Fortnite Pro Cody Conrod Launches Fund to Provide Gaming Equipment to Young Players

Twenty-one-year-old competitive Fortnite player Cody Conrod, widely recognized as Clix to his over 8 million Twitch followers, has launched the Dr3amin Access Fund to formalize his efforts in providing gaming equipment to aspiring young players. The fund, established through his new holding company Full Box Inc., aims to address the rising cost of hardware necessary for professional gaming.

Fortnite, a popular battle royale game, demands high-performance equipment for players to compete at higher levels. The increasing cost of computers, graphics processors, and memory chips, partly driven by the buildout of data centers, has made it increasingly difficult for new and developing players to acquire the necessary setups. Industry researcher Joost van Dreunen noted that even entry-level PCs under $500 are becoming harder to find.

Conrod, who dropped out of eighth grade to pursue esports, understands these financial challenges firsthand. He recalls his parents' inability to afford a high-end gaming computer when he first started playing. He eventually acquired a better machine after his father agreed to a contract requiring him to pay back the cost through work with his plumbing company, a debt Conrod repaid within two weeks using Fortnite earnings.

"If I never had that PC, if I never had access to that computer, this career — this setup that you see — would not be a thing," Conrod stated from his Dallas bedroom, where he streams to thousands of viewers. By age 14, Conrod had earned nearly $200,000 from the Fortnite World Cup. He decided to focus entirely on competitive gaming after struggling to balance school with tournament schedules, emphasizing the need for crisp reaction times.

Van Dreunen commented that esports still presents a challenging landscape for making a living, with significant earnings concentrated at the top and a lack of a robust talent ecosystem. Both he and Conrod highlighted the persistent stigma surrounding competitive gaming as a legitimate career.

Conrod hopes the Dr3amin Access Fund will alleviate the financial burden of purchasing computers, encouraging more parents to support their children's gaming ambitions. He stressed that maintaining good grades remains important for those still in school, noting his own decision to drop out was made only after accumulating substantial winnings.

Full Box Inc., Conrod's holding company, is modeled after MrBeast's extensive media empire. The company encompasses Conrod's various ventures, including his clothing brand, clipping agency, and game studio. The funding model for the Dr3amin Access Fund is still evolving, with proceeds from his clothing brand and potential donations from other brands during his annual "Clixmas" giveaway contributing to the initiative. Conrod personally contributed approximately $100,000 to last year's Clixmas, which provided five custom PCs daily throughout December.

A recent success for Conrod occurred at the Fortnite Global Championship in Belgium, where his duo team secured fourth place and $120,000. Among his competitors was Joshreyli, a player Conrod met two years prior during the first Clixmas event. Joshreyli won a computer from Conrod during that event and has since earned six figures as a professional player. Conrod described this as a "full-circle moment" that motivates him to continue such initiatives.