Tips to Launch a Professional Career as an eSports Player in 2023

eSports Player: Imagine earning a living by playing video games professionally. Although it’s a fascinating idea, most people never would consider it as a viable life objective. Yet, as competitive video gaming gains popularity, professional eSports competitors are now appearing more frequently.

What’s eSports?

Players from all over the world engage in televised, multiplayer bouts in a kind of competitive gaming known as eSports. These contests can take many various forms, but the ones that are played most frequently on console platforms or PC involve video games. Esports’ main objective is to overcome rival teams or players in order to take home championships and tournament titles. The awards given out at these competitions can range in value from a few hundred dollars to millions of dollars.

Esports has its roots in the initial days of competitive gaming when players gathered in arcades to compete against one another in games such as Pac-Man or Street Fighter for cash and bragging rights. The manner people were playing and watching video games changed as technology did. Online gaming first surfaced in the latter 1990s as Internet availability expanded.

In 2000, the first eSports competitions appeared, with games like Quake III Arena and StarCraft quickly becoming well-liked options for competitors. Since then, the attractiveness of eSports has blossomed into the global phenomenon that it is now, with rapid growth every year!

The following games are some of the most common ones now played in eSports competitions:

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO)
League of Legends (LoL)
Dota 2
Overwatch
Valorant
Fortnite
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)

How to Play eSports Professionally?

The business of professional eSports is booming. According to Demand Sage, 540 million viewers annually and over $1.44 billion in income last year, as per Fortune Business Insights, and is projected to reach $5.48 billion by 2029. It’s not odd that so many individuals are attempting to join in on the action because prize pools are growing and the sector is attracting new sponsors every day. So what are the requirements for professional status?

If you’re seeking a solution, this guide will give you all the information you need to succeed in the competitive game industry. So whether you’re just getting started or have years of experience in the game, read on for helpful hints that we gathered from a few of the finest players.

Today’s technology makes it possible for anyone to pursue a career as a professional video gamer. The diversity of gamers today is unprecedented in history. The availability of video games on any computer or gaming console with an internet connection today makes it simpler than ever for those who enjoy playing video games to participate in online competitions.

Having said that, professional eSports athletes go beyond being video game fans with a desire for notoriety. They put a lot of effort into what they do, and success comes from their passion. One needs to have a strong will to succeed, be dedicated, and keep up with the latest developments in the game they are playing.

Choose a Gaming Platform: PC or Console

Selecting a gaming platform constitutes the initial step toward becoming a pro eSports player. Consoles and PCs are two different kinds of gaming platforms. While PC gamers use computers, console gamers use devices like the PlayStation or Xbox. Each has advantages and cons of its own, so before continuing, you should choose which one you wish to concentrate in!

It becomes quite difficult to move onto another platform once you’ve spent years playing on one platform and developing all the motor skills required to excel at a variety of games. This is because most of the skills you develop using a controller on a console won’t transfer to using a keyboard and mouse on a PC, and vice versa.

Select the Most Suitable Game Type for You

In the world of professional eSports, there are four primary game genres:

First-person shooters (FPS)
Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA)
Real-time strategy (RTS)
Fighting

To play at the highest level, players must master each one’s own set of talents.

FPS

First-person shooter games are among the most played in Esports, with popular examples like CS: GO, Valorant, Call of Duty, Rainbow Six Siege, and Halo. Players in these games need to have quick hands and accurate aim.

MOBA

Games with multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) are a comparatively recent genre that has been extremely popular in recent years. League of Legends is the most well-known MOBA game, but there are many other well-liked games as well, like Dota 2 and Heroes of the Storm. These games are among the hardest to play professionally since they call for quick reflexes and smart thinking.

RTS

The type of video game that has been around for a while is a real-time strategy (RTS). StarCraft II is the most well-known RTS game, but there are a lot of other well-liked games as well, including Warcraft, Age of Empires, and Command & Conquer. Players must be capable of good micromanagement and strategic thinking in order to succeed in these games.

