So, you want to be a professional eSports player? It's not an easy road, but it can be done with enough dedication and hard work. Hundreds of players make it to the big leagues, and many more have fun in amateur tournaments, which can still be very profitable.
This guide will outline everything you need to do to make a career out of playing video games. We'll start by explaining how someone can get started in the industry, then discuss what skills they need to succeed.
Finally, we'll give some tips for entering the eSports world and making a name for yourself. Are you ready? Let's get started!
Choose Your Game
The first step to becoming a professional eSports player is understanding which game(s) you'll play. This might sound like it goes without saying, but it's essential to choose a game you're passionate about and have some level of skill in.
If you don't think you can hone your skills enough to become a professional, it might not be the right choice for you. Being a professional gamer is hard work. Of course, it depends on how far you want to go. If you wish to compete in regional tournaments for fun, then you don't need to be world-class.
However, either way, you'll be putting some serious hours into the game of your choosing, so make sure you pick one you like!
Also, you should make sure that the game is popular enough in the eSports industry so that there will be tournaments and leagues for you to join.
Get Good
Once you have chosen your game of choice, it's time to start practicing if you're not already a pro.
You need to be really good at what you do if you want to make it as a professional, so put in the time and effort. Consider investing in coaching or joining an eSports team to help sharpen your skills and get you used to playing competitively.
Of course, you'll want to play competitively within the game itself, so use the in-game ranking leagues to climb and start making a name for yourself.
Also, watch YouTube videos, replay your own recorded games, watch other players and break down what they do, and look at all the mechanics you can learn to be the best.
You may even want to look at aspects of your life outside your gaming career, such as your diet, how much exercise you do, how much sleep you get, and your mental health. If you want to be the best, then you need to start thinking about how to finetune all aspects of your life.
Be Competitive
Being competitive is a must in professional eSports or any sport for that matter. You must have the drive to be the best and to push yourself. It sounds simple, but this is actually more complicated than it first seems.
Being competitive doesn't mean throwing your ego around and acting like you're better than everyone. It means being humble, being able to take criticism, and constantly evaluating and looking over your plays and your skills, analyzing how you can be better next time.
This is how you constantly improve. You act competitively with yourself.
Enter the Industry
Okay, now that all your self-related areas of concern are taken care of, it's time to start thinking about how you'll enter the world of professional gaming.
Start by looking for recruiting eSports teams and applying to join them. This will allow you to start playing on an organized team and get your name out there. You can also start streaming to get yourself noticed, as well as joining tournaments or leagues.
How to Find an eSports Team to Join
With eSports becoming increasingly popular, there are more ways to join an eSports team than ever before. Perhaps the most common way is to join an existing team that is looking for new players.
Many teams have their own websites or social media accounts and will post recruitment messages when they are looking for new members. Alternatively, you could start your own team with some friends or try to form a team through tournaments or leagues.
Some countries, like Korea, the UK, Germany, and the US, are recognizing eSports as an official sport and now offer university courses, investment, and training programs for players with talent. For example, South Korea has an organization known as the Korean eSports Association (KeSPA), which is dedicated to developing professional players and teams.
Proving yourself through the application process could be your way in, but be warned. These entry leagues are rigorous and highly competitive, meaning only a very small number of players would actually get in.
Finally, you can work on your personal branding and skill. There are many professionals who stream on YouTube or Twitch that build up a following and play to a high enough level that eSports teams will actually reach out and ask them to join the team.
Again, streaming is highly competitive, and you'll be looking to build both an audience and community while bettering your skills, so you may be spreading yourself too thin. However, if you can manage it, this could be a great route to take.
How Good Do You Need to Be to Become a Professional?
Very good is the short answer. You need to be world-class as a professional player, and we're talking the best of the best.
Sure, you can play in amateur leagues or with your own team if you're looking to have some fun, but to be a professional, you have to be in the top 0.5% of players.
Take League of Legends, for example. To even be considered for most eSports teams, you need to be at Challenger level (the highest skill tier in League of Legends). Diamond minimum.
This is no easy feat and requires hours upon hours of dedication, skill sharpening through coaching or team play, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle to stay on top.
And yet, even as a Challenger-level player, you still need to showcase that you can work as a team. No eSports team wants someone with an ego who plays for themselves. You've got to be able to see the bigger picture.
10 Tips for Entering the eSports Industry
- Practice, practice, practice. You need to be able to dedicate yourself and be willing to spend hours upon hours honing your skills in order to become a professional eSports player.
- Work on your personal brand and online presence. If you're able to build a decent following, this could give you more chances to get noticed.
- Research teams and leagues that are recruiting new players and make sure you have the necessary qualifications before applying.
- Don't let your ego get in the way of your success. You need to be able to work with a team in order to remain competitive and successful at the highest levels.
- Stay healthy and have an appropriate diet. Professional playing requires a lot of energy, so you need to make sure that your body is well looked after.
- Be open-minded and stay humble at all times; if you don't make it on the first try, this doesn't mean it's impossible. Stay focused, and don't give up!
- Reach out to teams, organizations, and leagues for advice and mentorship; many eSports players have gone through the same journey before you. Don't be afraid to ask for help or guidance from those who have been in your shoes.
- Consider investing in yourself. Find an eSports coach or mentor to help you improve your skills and get you up to the level necessary for professional playing.
- Keep up-to-date with trends in the industry, as this can give you a competitive edge over other players.
- Don't forget to have fun! eSports is serious business, but at the end of the day, it should still be enjoyable to play.
Good luck, and we hope you've enjoyed this comprehensive guide to becoming a professional eSports player! You might make it one day with dedication, passion, and hard work.
Best of luck on your journey!