KSI and the Sidemen among UK's richest gamers

KSI and the Sidemen have made headlines as some of the wealthiest gamers in the UK. According to the Sunday Times' first-ever Gaming Rich List, they are recognized alongside the creators of popular games like Candy Crush, Minecraft, and Grand Theft Auto. The top position on this list is held by Igor and Dmitry Bukhman, the co-founders of Playrix, who have an astonishing combined wealth of £12. 54 billion. They are the masterminds behind games such as Township, Fishdom, and Homescapes. KSI and the Sidemen, known for their entertaining YouTube videos, have secured the 21st spot on the list with a fortune of £50 million. This highlights the significant financial success that can come from gaming and content creation. Interestingly, more than a quarter of the individuals on this list are under the age of 35, while the average age of those featured is 45. However, it is worth noting that only three women are included in the entire list, indicating a gender disparity in the gaming industry. KSI, whose real name is Olajide Olatunji, is part of a collective known as the Sidemen. They create a variety of content, including challenge videos, sketches, and commentary on video games. Another notable figure on the list is Felix Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie, a Swedish YouTuber who operates from Japan. He ranks 25th with a wealth of £45 million. The list also features Dan and Sam Houser, the co-founders of Rockstar Games, who are recognized for their work on the Grand Theft Auto series and have a combined wealth of £350 million. Other prominent developers in the top 10 include Riccardo Zacconi, Mel Morris, and Sebastian Knutsson, who are responsible for creating Candy Crush, a game that has been downloaded over three billion times since its launch 12 years ago. The only woman to make it into the top 10 is Wendy Irvin-Braben, who is associated with Frontier Developments, a game development company. She and her husband have a joint worth of £175 million. In the 13th position is Debbie Bestwick, the former CEO of Team17, known for creating the beloved Worms game series, as well as other popular titles like Overcooked and Dredge. Tamsin O'Luanaigh, who co-founded a virtual reality company called nGames with her husband, is in 28th place with a joint worth of £26 million. Robert Watts, who compiled the Gaming Rich List, remarked that for many young people, the idea of making a fortune through gaming seems like a dream. However, this list showcases the inspiring stories of individuals who have turned that dream into reality, demonstrating that it is indeed possible to achieve great success in the gaming industry.