The owner of Virtus.pro commented on professional players' pay in esports. Speaking on the show titled "KIBER VECHER," he gave a broad overview of typical salary ranges in Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2 and noted that many players themselves disclose earnings on social media and in messaging channels.
He said he would not name specific salaries and questioned why people expect him to do so. According to him, in the internet era players often reveal their own past pay in Telegram channels and other outlets; he mentioned that Anton "dyrachyo" Shkredov recently shared how much he earned at his previous team while they were winning.
The owner offered a rough hierarchy of pay: it depends on a player's condition and performance level. He estimated Dota 2 salaries roughly from $3,000 up to $25,000, while in CS salaries can go higher — he cited figures reaching $50,000 in some cases. He also said that prime versions of top stars have earned about $50,000, referencing that s1mple received that amount while at Natus Vincere.
Reports and former players give a wide range of figures. Former CS pro Mikael "Maikelele" Bill has stated that top players can earn between $50,000 and $96,000 per month. A representative of FaZe Clan said that renting Aleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev once cost no more than $50,000 per month. Other media reports have claimed that at one organization a Ukrainian player received as much as $130,000.
In Dota 2, Anton "dyrachyo" Shkredov has said he earned $25,000 while at Gaimin Gladiators. Roman "RAMZES666" Kushnaryov has described much wider swings during his career, reporting periods when his monthly pay ranged from about $300 up to $20,000.