In a video interview with BBC, Danish Dota 2 player Johan “N0tail” Sundstein shows off his new mansion in Lisbon, while discussing his career as the highest-earning esports athlete in the world. Sundstein also talks about the emotional and physical investment that comes with working in esports.
In the interview, Sundstein talks about quitting school when he was 17 years old. “I was getting home from school and basically playing until night, up to 12 hours and sometimes more. I’d be playing 20 hours if I could. This is when I got a bit of pushback because my parents were worried about my health and started worrying about my future. I struggled with school from 15 to 17 and just quit. And never looked back.”
2020 has been a busy year for us. 🥵
We had our ups and downs, played our hearts out and took part in as many events as we could.
We’re now eager to face the new challenges to come. #DreamOG pic.twitter.com/GQJWQ2kpJG
— OG (@OGesports) January 7, 2021
Later, Sundstein covers the ‘dark’ side of esports, talking about the mental strength it takes to compete at the highest level. “There’s a huge dark side to this and it’s the mental strain and there’s a group aspect that amplifies it and makes you feel terrible. I get negative myself, I get sad, sadness is my number one enemy.” He does however highlight the positives too. “If we’re winning and everything goes well, I feel great. It works the other way around as well.”
Sundstein is currently the captain for Dota 2 team OG, which won The international in both 2019 and 2020. They are currently also active within the DreamLeague DPC EU.
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