective play, peaking in Search and Destroy in Call of Duty: Ghosts. Nadeshot was an influential figure during Call of Duty’s formative years, and he’s brought that experience to co-founding 100 Thieves.

Halo — OGRE2

OGRE2 is widely regarded as the greatest Halo esports player of all time, and no one comes close to his influence. OGRE2 and his identical twin, OGRE1, were a dominant force in competitive Halo. These two were successful as a duo and so in sync that the community joked about them communicating via ESP. The OGRE twins went on to form the backbone of Final Boss, a team name that rightfully fit them.

After his twin retired, OGRE2 kept competing and winning. The numbers and stats he put out during his era were legendary: 40 major event wins and 5 MLG National Championships over 14 years and multiple Halo games. He was an influential figure for future esports competitors and many players aspire to be even a quarter as successful as him.

Street Fighter — Daigo

​Daigo Umehara, revered as “The Beast,” is one of the most influential figures in esports history, particularly within the fighting game community. He’s most known for his legendary performance at Evo 2004 against Justin Wong, known as Evo Moment #37. Facing Justin Wong in the Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike semifinals, Daigo, with only a pixel of health remaining, executed a flawless parry of 15 consecutive hits from Wong’s Super Art

This moment became a viral sensation and is often hailed as the most iconic moment in competitive gaming history. Justin Wong himself acknowledged that the moment may have helped save the FGC. Many players cite Evo Moment #37 as their introduction to esports and the fighting game community, breathing new life into a declining genre. This showed the spectacle of esports and the unbeatable energy of its fans to the whole world.

Conclusion

From meta pioneers to explosive personalities who got crowds to fill up esports events, these leaders in esports made an undeniable impact on their game. Their innovations reshaped the meta, their charisma drew fans, and their legacies continue to inspire new generations of players. As esports continues to grow, the blueprint set by these esports legends is seen in every play, every match, every moment in all levels of play.

FAQs

References

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJB8U25nOcE&t (YouTube)