Video games have come a long way since the days of Pong, The Duck Hunt, and Pac-Man, where the competition meant getting the best score at the local arcade. Being a professional gamer of e-sports (electronic sports) are video game tournaments (with cash prizes) that are rapidly gaining popularity as more and more players become fierce professional competitors.
Today, professional players compete worldwide – some for multi-million dollar wins – at events such as the Major League Gaming (MLG) circuit, the Dota 2 international championship and Intel® Extreme Masters.
MLG has built US-dedicated arenas for hosting and streaming professional gaming events, and for leading hunters and communities to find the best-untapped players.
So, if you want to be a professional player, to make a career, what do you really need? Much dedication, according to pro player Ryan “Big Apple Pie” Gresty.
“It takes a lot of your life, but when you’re in a one-on-one situation and you know what to do, you realize that all the practice has paid off,” says Gresty. He adds that many players – or at least himself and the players he knows – suffer from a “lack of sleep”.
Rumay “Hafu” Wang started playing in competition at 14 years old. Now 23 years old, she has evolved her playing career from team competition, traveling around the world with Fanatic, to becoming a full-time Twitch streamer.
“Streaming is much more relaxing,” she says, adding that she plays up to 12 hours a day in the comfort of her home. “You can do it at your own pace, listen to your own music and be your own boss.”
Whether you want to participate in team competitions or streaming, the following tips can help you get started.
Become a professional gamer in 8 easy steps:
Playing for a living is not only fun and fun. It takes time, skill and determination to win in today’s racing circuits. If you’re ready for the challenge, here’s what you need to do:
Choose your game
With a service like Xbox Live, you can train and compete for 24 hours a day with and against very competent players. It’s not about finding random opponents. We must find a game in which we are good and become exceptional.
Once you’ve found this game, put on your gamer glasses and gear up to build your reputation as the badest single-player and as a team player.
Stay motivated.
Victory and money are great motivators for professional players, just like family and passion. Professional player Marcus “ShoNuff2025” Davis practiced the latest game Call of Duty, Advanced Warfare.
When asked why he wanted to become a pro, Davis said, “First, I want to be the best so my dad does not think I’m asking for all those games and all those PC upgrades for nothing. I want to have fun doing what I already like doing. ”
Convenient.
Study the best tactics, watch a ton of gameplay and learn how to lose. Even when you lose, you train, and the practice makes it really perfect. According to Tyler “Teepee” Polchow, who was part of the compLexity team (now Evil Geniuses), who won the Call of Duty World Championship in 2014:
“Winning the championship was the pinnacle of my career as a professional player,” said Polchow. To get there, he trained with his team more than eight hours a day, broadcast live games and created other content.
“We were in front of the best and we had to prove we were better.” The big final against Team EnvyUs was a quick 3: 0 for us, and it was
“A $ 100,000 check and the prestige of being world champion are the goals of every professional player, and it was one of the most gratifying and soothing feelings.”
Don’t be a solo gamer, team yourself.
As a gamer you will need equipment that will allow you to properly test your skills against the competition. It may be nice to have the latest PC, but the most important thing is to choose one with the right performance that suits your lifestyle.
You can get a slim and lightweight gaming laptop to meet your teammates or make sure the workout does not slow down when you travel.
A highly customizable desktop PC will help you ensure you have the most up-to-date hardware for your ever-changing games. As long as you have an Xbox or a PlayStation, you will be able to compete.
Join the community.
As much as the professional game is a question of individual talent, it is about community and team spirit. Before joining a community, learn to know the rules to join.
Find a team.
Once you have the reputation of a serious competitor, find a team. If you are really good, the team will probably find you. If not, try to be part of a team. MLG has dedicated spots to communicate with other teams and players.
Participate in tournaments.
When you are good enough to compete in single games or with a team, start participating in tournaments. Test your skills in as many local and online tournaments as possible. The tournaments are held all year long, so you will always have a place to participate. Unfortunately, no matter how many tournaments you win, your professional player status is really consolidated only when you win at the professional circuit. Winning live events gives you not only respect but also money. Professional gambling is a legitimate job.
Sponsor you.
Today’s professional players benefit from sponsors who provide the necessary equipment for the competition. If you want to make a living as a professional gamer, find a way to get sponsored or check out our assortment of game-specific hardware that’s sure to get you noticed as the badest gamer.