Many gamers are now rich and famous beyond their wildest dreams after capitalising on the soaring popularity of esports. They have become multimillionaires on the back of prize purses, salaries and sponsorship deals and are treated with the reverence normally afforded to A-list celebrities. It makes some people wish they had skipped college and sat around playing video games instead, but becoming a pro gamer is a lot harder than it looks. These are the key steps you must take in order to join the growing ranks of esports superstars:
Find Your Niche
Many people lump all esports together, but the term actually encompasses a huge range of games and communities. There are multiplayer online battle arena titles such as League of Legends and Dota 2, first-person shooters like CS:GO and Overwatch, real-time strategy games, battle royale games, sports games, fighting games and more.
You cannot hope to master more than one, so you must first identify the genre that appeals most to you. Do you prefer the cut and thrust of a frenetic shooter, or are you more interested in strategy? Each genre requires different attributes and you should work out what your strengths and weaknesses are.
Then, find a lucrative game within that genre that looks like it has good longevity and make that your focus. If you are simply looking for the most lucrative esport around, right now that is Dota 2, although Fortnite is fast catching up.
Invest in the Best Gear
Esports has only really exploded in popularity in the past five years and that is largely down to the improvements in technology. Everybody is connected nowadays and high-speed broadband is the norm, so competitive gaming has been able to flourish.
Millions of fans stream big tournaments via YouTube and Twitch, and companies like Intel are huge sponsors of the esports scene. This is a movement that is steeped in technology, so you cannot afford to cut corners when purchasing the equipment you need. A console is enough for a few esports titles, like FIFA and Call of Duty, but the vast majority require a gaming PC.
If you are serious about competing professionally, you need a high-end CPU, graphics card, mouse and computer, plus various other accessories. If you can afford to invest in an Intel Core i9-9900K CPU, a Corsair K95 RGB Platinum keyboard and a Logitech MX518 mouse you will be giving yourself the best possible chance of success.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Mastering a complex video game like CS:GO, LoL or Super Smash Bros. is just like learning a musical instrument or a trade. It requires a huge amount of practice. In that respect, it is very similar to learning a traditional sport. Stephen Curry spent hour after hour practicing three-pointers and he still does. Tiger Woods became the world’s best golfer by putting in a huge amount of time at the driving range.
Some games are easy to become an expert in, but esports titles have high skill ceilings and the gap between the pros and the casual gamers is vast. You need to put in the requisite hours if you are to join their ranks, but if you enjoy gaming and pick a title you like then it shouldn’t be a chore at all.
Engage with the Community
Esports has become a phenomenon due to the passion it inspires in millions of gamers around the world. The scene is forecast to be worth more than $1 billion this year and it is mushrooming all the time, but it would be nothing if not for the legions of dedicated fans.
They stream tournaments online and pack into stadiums to watch the action unfold. They buy merchandise. They bet on their favourite esports at leading sites like Unikrn, which also serve as hubs for the community and provide all manner of interesting news. They wax lyrical about players, teams and tournaments on social media and forums. Most of all, they love watching pro gamers’ Twitch and YouTube channels, and several streamers have become multimillionaires due to the popularity of these offerings.
When you are up and coming, you can glean valuable advice and camaraderie from the community that surrounds your chosen title, and you can then convert these people into fans of your personal brand.
Get Sponsored
This brings us onto our next point: work out a way to get yourself sponsored. Blue chip companies like MasterCard, Audi and Coca-Cola have been busy sponsoring esports in recent years, but a number of smaller firms are also trying to cash in on this lucrative scene. Many brands are desperate to appeal to esports fans – competitive video gaming is extremely popular among teens and younger adults, who are notoriously difficult to market to – and some are likely to back you if you can demonstrate the right levels of followers and engagement numbers.
As your career progresses, you should sign increasingly lucrative sponsorship deals, as this is a major source of income for the leading lights of the esports world.
Join a Team
The best way to make it as a professional gamer is to join a team. You will be given a salary, a safety net and a platform on which to flourish. Some esports are solo, but the vast majority are multiplayer games and you will need to attach yourself to a collective once you have honed your skills.
Team Liquid, Evil Geniuses, Team OG, Fnatic, Cloud9, Team SoloMid and OpTic Gaming are among the biggest esports franchises in the world. These organizations boast multiple teams competing in a wide range of games and you will instantly become part of a large family if you manage to land a coveted spot at one of them.
Yet there are all manner of smaller teams bidding to make a name for themselves across the globe. The world of esports is new and rapidly changing, so big new teams are springing up all the time and you just need to identify franchises with potential and convince them of your worth.
