2020 has been a strange year, yet with esports tournaments being played mostly behind closed doors and many of our favorite online entertainers and streamers being stuck indoors, there have still been plenty of memorable moments.
We’re celebrating the great esports players, breakthrough content creators and incredible moments caught on stream in the second-ever Dexerto Awards. Once again you’ll be able to help decide who deserves the accolades by voting in our polls.
Our expert panel has whittled down the shortlists for each category. Below you’ll find 2020 categories and nominees as well as how you can get involved.
How to Vote
We’re running all of our polls on Twitter, which will be linked below, and you can vote in whichever category you’re interested in – be it for your favorite Counter-Strike player of 2020 or the ultimate Twitch clip of the year. Each poll will run for five days, and links to each one will be added here as soon as they go live. Check out the dates for each award below.
Dexerto Awards 2020 Categories
- Esports Rookie of the Year
- Call of Duty Player of the Year
- CSGO Player of the Year
- League of Legends Player of the Year
- Warzone Player of the Year
- Valorant Player of the Year
- Overwatch Player of the Year
- Streamer of the Year
- TikToker of the Year
- Breakthrough Streamer of the Year
- Cosplayer of the Year
- Streaming Highlight of the Year
- Headline of the Year
- Trash Talker of the Year
Esports Rookie of the Year
No aspiring pro would have dreamed of their debut season being played online, but many young stars thrived in 2020 with new blood rising to the top in virtually every major esport. Here are the top four young players of 2020.
Bymas (CSGO)
Aurimas ‘Bymas’ Pipira got his big break in Counter-Strike when he briefly joined FaZe Clan as a stand-in. However, it wasn’t until he joined Mousesports in August that the young Lithuanian truly began to shine. Under the leadership of karrigan, the 17-year-old is beginning to live up to the hype, instrumental in all of their wins, and securing qualification to BLAST Fall Finals. (Image: Mousesports)
iLLeY (Call of Duty)
Indervir ‘iLLeY’ Dhaliwal was always destined for greatness in Call of Duty and fans were eagerly awaiting his rookie season. After turning 18 and signing with Dallas Empire, the youngster showed why he was touted as a prodigy. when he helped his team win the first Call of Duty League Championship.(Image: Call of Duty League)
Alarm (Overwatch)
Philadelphia Fusion’s Kyung-bo ‘Alarm’ Kim became one of the Overwatch League’s very best Support players in his first full season as a pro. The 19-year-old wasn’t just the best rookie in the League, he was a top five player.(Image: Blizzard)
huanfeng (League of Legends)
19-year-old Tang ‘huanfeng’ Huan-Feng became an overnight sensation at Worlds 2020, carrying Suning to their first Grand Finals appearance. His journey has been incredible – shunned by his parents at just 12 and once living in poverty, he has overcome adversity, making him an inspiration to any LoL player who dreams of making it.(Image: Riot Games)
Call of Duty Player of the Year
The first year of franchising in Call of Duty saw many players become human highlight reels and narrowing the candidates for this award down to four was particularly difficult. After much debate, here are our four nominees for Call of Duty Player of the Year:
Shotzzy
Anthony ‘Shotzzy’ Cuevas-Castro’s year was incredible. After some early-season struggles, the former Halo player really came into his own, becoming the 2020 MVP in the Call of Duty League after securing a World Championship win with Dallas Empire. Shotzzy’s uncanny ability to “break” the movement mechanics in his first full year of CoD competition made him virtually impossible to pin down and he’ll be equally dangerous during the Cold War season.(Image: Call of Duty League)
Simp
Chris ‘Simp’ Lehr was the breakout player of 2019 and the MVP of the Black Ops 4 World Championship. He didn’t slow down in 2020 as the 19-year-old’s near-perfect Modern Warfare gameplay helped make his Atlanta FaZe side one of the most consistent and formidable teams in the inaugural CDL season.(Image: Call of Duty League)
Envoy
Dylan ‘Envoy’ Hannon was the shining star of an inconsistent Chicago Huntsmen side. While the team showed that they could compete with the very best on their day, they also endured their fair share of struggles. However, 20-year-old Envoy was able to rise to the occasion even during his team’s weak moments. With Chicago rebranding to the legendary OpTic brand for 2021, Envoy has everything it takes to become the next CoD superstar.(Image: Call of Duty League)
aBeZy
As one half of the Tiny Terrors duo, Tyler ‘aBeZy’ Pharris is sometimes overshadowed by his teammate Simp. Yet there’s no denying that he is equally as dominant and incredible in his own regard. Without aBeZy, Atlanta wouldn’t have had the same success in 2020 and he 21-year-old was in the conversation for the best Modern Warfare player, especially during the first half of the season.(Image: Call of Duty League)
CSGO Player of the Year
In a year with virtually no LAN events worldwide, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive still managed to be one of the most exciting and competitive esports. Established veterans were still fragging out, and stars in the making made their names. Here are the nominees for CSGO player of the year.
