What is Tyler 'Ninja' Blevins' Net Worth?
Tyler Blevins, widely recognized as 'Ninja,' is a prominent American internet personality and professional gamer with a net worth of $50 million. Best known for his expertise in the game 'Fortnite,' Blevins has garnered over 24 million subscribers and 2.5 billion views on YouTube, along with 18.5 million followers on Twitch. Earning approximately $5 per subscription, he often makes between $500,000 and $1 million monthly from his gaming activities.
In June 2018, Ninja partnered with Red Bull Esports, and in September of the same year, he became the first Esports player to appear on the cover of 'ESPN The Magazine.' On August 1, 2019, Blevins announced his departure from Twitch to join the Microsoft-owned platform Mixer. However, after Mixer shut down, he returned to Twitch, securing a substantial payout for his transition.
Early Life
Born Richard Tyler Blevins on June 5, 1991, in Detroit, Michigan, Tyler grew up in Grayslake, Illinois, with his parents Cynthia and Chuck, and older brothers John and Chris. Of Welsh descent, Tyler was introduced to video games by his father. During high school at Grayslake Central, he played soccer and worked at Noodles & Company. He later attended Silver Lake College in Wisconsin, where he started competing in video game tournaments, joining professional gaming organizations, and live-streaming his games.
Career
Blevins began his professional gaming career in 2009 with 'Halo 3,' playing for organizations like Team Liquid, Cloud9, and Renegades. He started streaming in 2011 with games such as 'H1Z1' and 'PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' (PUBG). In 2017, he joined Luminosity Gaming, competing in 'Halo,' 'H1Z1,' and 'PUBG,' and won the 'PUBG' Gamescom Invitational Squads classification.
Ninja's popularity skyrocketed with 'Fortnite Battle Royale,' gaining 1.5 million followers between September 2017 and March 2018. When he played 'Fortnite' with Drake, Travis Scott, and Juju Smith-Schuster in March 2018, he set a record with 635,000 concurrent viewers on Twitch. This led to Epic Games pairing gamers with celebrities at E3 2018, where Ninja, along with musician Marshmello, won the 'Fortnite Battle Royale' event.
In April 2018, Ninja broke his Twitch record again with 667,000 viewers during Ninja Vegas 2018. He held the Red Bull Rise Till Dawn 'Fortnite' event in Chicago and estimated his earnings at nearly $10 million in 2018. Epic Games later added a Ninja cosmetic skin to 'Fortnite.' In 2019, Electronic Arts reportedly paid him $1 million to promote 'Apex Legends.'
(Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)
After leaving Twitch for Mixer in August 2019, Blevins returned to Twitch in July 2020 following Mixer's closure. By early 2020, he was earning over $500,000 per month from 'Fortnite' streams. In April 2023, Ninja was appointed Chief Innovation Officer at GameSquare Esports Inc., merging with Engine Gaming and Media to create a leading esports and media company.
Microsoft Deal/Payout
In August 2019, Tyler made headlines by signing an exclusive streaming deal with Microsoft’s Mixer, followed by fellow esports star Shroud. Despite Microsoft's attempt to transition Mixer into Facebook Gaming in June 2020, both Ninja and Shroud declined the offer, triggering a buyout clause. As a result, Ninja reportedly received $30 million and Shroud $10 million to walk away. Ninja returned to Twitch in August 2020 and began streaming on multiple platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook, in September 2022.
Controversies
Blevins has faced several controversies. In 2016, he was suspended from Twitch for 48 hours for revealing the address of a donor with a racist message. In 2018, he used a racial slur while rapping a song, for which he later apologized.
Personal Life
Tyler met fellow gamer Jessica Goch at a 'Halo' event in 2010, and they began dating in 2013. The couple married in August 2017 and honeymooned in the Caribbean. Known as Jess Blevins, Jessica became Ninja's manager and a popular streamer herself. However, in October 2022, Jessica announced her departure as his manager to focus on new opportunities.
Charity Work
Tyler is actively involved in charity work. In 2018, he raised over $110,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention during a charity stream and donated $2,500 to the Alzheimer's Association for each game won in an Esports event. He also helped raise $340,000 at the #Clips4Kids event and donated $1 million after winning the 'Fortnite' Pro-Am event. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tyler and Jess contributed $150,000 to Feeding America.
Awards and Honors
Ninja has received numerous accolades, including Gaming and Live Streamer awards at the 2018 Streamy Awards and Esports Personality of the Year at the Esports Awards. He was named Content Creator of the Year at The Game Awards 2018 and won the Live Streamer award at the 2019 Streamy Awards. 'Time' magazine included him in their list of the world's 100 most influential people in 2018.
Real Estate
In 2018, Tyler and Jess purchased a 6,700-square-foot mansion in the Chicago suburbs. The house features five bedrooms, including a game room and a theater.
