Has the Esports industry really opened up to women? The industry continues to evolve and become more inclusive and diverse compared to how it was before. With that, let’s take a look at these dominating women in esports.
Sasha “Scarlett” Hostyn
It took her years before she established herself as one of the greatest Starcraft II players of all time. Scarlett was also the first woman to win the major Starcraft II tournament, Intel Extreme Masters PyeongChang back in 2018. Then, Guinness Book of Records recognized her exceptional skills as the highest-earning female competitive gamer in 2016. Her career earnings exceed the massive amount of $472,000.
Also, Scarlett continues to inspire many as a transgender woman who dominated the gaming scene. Her skill and competitive drive are enough to cement her place among the top professional gamers. She also earned the nickname “Korean Kryptonite” by staying at the peak in the game with most Korean players.
Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere
The League of Legends esports does not lag behind Starcraft in acknowledging women. One of the most recognizable faces now is Sjokz, who hosts many of the major international tournaments. She started out as a freelance journalist, having a Master’s degree in history and journalism.
Eventually, she became the award-winning host of League of Legends European Championship (LEC) and World Championship. She instantly became one of the most awaited faces in the Worlds by many fans and players. She won several esports broadcasting awards such as the Esports Awards’ Best Host for four consecutive years.
Then, 2022 became HERstory as she served as the first woman to host the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major. But beyond this on-camera work, Sjokz has been an advocate for diversity in esports. She mentors most up-and-coming female talent in the competitive esports industry.
Jorien “Sheever” van der Heijden
There’s only one “Queen of Dota 2” and that is no other than Sheever. She already cemented her place behind the desk of Dota 2 broadcasting since 2012. Also, she appeared in every iteration of The International, the grandest world championship, since 2014. Besides, she also joined the broadcasting desk for countless major tournaments for Dota 2.
But Sheever did not only dominate the esports scene with her amazing talent. She also showed extreme dedication and will to fight against her breast cancer. She continued to show up for events despite undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
A resilient figure that should earn respect from across the esports community. Starting in December 2019, she’s been cancer-free and returns with pride to the broadcasting desk.
Tricia “megumixbear” Sugita
Women in esports work even behind the scenes. While you mostly see them front at broadcasting desks, they continue to break barriers. One of them is Tricia Sugita also known as megumixbear, who became the Chief Operations Officer at Cloud9.
From being an esports host for IGN, she took over the executive position in Cloud9, leading the operations of the team. Even before that, she earned the position of FlyQuest CEO, proving her leadership in the world.
She implemented several environmental and social responsibility programs, helping to preserve the environment. Besides, she organized partnerships with some tree-planting organizations and made a sustainable gaming house. They also became the first esports organization to support the Black Lives Matter movement, under her leadership.
Ava “florescent” Eugene
While VALORANT is growing popular, the 18-year-old gamer named florescent, steadily makes her story. Her name starts to ring after dominating the Game Changer scene, winning back-to-back championships from 2023-2024. She also earned MVP honors for both times, showing her exceptional abilities.
Then, she continued to break barriers as a transgender woman to join Apeks and compete in the main VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) 2024. Truly, an amazing feat that showcases her dominating presence in the community.
Because of this, she opened many opportunities for fellow women and gender-diverse players in the professional VALORANT community. She championed many of the obstacles that the male-dominated industry has built for her.
Final Thoughts
Women in esports are more than just your faces of broadcasting and gaming. They’re extraordinary individuals who continue to prove that their exceptional abilities can break through the esports industry. Also, the community should expect to see more women in the upcoming years working in esports. Whether as gamer, host, or in management, they’ve greatly contributed to the growth of the scene with their efforts.