s1mple
When it comes to raw firepower in CSGO, there are two players that stand head and shoulders above everyone else. The first is Ukrainian superstar Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev who has once again produced eye-watering stats in the online era. Crucially, he also looked completely dominant in the LAN events that were held earlier in 2020. Who can forget that IEM Katowice performance? (Image: Na’Vi)
ZywOo
If s1mple is 1A, Team Vitality’s Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut is 1B. The French sensation took the world by storm in 2019 and has continued to do so in 2020, even elevating his team to number one in HLTV’s World Rankings in November. The 20-year-old is evenly matched with s1mple in 2020 when it comes to statistics but has arguable faced tougher competition during the online era as European events tend to be more stacked than CIS ones.(Image: Team Vitality)
blameF
In a world where s1mple and ZywOo are so dominant, how can anyone else hope to compete for the CSGO Player of the Year award? By in-game leading a completely new international team to event wins and doing so by top fragging more often than not. Danish star Benjamin ‘blameF’ Bremer took Complexity’s juggernaut from a meme to a top contender in 2020 and he did it while posting incredible stats.(Image: Complexity)
NiKo
It’s easy to look at FaZe Clan’s inconsistent results in 2020 and write Nikola ‘NiKo’ Kovač off but the Bosnian star quietly racked up some impressive results and stats in 2020. Since relinquishing the in-game leadership role and moving to G2 Esports, the 23-year-old has been even more impressive and is one of the only players on the planet that can hang with the likes of ZywOo and s1mple when it comes to raw firepower.(Image: G2 Esports)
League of Legends Player of the Year
League of Legends continues to excel as the biggest esport in the world. It proved that in 2020, putting on a spectacle in Shanghai for the World Championships when most LANs were cancelled. This year has also seen the rise of new talent, as well as the return of veterans looking to learn some new tricks. The competition was tough, but we’ve managed to whittle hundreds of pros down to four:
Canyon
The Worlds Finals MVP for Damwon Gaming, Kim ‘Canyon’ Geon-bu was a standout in Season 10. With carry junglers being the name of the game, the Korean prodigy shone as he led his team, and his region, back to the Summoner’s Cup. The 19-year-old will continue to be a force to be reckoned with heading into 2021.(Image: Riot Games)
ShowMaker
If Worlds proved anything in 2020, it’s that Heo ‘ShowMaker’ Su is the best mid in the world when it counts. He has outshone the likes of Knight and Chovy in high-pressure situations, with his suffocating style of play helping Damwon secure the World Championship.(Image: Riot Games)
Caps
The best of the West, Caps had a stellar year despite a rocky start. While his ADC antics weren’t up to scratch in spring, after his swap back to mid, the LEC Summer MVP was a key component in making sure the West had some representation deep into Worlds. The G2 Esports superstar continues to prove that he can mix it up with the best of the best on any stage.(Image: Riot Games)
JackeyLove
While Top Esports bowed out of Worlds early, Yu ‘Jackeylove’ Wen-Bo can hold his head high after a consistently stunning 2020. He was the rock for Top throughout the year, always their most consistent performer. With Uzi out of the limelight, he now can truly prove he’s worthy of the title of China’s best AD carry.(Image: Riot Games)
Warzone Player of the Year
There’s no denying it: Warzone has been the breakout game of 2020 and even people who wouldn’t usually play Call of Duty have fallen in love with it. We’ve been blown away by these players’ abilities in the Call of Duty battle royale, but only one can be crowned the King of Verdansk in 2020.
