But where was Justin’s fork in the road toward e-sports? “The fascination for gaming has always been there,” he says proudly. Even in his early years, he competed virtually with his friends and spent his free time that way. The first time he really came into contact with the more professional version was in 2015, at an event in Hanover. With the first victories and the first prizes, it went further and further into the depths of e-sports. He had tasted blood. Because not only had he realized that he could win against many strong opponents, but his streams were also becoming more and more successful. Under his company name “LinkeMedia” he has been broadcasting his sessions on the video platform Twitch for many years.

As the number of viewers increased, so did his monthly income. “The payouts then no longer came every five months, but every month.” And then the monthly payouts also quickly got higher and higher. He now has around 3000 viewers watching each stream. Companies like Logitech, Redbull, Razer and Co. have already worked with him this way.

But how much money his activity flushes concretely into his pockets, the Hagenburg would not say for contractual reasons. But as a commentator on Fortnite events, he gets “a medium three-digit amount per tournament.” A tournament lasts about three to four hours. The number of tournaments per month is staggering. “Let it be ten tournaments,” said Linke, who is active as a commentator in the “Rival Rock Series.” This has been holding two to three Fortnite competitions per week since the start of the Corona pandemic and pays out 1,000 euros to the winners in a grand final tournament every month.

His time at TSV Hagenburg was also important for his success in the e-sports scene, explains the 21-year-old. “Table tennis helped me with hand-eye coordination and reflexes.” Whether virtual competitions are classic sports is a hotly debated question. “I’m just as exhausted after table tennis as I am after a full day of tournaments,” Linke said. “Commentating also goes to the voice and the head. In terms of stress, it’s therefore no different for me than normal sports.” In that context, the Fortnite pro would like to encourage clubs in the county to open up, for example, to open an e-sports division. “Many underestimate the market, the power and the culture. Many demonize it, but can’t resist it.”

The situation was similar, although not quite as drastic, for his grandfather, who was also unable to get on with his grandson’s hobby for quite some time. However, Justin Linke still remembers the moment that caused him to change his mind. “I had won a gaming chair. And when my grandpa saw it, he just said ‘Well, you’ve done something.'” That at least ensured acceptance for once. “But there was also a lot of effort to make sure I learned something proper.” In the end, the grandson didn’t become a banker, but an e-sportsman.

But what does a day like that of an e-sportsman actually look like? The alarm clock rings at around half past ten, then we sit down in front of the PC for a while and play games, and at some point the day is over again. Not quite. At least for Justin Linke. “I get up at seven, then I stream the morning until I eat something at noon.” During this time, he is in constant contact with users in the chat. “The interaction is extremely important. Because without the bond and a community, no streamer in the world would really be successful.”

The afternoon is then free before it’s back to the stream around dinnertime. “The most important thing about it is discipline,” Linke points out. “You have to come up with a plan, follow it, and then eventually you’ll be successful.” For him, it took a scant five years to get to that lifestyle. “My father is a self-employed physical therapist, and that’s why I always wanted to be self-employed.” That started with photography when he was younger, but the focus had to be shifted when the Corona pandemic started. “A lot of things fell away for me, and then I started managing some people’s social media profiles.” A look at his Twitter account shows that he knows his stuff. 2.8 million people have interacted with the Hagenburg native via the channel within the past month. “Of course, big companies want a piece of that, too,” he explains. They send him products in hopes of advertising. “But I usually don’t accept it,” Linke explains.

What appeals to him most about the game Fortnite is its speed. “I would argue that it’s the fastest e-sports game out there.” And indeed, to the untrained eye, it is incredibly fast. Many movements and sequences are virtually impossible to recognize. Especially as a commentator, it is therefore all the more important to keep track and keep a cool head. “I would even say that Fortnite pushes e-sports to the maximum. The level of play is infinitely high. There is no limit.” He sees his personal future in the field quite similarly. “The market will keep growing,” the Hagenburg native is certain. “I still want to be active on the Internet when I’m 40, simply because I love it. You will always find enough job opportunities in the industry,” he is sure. And so Link’s sports dynasty from Hagenburg continues. Albeit in a completely new field.

Fortnite is a game from the so-called Battle Royal genre. Specifically, this means that 100 players compete against each other in a game. They are dropped online over a map and are armed only with a pickaxe. They can use it to mine building materials like wood and stones to build walls, stairs or even buildings to protect themselves from their opponents. There are also weapons hidden on the map that give you advantages in the fight against the enemies. All of this can be played in a colorful cartoon look on the PC or a console.

Fortnite in itself is free, but there are purchases within the game, for example, to improve your character. In May 2018, the developer studio “Epic Games” took in about 296 million US dollars this way. According to “Epic Games”, there were more than 350 million registered players in the summer of 2020. Meanwhile, there are also regular world championships and the game has found its way into pop culture. The dances that the playable characters do when they win have already been adapted as goal celebrations on the pitch by soccer stars such as France’s Antoine Griezmann. US rapper Travis Scott even staged a virtual concert in the game about a year ago. 27.7 million players watched.