When we were younger, our parents all smiled and shook their heads and said, not all too fondly; “You know, you should really put more time into things that will help you in the future, maybe even things that will help you find your career or make a living.” It was impossible for them to see, back then, how gaming could ever be anything more than just a hobby that makes your world a little brighter and takes up some of your free time. These days, we know that gaming and game-related streaming are both viable careers that can end up making you more money than a “normal” career your parents might have had in mind for you. While playing online slots might just be for fun, there are some games that you can play at a world championship level; if you’re careful and you have the skills, you can craft a great career for yourself that will support you for a long time.
Of course, it’s not just a hop skip and a jump to a career in gaming; you have to be smart and work hard and take your lumps when they come your way; because they will. After all, nothing worth having is easy to get! Don’t fret, though; we have some advice that may help you along your way to gaming glory. Read on for our advice on how to become a professional gamer.
Pick Your Poison
To become a pro gamer, you have to have a few games that you know you can play at a professional level. If you’re new to gaming and you aren’t sure what you like yet, we recommend trying out a little bit of everything. Try at least one game from every genre to get a feel for what you enjoy and what you do well. When you know what you like, you’re A for way. Play those games over and over and over again until you’re prepared for any and every combination of attacks that might come your way. Remember: practice makes perfect!
Something else to remember is that however good you may be at a given game, if there is no eSports tournament for said game you cannot play it professionally. If you don’t find your interests aligning with the eSports games that are out there already, perhaps a career in game streaming will be more up your alley.
Test Yourself
It’s one thing to be good at a game when you’re playing on your own in your bedroom, and there’s nothing on the line, but it’s entirely another to succeed when you’re playing in an auditorium with screaming crowds around you and millions of dollars on the line. To make it in the world of professional gaming, you need to be able to perform under pressure; that takes practice. Find some LAN tournaments to compete in rather than jumping into the deep end with no prior knowledge of what it feels like to be in a competition.
Invest In Your Gear
It’s unfortunate that high-quality gaming gear is as costly as it is. Still, the fact is that if you don’t invest in quality gear, you simply won’t be able to compete at a professional level. We aren’t saying that you have to spend millions; we are just saying that you should do your research before committing to a purchase. Once you’ve got your setup, make sure that you always play with that exact same equipment. If you go into battle with an untested weapon, there are far too many things that could go wrong.
Team Up
A good way to get yourself into or orbiting the world of professional gamers is to join a team or start to network with other gamers. Working with others will not only improve and sharpen your own skills, but it will build up teamwork skills that are often essential to playing professionally. The more people you talk to and play with, the more opportunities you’ll find for small tournaments that could lead up to the bigger ones. The games you like might be single-player, even some of the ones you might want to play professionally, but it never hurts to have a team behind you or friends around you, whether you win or lose.
Work With A Sponsor
The world of gaming can be a pricey one. If you aren’t already making money from playing games, the funds you’ll need to enter tournaments, travel, and buy new equipment will have to come from somewhere. If you find a reliable sponsor to work with, they can help you with that end of things while you help them with sales and marketing by representing them and their products when you play.
Wrap Up
While it’s not an easy road to travel, playing games professionally is achievable if you’re willing to work hard.