DKLana on Esports Salaries and Discipline: Beginners Earn $500, the Best Up to $20,000
Esports has grown from a niche passion into a billion-dollar global industry, and with that growth comes constant curiosity about how much professional players actually earn. In a recent interview with the Mapa Mag na russkogo Telegram channel, Ruslana “DKLana” Berest, the manager of Team Spirit, provided insight into both the financial and professional realities of life as a pro player in Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2 (CS2).
She explained the structure of salaries, the importance of strict training routines, and why esports should be viewed as a demanding profession on par with traditional sports.
Salaries in Esports: From $500 to $20,000
According to DKLana, player salaries in Dota 2 and CS2 vary widely depending on region, skill level, and organizational backing. Beginner players can expect to earn anywhere from $500 to $1,000 per month. These are typically young talents just breaking into semi-professional teams, local leagues, or smaller organizations where sponsorship revenue is limited. For them, the focus is on gaining experience and proving they can perform consistently at a higher level. Established professionals playing for tier-one organizations in major regions can earn salaries between $10,000 and $20,000 per month. These figures apply to some of the very best players in their disciplines, especially those competing in the most prestigious tournaments.
But DKLana was quick to point out that salaries are only one part of the equation. In esports, tournament prize money can far exceed salaries. Winning a Major in CS2 or a top-tier Dota 2 event can bring in hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions of dollars split among the roster. “Prize money at major competitions can be very large — from $100,000 to a million dollars, and sometimes more. However, winning such tournaments is very difficult: the competition is huge, and to make this happen, you need to work hard and consistently show high results,” she explained. This system means that while the world’s elite players are well-compensated, many others survive on modest base salaries and hope for breakout success at big events.
Beyond the numbers, DKLana emphasized that esports is not simply “playing games for a living.” Professional players endure intense schedules, requiring the same discipline and structure seen in traditional sports. “The life of a professional player is not just ‘sitting and playing games.’ Players have a strictly structured day: individual training, team training, working with a coach,” she said. On a typical day, pros dedicate: 4 hours to individual training, which can include pub matches, mechanical drills, and theorycrafting. 6 to 8 hours to team practice, involving scrimmages against other teams, strategy refinement, and replay analysis.
In total, this can amount to 10–12 hours of daily preparation, often six or seven days a week. The workload is demanding, especially in the lead-up to major tournaments. “Before tournaments, we strictly monitor the schedule: sleep, nutrition, even physical activity. Without discipline, it is impossible to achieve success. It is important for esports players to be in good shape and pay attention to their health, otherwise they simply will not withstand the load,” DKLana noted. This structured regime demonstrates that esports requires far more than raw talent. Success at the highest level demands focus, resilience, and the ability to balance mental and physical health under constant pressure.
Esports as a Full-Fledged Sport
One of the strongest points DKLana made is that esports should not be dismissed as mere “button pressing.” In her view, the skillset required to succeed is comparable to traditional athletics. “Esports today strives to be a full-fledged sport. Players learn not only to press buttons, but also to quickly make the right decisions, maintain concentration. This is a difficult job, where not only skill is important, but also the ability to cope with constant pressure,” she said.
At the professional level, matches are often decided by a single moment of hesitation or brilliance. Maintaining focus across long series, international travel, and high-stakes environments separates elite competitors from the rest. Just as in football, basketball, or tennis, consistency is what makes champions. For organizations like Team Spirit — one of the most successful in recent Dota 2 history, with multiple Major titles and a TI victory — maintaining player discipline is as important as recruiting talent. Behind the glamour of winning tournaments lies an infrastructure of managers, coaches, psychologists, and analysts working to keep players sharp.
