A 16-year-old "Fortnite" phenom is $3 million richer after defeating millions of competitors in the video game's first-ever world championship.

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According to USA Today, Kyle Giersdorf, whose handle is "Bugha," topped 99 other finalists who faced off in the Fortnite World Cup solo tournament Sunday in New York.

"Emotionally, right now, I don't feel too much, except I know that this could pretty much change my life forever," Giersdorf, of Pennsylvania, told ESPN after his victory. "It's just absolutely unreal."

Giersdorf wasn't the only "Fortnite" player to win big. Sixteen-year-old Emil Bergquist Pedersen, aka "Nyhrox," and David "Aqua" Wang, 17, scored $1.5 million each in the duo competition Saturday, ESPN reported. Overall, top-ranking competitors claimed $30 million in winnings this weekend, USA Today reported.

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John Raulet, a partner in Raulet Property Partners, stands in the soundstage at Mailing Street Stageworks, Tuesday, August 26, 2025, in Atlanta. Raulet’s company has either converted or sold off all but one of its soundstages amid a downturn in film production in the U.S. (Jason Getz / AJC)

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