Women in Esports: Meet the top women in competitive gaming
Esports has grown into a massive industry, with over 3 billion gamers around the world. While professional esports is still male-centric, women make up a noteworthy part of the gaming community. Studies show that nearly 45% of all gamers are women, amounting to about 1.39 billion female players.
However, challenges such as gender bias and online harassment remain. Even so, these women refuse to back down. They are breaking barriers, making history, and inspiring a new generation of female gamers.
Here are three of the most iconic female esports players who have left their mark on competitive gaming:
Sasha ‘Scarlett’ Hostyn (StarCraft II)
Scarlett is widely known for her dominance in StarCraft II and was dubbed the ‘Queen of Blades’ for her unmatched skill as a Zerg player, inspired by the game’s Sarah Kerrigan.
She is considered one of the greatest female esports players of all time. From 2011 to 2024, Scarlett has won 18 S and A-tier tournaments. In 2018, she became the first female player to win a major StarCraft II event at the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Season XII in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Throughout her career, Scarlett has earned over $400,000 in prize money and she’s sitting on top of the highest-paid female esports gamers in history.
Ava ‘florescent’ Eugene (Valorant)
Seen as a teenage prodigy, florescent is arguably one of the best Valorant Game Changers players in history. She is widely known for her flawless aims and fierce playstyle. Despite being only 18 years old, she has already become a champion for diversity in gaming as a proud transgender woman.
In 2024, she made history as the first woman to join a Tier 1 Valorant team by signing with Apeks. Prior to this, she competed in Game Changers, Valorant’s female league, where she’s one of the two Canadians to win a back-to-back championship in 2023 and 2024.
Se-yeon ‘Geguri’ Kim (Overwatch)
Geguri is also one for the books as she’s the first-ever female gamer to compete in the Overwatch League in 2018 with the Shanghai Dragons until 2020. While it’s an achievement, her journey to the top wasn’t an easy one.
At just 17 years old, Geguri faced accusations of cheating due to her insanely precise aim. Male players doubted her skills, claiming she used an aimbot. To silence the critics, she live-streamed herself playing live, proving that her talent was real.
Breaking barriers and making history
Women in esports have fought for recognition and proved that skill goes beyond gender. While challenges remain, their achievements show that the future of esports is becoming an inclusive one. These women are not just playing the game—they’re changing it.