Tommey
Thomas ‘Tommey’ Trewren’s 2020 season got off to a rocky start when he couldn’t secure a starting spot on a CDL roster. However, it’s arguably been the most successful year to date for the veteran pro. As well as a popping stream, he has consistently been among the top players in Warzone tournaments, and became the first player on 100 Thieves’ newly-formed Warzone roster in November.(Image: Call of Duty League)
Aydan
Aydan Conrad has proved himself to be a battle royale master, switching from a successful period playing Fortnite to Warzone, where he’s been absolutely dominant. The 21-year-old returned to his Call of Duty roots in 2020 and currently holds the Warzone solo-squads world record of 60 kills.(Image: Ghost Gaming)
HusKerrs
Jordan ‘HusKerrs’ Thomas has been a long-time battle royale player but has really found his A-game in Warzone, where he is highest earner by a fairly comfortable margin. When HusKerrs is in the server, he’s almost guaranteed a top spot.(Image: NRG Esports)
Vikkstar
Vikram ‘Vikkstar123’ Singh Barn is the most surprising Warzone star of 2020. Though he previously enjoyed some success in Fortnite, he has proved himself to be more than just an entertaining YouTuber. As well as becoming a co-owner of London Royal Ravens, he has firmly secured his place as one of the most intelligent and skilled Warzone players there is.(Image: London Royal Ravens)
Valorant Player of the Year
Valorant is 2020s hottest new FPS. In a single year, it’s gone from nothing more than a concept to a fully-fledged competitive esport. We’ve seen a crazy amount of talent competing in both the First Strike competition and Ignition Series, and so many more could have been nominated for player of the year. Here’s our top four.
Mixwell
Former CSGO pro Oscar ‘mixwell’ Cañellas Colocho has made a seamless transition to Valorant. Boasting crazy plays and carry-style performances on his signature Jett, the Spanish player is already a Valorant icon and the face of G2’s roster.(Image: G2 Esports)
Sinatraa
Former Overwatch player Jay ‘Sinatraa’ Won is already a Valorant sensation. Viewed by many as the best Valorant player in the world, his flexibility makes him a true force on Future Earth and the star of the talented Sentinels squad.(Image: Sentinels)
ScreaM
No Valorant award list would be complete without Adil ‘ScreaM’ Benrlitom. The CSGO ‘headshot machine’ has proven himself to be just as dominant in Valorant where he signed for Team Liquid in August. ScreaM’s Jett is here, and she’s here to stay.(Image: Team Liquid)
Wardell
Matthew ‘Wardell’ Yu has become the face of North American Valorant. The former CSGO player is the glue that has held TSM’s Valorant roster together. His Jet will cut you to pieces before you even know she’s there, making Wardell a real Valorant champion.(Image: Wardell)
Overwatch Player of the Year
The 2020 season of the Overwatch League saw some of the fiercest competition yet. With upsets galore and some spectacular plays, a new generation of players are etching their names into the history book. It hasn’t been an easy run for them though, as the veterans made sure the new kids couldn’t ignore them. Here’s our top four Overwatch players this year:
Fleta
Shanghai Dragons just missed out on the finals, but the team’s flex DPS Byung-sun ‘Fleta’ Kim produced some magical moments during OWL. He’ll play any hero he can get his hands on but his Tracer and Pharah plays are ones for the history books.(Image: Blizzard)
Alarm
Philadelphia Fusion’s Alarm is one of the best support players in the OWL. He kept his team’s hopes alive throughout the competition, playing every support he could get his hands on. Although Fusion fell at the final hurdle, Alarm made sure it was a narrow loss.(Image: Blizzard)
Carpe
Another Philadelphia Fusion player who stands out from the pack is Jae-hyeok ‘Carpe’ Lee, the team’s Hitscan DPS. When Carpe was on the map everyone bowed their heads – mainly to make sure they didn’t get it shot off by this powerful player.(Image: Blizzard)
ChoiHyoBin
The Off-Tank for the San Francisco Shock is tough to kill. As one of the many components that helped SFS walk away victorious, Hyo-bin ‘ChoiHyoBin’ Choi’s D.Va and Roadhog plays will always strike fear into the hearts of his enemies.(Image: Blizzard)
Streamer of the Year
The biggest streamers continue to raise the bar, and their content was in demand in a year in which more people were inside watching Twitch and YouTube. Countless content creators have enjoyed remarkable success in 2020, but here are our finalists for Streamer of the Year.
