At 15, His Mother Pulled Him Out of School to Focus on Fortnite; Where Is He Five Years Later?

In 2019, a 15-year-old British gamer named BenjyFishy captured the attention of the esports world. Known for his exceptional skills in Fortnite, he was thrust into the spotlight after a controversial decision by his mother: she pulled him out of traditional school to allow him to pursue gaming full-time. Now, nearly five years later, the question on many minds is—what has become of him?

BenjyFishy: From School to Full-Time Fortnite Player

At the time, Benjy’s rise in the gaming world was nothing short of meteoric. While continuing his education at home with plans to earn his diploma in three years, the teenager’s focus shifted towards gaming. His big break came after winning €11,300 in an online Fortnite tournament. As he started competing in high-stakes events, Benjy found himself waking up on American time zones to accommodate the tournaments, which made it harder for him to keep up with his schoolwork during the day.

By 15, Benjy was already raking in significant earnings from Fortnite tournaments. In 2019 alone, he earned an impressive $392,447 from various competitions. At 16, his winnings continued to grow, with another $147,000 added to his earnings. However, these funds were locked away until he reached the legal age of adulthood. His success on the competitive scene mirrored his growing popularity, and it wasn’t long before Benjy became one of the most recognizable names in Fortnite.

The Twitch Boom and a Shift in Focus

Despite his increasing success in Fortnite, the gaming landscape was starting to evolve. By 2021, interest in the competitive Fortnite scene began to wane, and Benjy’s earnings from tournaments began to slow down. But while his competitive gaming career was seeing a dip, his Twitch channel soared. In 2020, Benjy’s streams hit an incredible milestone with an average of 24,000 viewers and a total of nearly 20 million hours watched. His engaging personality, combined with his talent and experience, kept his audience captivated, and he became a fixture in the Fortnite streaming community.

However, in 2022, Benjy made a bold decision to step away from Fortnite. In a surprising announcement, he revealed that he would be leaving behind the game that had made him famous in favor of a new challenge: Valorant, the tactical shooter from Riot Games that competes with titles like Counter-Strike. With the competitive scene still developing, Benjy saw an opportunity to make a name for himself in this new arena.

From Fortnite to Valorant: A New Challenge

Benjy’s transition to Valorant wasn’t seamless. While he was still a top-tier player, he soon realized that the switch had consequences. His Twitch viewership took a noticeable hit. Many of his followers had tuned in primarily to watch him dominate in Fortnite, and they weren’t as interested in his new Valorant streams. According to data from MGG, in 2023, Benjy’s Twitch audience dropped by a staggering 53% compared to the previous year. Additionally, his total hours watched plummeted by nearly 70%. Whereas his Fortnite streams had attracted thousands of viewers, his average viewership for Valorant hovered around 2,100–2,200, a significant decline from the peak he had reached.

Yet, this setback didn’t mean the end of his esports career. Benjy persisted, and by 2023, he achieved a major milestone in his Valorant journey. He left his previous team, NRG, to join Team Heretics, a leading esports organization. His performance in Valorant quickly earned him recognition, and despite the dip in Twitch numbers, he managed to carve out a spot in the competitive Valorant scene. As of 2024, Benjy is still playing for Team Heretics, and recently extended his contract until 2025.

He came to stay.

BENJYFISHY 2025#VamosHeretics pic.twitter.com/ZfeTA91FM5

— Team Heretics (@TeamHeretics) December 15, 2023

Life Beyond Twitch: A New Chapter in Spain

Now 19 years old, Benjy has successfully transitioned from being a Fortnite star to a seasoned Valorant professional. While his Twitch channel may not have the same explosive numbers as it once did, he remains one of the top Valorant streamers, with his channel ranking among the 150 most-followed on the platform. Benjy currently resides in Spain, where he continues to focus on his professional gaming career, balancing it with his personal growth.

In many ways, BenjyFishy’s journey is a testament to the evolving nature of professional gaming. His story reflects not just the pressures of growing up in the spotlight, but also the relentless drive required to stay relevant in such a fast-moving industry. By stepping away from Fortnite, he took a risk—one that, so far, has paid off as he redefines his career in Valorant. And while the public may have initially been skeptical of his mother’s decision to take him out of school for gaming, the results speak for themselves: BenjyFishy has found a new home in the competitive world of Valorant, proving that with the right mindset, a career in gaming can be as viable as any other professional path.

So, where is Benjy five years later? He’s not just a Fortnite legend; he’s forging a new legacy in Valorant—and perhaps even paving the way for the next generation of esports stars.