Once upon a time, the world of esports was looked down on and sneered at by those outside it. Esports gamers were often thought of as pretenders, false athletes who didn’t have the rigorous physical training regime that “real” athletes had to go through. Nowadays, of course, things are very different, and esports players are regarded with much more respect than they once were.
Indeed, for many gamers, esports is a viable career choice. It can be phenomenally difficult to break into the world of esports; there’s a huge amount of competition, and the skill floor when it comes to qualifying for a professional team can feel ludicrously high. However, with a lot of dedication and a little luck, there’s no reason you can’t succeed where others have before you. Here’s how to start a career in esports!
Don’t quit your day job
Sometimes, the phrase “don’t quit your day job” is used in a mean or disparaging sense; it’s a way to tell people that they’re not good at the thing they’re trying to break into. We don’t mean it like that, though. What we mean is that you should have a stable income while you’re implementing your esports training regimen and taking your first steps in your new career.
Finances can be a serious issue for those who want to break into the pro gaming sphere, and it could be a while until you’re picked up by a major esports team. If you can’t get a regular job or can’t finance yourself and you’re in a desperate spot, don’t be afraid to look into alternatives like online loans, which you can find being offered by reputable and trustworthy providers if you look closely enough.
Pick your game
It’s a rare esports pro indeed who can be good at every single game they turn their hand to. While a baseline level of skill may well be possible to achieve, the kind of talent that turns you into an esports professional doesn’t manifest itself across every genre. That’s why you need to pick a specialisation and try to stick to it as much as you can.
Think about the kinds of games you’re good at. Are you more of a strategic thinker, capable of making grand decisions in games like League of Legends? Does your skill lie more in twitch reflexes and playmaking, thus making you better-suited to a game like Call of Duty? Ask others around you where they think your talents lie as well!
Try to stay with the trends
One of the differences between esports and regular sports is that esports can sometimes feel much more changeable. What’s popular today won’t necessarily be popular tomorrow; many games have risen and fallen as esports mainstays over the years, so try not to pick something that you know will have a short shelf life.
There are, of course, certain games that are evergreen when it comes to esports. These include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, and even older games like Super Smash Bros. Melee. Of course, it’s important to pick the games you like rather than the ones that are popular, but hopefully you’ll manage to find one that nails both criteria.
Treat gaming like a job
If you’re serious about becoming an esports professional, that means you’re going to need to treat gaming - or, at the very least, playing the game you’ve chosen as your discipline - like a job. Make no mistake: you’re working now rather than exclusively having fun (although fun should still be a big part of your gaming experience).
This entails building up a training regimen to ensure that you’re getting practice in and growing your skills whenever you can. You’ll likely be spending hours every day playing the same game and trying to hone your abilities. If that doesn’t sound like what you want to be doing, then a career in esports may not be for you.
Compete in smaller tournaments
You can’t expect to be taken straight to the majors as soon as you embark on your esports career. It’s likely that you’ll need to take part in a lot of smaller tournaments before you think about taking on the big guns; after all, talent is often scouted at smaller tournaments, and it’s impossible to be visible if you don’t put yourself out there.
A great way to do this is to ask around your local area for esports tournaments hosted by local organisers. Join one of the teams competing in those tournaments (provided they’re playing the game you’ve decided to focus on, of course) and start working your way up the ladder that way.
Get yourself some management
When you start growing in stature and profile, you’ll likely want to start thinking about recruiting management for yourself. Having a manager who can negotiate contracts and get you into events is pivotal; there’s going to come a time when doing all of this work on your own will be exhausting and difficult, and you’ll want someone experienced in the business side of things to handle that aspect for you.
On the flip side, this could also be a potential career path for you if you don’t feel like you want to compete in esports on a professional level. You could sign up to be an esports player’s manager instead, finding opportunities for them and helping them to grow while they focus on honing their skills.