NICKMERCS
Nick ‘NICKMERCS’ Kolcheff has had a phenomenal year, even by his own standards. After becoming one of the go-to streamers for Fortnite content at its peak, Nick’s transition to Warzone has been seamless and seen him grow to arguably the biggest name on the platform. NICKMERCS also signed a three year extension to his lucrative contract with FaZe Clan in September.(Image: FaZe Clan)
Valkyrae
In 2020, Rachell ‘Valkyrae’ Hofstetter has continued to elevate her incredible platform and, even more importantly, helped inspire a generation of aspiring female streamers. The biggest move of the year for Valkyrae came when the 100 Thieves streamer made the switch from Twitch and signed an exclusive streaming deal with YouTube.(Image: 100 Thieves)
Hasan
Hasan Piker has been a popular streamer for a some time, but really came into his own during his coverage of the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Throughout the rest of the year, he mixed politics, gaming and much more on his channel. As a result, Hasan quickly rose up the ranks to become one of biggest streamers this year.(Image: Hasan Piker, Instagram)
xQc
Every year there’s one creator that takes on the “Face of Twitch” mantle. In 2018 we had Ninja, in 2019 Dr Disrespect and, in 2020, many fans would argue that xQc is the face of Twitch. His variety streams and over-the-top personality have struck a chord with his army of fans, and his channel continues to grow at unrivaledpace.(Image: xQc, Twitter)
TikToker of the Year
2020 was the year of TikTok. A new generation of super-famous influencers have risen to prominence quicker than we have ever seen before. Despite nearly being banned in the US, TikTok’s biggest stars have quickly taken over the internet. Here are the four creators that we feel deserve to be in the running for the TikToker of the Year award
Charli D’Amelio
The queen of TikTok hit 100 million followers on the platform this year, far surpassing her fellow creators in the Hype House. At only 16, Charli has broken all kinds of records and has become the face of the fastest growing Social Media platform on the planet.(Image: Charli D’Amelio, Instagram)
Addison Rae
This breakout star turned dancing in her bedroom into a promising career, and now boasts a makeup line and a starring role in a movie. She’s even become close friends with the Kardashians!(Image: Addison Rae, Instagram)
Abby Roberts
British beauty guru Abby Roberts has spent 2020 leaving viewers in awe of her groundbreaking make-up styles and cosplay. She even collaborated with music stars such as Yungblud and Liam Payne.(Image: Abby Roberts, Instagram)
Daniel Labelle
With enormous amounts of energy, Daniel Labelle has had no trouble getting millions upon millions of views for his hilarious sketches and quirky impressions. Highlights include ‘If people did everything in a rush’, and ‘if people did everything aggressively’.(Image: Daniel Labelle, Instagram)
Breakthrough Streamer of the Year
Every year, we see new and exciting creators rise to the top of streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube. They bring their own unique brand of entertainment to audiences across the globe, and whether it’s gaming or Just Chatting, these streamers have set themselves apart in 2020.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Corpse Husband
With his very deep voice, Among Us streams and viral music TikTok posts, Corpse Husband has brought his unique personality and skills to streaming this year. The horror YouTuber has amassed over five million subscribers on the platform and boasts 3.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify.(Image: @Vallact, Twitter)
Sykkuno
Another streamer who has rocketed to success this year thanks to Among Us is Sykkuno, Twitch’s real-life anime protagonist. Sykkuno started out as a League of Legends YouTuber eight years ago, before vanishing, but with some encouragement from fellow streamer and friend LilyPichu and others, he returned streaming on Twitch in late 2019. He’s always spreading good vibes and positivity in any game he plays, and has amassed 1.6 million followers on the platform.(Image: Sykkuno)
Ludwig
While some may know Ludwig as a Super Smash Bros. Melee player, the French-American has far eclipsed his popularity as an esports pro following his move into content creation. From Pokemon pack openings to live lie detector tests, there’s never a dull moment on a Ludwig broadcast, and he has shot up the ranks to become Twitch’s seventh most subscribed streamer in November 2020.(Image: Ludwig, Instagram)
Botez Sisters
When you think Twitch, video games are the first things that spring to mind. In 2020 though, chess has been a surprise hit, and two of the faces leading that charge are sisters Alexandra and Andrea Botez. Whether it’s playing and teaching other streamers how to play, or providing insight at events like PogChamps, crowds flood in to watch the pair show off their incredible skill. They currently have 440,000 followers.(Image: Botez Sisters, Instagram)
Cosplayer of the Year
Voting begins December 8
Cosplayers are so creative, and you can’t help but be blown away by the amazing content that comes out of the community every day. Here ere are four cosplayers that we think deserve an award for their work in 2020.
Mk_ays
The Russian cosplayer made waves on Instagram in 2020 with her incredible close-up portrait shots. Utilizing her mind-blowing makeup skills, Ays can literally transform into any character effortlessly, and was one of this year’s best at bringing our favorite anime characters to life – everything from Demon Slayer to Sword Art Online.(Image: Mk_ays, Instagram)
Thea Trinidad (Zelina Vega)
The former WWE star had an explosive impact on the cosplay scene this year, with several of her jaw-dropping costumes going viral on social media. The American wrestler put a major spotlight on the art form with some epic Overwatch and League of Legend cosplays.(Image: Thea Trinidad, Instagram)
Shirogane-sama
From video games to anime, Shirogane has been bringing fictional characters to life for nearly a decade. The industry veteran’s partnership with photographer ‘ovsyan.ph’ has resulted in some of the most visually stunning recreations we’ve ever seen.(Image: Shirogane-sama, Instagram)
Sydeon
The popular streamer wowed Apex Legends fans when she shared her insanely accurate portrayal of Loba. The GenG content creator has continued to capture some of the game’s fiercest heroines with incredibly detailed cosplays.(Image: Sydeon, Instagram)
Streaming Highlight of the Year
Voting begins December 8
Streamers not only wow us with their gaming skill, but make us laugh and cry. These were our our four favorite highlights from a year packed with great streaming moments.
