Something interesting happened to Australian esports in 2025 that most people outside the scene didn’t notice. Prize pools grew. Not by a little bit — by a lot. The combined prize money across major Australian tournaments jumped roughly 40 percent compared to the previous year, and that number doesn’t even include the international qualifier circuits that run through our region.

For years, the knock on Australian competitive gaming was that you couldn’t make a living doing it here. You had to move to NA or EU, find an international team, or just treat the whole thing as an expensive hobby. That’s starting to change.

Where the money is coming from

The growth isn’t coming from one source. There’s a mix of things happening at once. ESL Australia expanded its circuit. Riot’s VALORANT Challengers Oceania bumped its prize structure. The Australian government’s interactive entertainment grants started flowing into esports events for the first time. And a handful of corporate sponsors — mostly telcos and energy drink brands — got more aggressive with their tournament funding.

Perth hosted its first major LAN with a six-figure prize pool in October. Melbourne’s esports arena, which opened in late 2024, has been running monthly events that actually pay out decent money. Even Brisbane’s grassroots scene saw a bump, with local orgs pooling sponsorship dollars to offer prize pools that would’ve been unthinkable three years ago.

What it means for players

More money means more professionalization. Teams that used to be five mates sharing a Discord server are now thinking about coaches, analysts, and practice schedules. That’s a good thing. The gap between Australian teams and the rest of the world has always been partly about resources — not just talent.

I’ve watched some of these players grind for years with almost nothing to show for it financially. Seeing them finally get paid feels overdue. But there’s a catch. More money also means more pressure. Orgs that are investing real dollars expect results, and the burnout problem that’s plagued international esports is going to show up here too.

The org side of things

For organisations, the calculus is shifting. Running an Australian esports team used to be basically a charity operation. Now there’s at least a plausible business model, even if it’s still thin. Sponsorship deals are getting slightly more sophisticated. Some orgs are experimenting with content creator rosters alongside their competitive teams, which helps diversify revenue.

The smart orgs are also looking at the development pipeline. With more money in the scene, there’s actually a reason to invest in academy teams and talent development. Dire Wolves, ORDER, and a few others have been doing this quietly for a while. Expect more to follow.

What could go wrong

I don’t want to be all sunshine about this. Prize pool growth doesn’t automatically mean the scene is healthy. We’ve seen this movie before in other regions — money floods in, expectations get unrealistic, and then it all contracts when the hype cycle moves on.

The key question is whether the funding is sustainable. Government grants can dry up. Corporate sponsors chase the next shiny thing. If the local scene can’t build a genuine audience — people who actually watch, attend events, and buy merch — the money won’t stick around.

Broadcast quality matters here too. Some of the Australian tournament streams still look like they’re produced in someone’s garage. If you want sponsors to keep writing cheques, the product has to look professional. Some organisations have started working with AI consultants Brisbane to build AI-driven broadcast tools that automate camera switching and highlight detection, which helps smaller events look more polished without needing a full production crew.

The bigger picture

What’s exciting is that Australian esports is finally getting the infrastructure to support real competition. It’s not just about the prize money — it’s about the ecosystem around it. Better venues, better broadcast, better pathways for players. We’re still behind Korea, Europe, and North America by a long way. But the trajectory is right.

I’ve been covering this scene for years, and this is the most optimistic I’ve felt about it. The money is real, the talent is there, and the audience is growing. Now we just have to not screw it up.