Tim FINALLY wins
TimTheTatman’s battle with Fall Guys became legendary on Twitch. While other streamers were racking up crowns, he failed every time he got close, and was memed relentlessly. Until, one day, he did it – watching him win his first crown legitimately felt like a top sporting event.(Image: TimTheTatman, Twitch)
Thor’s deadlift world record
Twitch is no longer just a platform for gamers, and this highlight proves it. Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson – better known as Thor or Game of Thrones’ The Mountain – set the weightlifting world alight when he broke the deadlift world record with a 501kg lift live on Twitch.(Image: Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Facebook)
Dr Disrespect’s first YouTube stream
After the Doc’s controversial Twitch ban, the Two-Time had to find a new home. His first stream on YouTube was exactly what fans wanted. It was funny, it was electric, and it had all of the high-end production qualities you come to expect from a Dr Disrespect stream. The intro was a goosebumps moment for any fan.(Image: Dr Disrespect)
Aydan pays off his Mom’s loans
One of the most heartwarming streaming moments of the year was when Aydan phoned his mom let her know that he had taken care of all her school debts. By the end, Aydan, his mother and many of his viewers were crying.(Image: Dr Ghost Gaming)
Headline of the Year
Voting begins December 9
We report the most exciting esports and streaming stories every day, but there are some that stand out from the rest. These are the biggest headlines that really got people talking.
Dr Disrespect banned on Twitch
Dr Disrespect was banned from Twitch on June 26 and to this day, nobody seems to know why! Despite it being a topic of conversation across the entire esports and streaming sector, the ban still has everyone scratching their heads.(Image: Dr Disrespect)
100 Thieves join the Call of Duty League
100 Thieves and Nadeshot back in Call of Duty? It’s only right, isn’t it? After a year out, 100 Thieves created the LA Thieves and have put together a top roster to compete in the league, pleasing their global fanbase.(Image: LA Thieves)
Mixer shuts down
Mixer was one of Twitch’s biggest competitors – it never quite reached the same heights in terms of viewership but some of the biggest streamers on the planet, like Ninja and shroud, to exclusive deals with the platform. However, in July the service officially shut down and had to pay off their streamers’ huge contracts.(Image: Microsoft)
OpTic Gaming’s grand return
Under new ownership and without the likes of H3CZ and Scump, OpTic Gaming became of a shell of its former self in 2020, That didn’t last long, though, as H3CZ fought to bring his baby back, officially taking ownership of the OpTic brand once more.(Image: OpTic Gaming)
Trash Talker of the Year
Even though esports events were moved online, you can never escape some good trash talk between competitors, streamers, and even team owners. These were the very best.
G2 Ocelote
G2 had an excellent year in 2020, and all of their successes gave their founder Carlos ‘Ocelote’ Rodriguez plenty of ammunition to talk down his rivals. Throughout Worlds 2020 especially, he never missed a chance to roast the LCS teams as they dropped out at the group stage, keen to remind them of LEC’s superiority.(Image: G2 Esports)
Scump
After leaving OpTic Gaming and joining NRG’s Chicago Huntsmen for the first CDL Season, Scump trash talking targeted former teammates, namely Envy’s Dallas Empire star Crimsix.(Image: Call of Duty League)
Dr Disrespect
It wouldn’t be a trash talk category without a bit of Dr Disrespect. Arguably the king of trash talking on Twitch, few streamers could win a war of words with the Doc. xQc, Summit1g, Nadeshot (especially Nadeshot) are some of his favorite targets, and he always has the best roasts and comebacks for his follow streamers.(Image: Dr Disrespect)
Tyler1
If there’s anyone who could challenge Dr Disrespect for the trash talk crown on Twitch it would be Tyler1. He’s been on fire in 2020 as well, getting into spats with various other streamers. His clips on the controversial Fall Guys Twitch Rivals event went viral, after his brutal takedowns of both xQc and Tfue, when they ‘stream sniped’ his team.(Image: Twitch / loltyler1)