Fighting

Fighting games have existed for a long time, with Super Smash Bros., Tekken, Street Fighter, and Brawlhalla being the most well-known games. These games assess a player’s capacity for rapid thinking and opponent reading.

Time Commitment: How Long Should I Play Each Day?

Choosing how much time you’ll devote each day is the next step. But, until you are a professional player, it’s necessary to maintain an equilibrium between playing and other elements of your life, such as school, employment, social life, etc. Many eSports professionals commit 8 to 12 hours every day.

When you first start playing, you’ll probably put in a few hours a day, but as you move up the ladder and face tougher competition, you’ll need to put in more time if you want to advance in the game.

The next stage is determining how many days a week you want to dedicate to playing. While most people are prone to playing every day, it’s advisable to take at least one day off each week to totally recover and return to the game with a new perspective.

Buying the Proper Equipment

Does having pricey equipment make you a professional gamer? Many prospective pro players ask themselves this question. Yet the solution isn’t that easy.

While purchasing expensive equipment may not be necessary to excel at a particular video game or even to participate at a high level, there’s certainly no denying that doing so can increase enjoyment and may even hasten the rate at which you advance your abilities.

We’d suggest investing in a decent monitor, keyboard, and mouse if you’re serious about becoming a pro gamer and have the money to do so. The most crucial component of your gaming arrangement will be these three items, and they’ll have the biggest impact on your gameplay.

Monitor

When it involves gaming, the shape, and dimension of the monitor you choose also matter a lot. The majority of modern monitors come in either a 16:9 or a 4:3 aspect ratio, with 16:9 proving to be the most popular right now for gaming.

A high refresh speed is more crucial for gaming than having a high resolution. The refresh rate of a good gaming display should be at least 120Hz. A high refresh rate is essential for a smooth gaming experience because it implies that the image on the display is updated more frequently.

Keyboard

If the keyboard you choose makes you uncomfortable or slows down your ability to play effectively, it may also affect how you play. Although there are a lot of various types of keyboards, mechanical and membrane keyboards fall into two main categories.

Many gamers prefer mechanical keyboards because they are more robust than membrane keyboards and provide a tactile response.

Mouse

Among the most important devices that you’ll utilize when gaming is the mouse. As the mouse has a significant impact on your gaming and there are numerous varieties available, it’s important to choose the ideal mouse for you based on the title you’re playing and how comfy it is. The choice between a wireless and a wired mouse is the most important one to make when buying a mouse.

Due to its low latency and absence of input lag, a wired mouse was formerly the preferred option for professional gamers, but with recent advancements in wireless tech, this is thankfully no longer the case.

Nowadays, wireless mice have nearly no input lag and very low latency, so whether you choose a wired or wireless mouse depends on your personal preferences.

A lighter mouse will provide you with better control and a quicker reaction time, especially in games that require rapid shooting or clicking. A heavier mouse, on the other hand, will offer additional stability on unlevel surfaces.

Prepare Yourself Both Physically and Mentally

One of the most crucial things to remember when attempting to make it as a professional gamer is the necessity of caring for your physical and mental well-being. This entails maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in sufficient physical activity, and getting enough sleep to ensure that you can perform at your peak.

There may be instances along your journey when you believe your expertise is degrading rather than improving. It’s crucial to keep in mind that you’re continually learning and getting better, therefore, this is very natural.

Keep on pushing yourself to become the best version of yourself instead of giving up because you believe you aren’t getting better! Everyone experiences times when they may feel burnt out or out of the game. If you ever reach this stage, it’s necessary to take a break for at minimum one week and return with a fresh perspective.

Acquiring the Proper Team Members

Finding the proper teammates is crucial when participating in sports that demand teamwork from numerous players. The effectiveness of team members’ communication, the feeling of accountability, and personality can all be used to gauge how well they get along.

Consider the following factors when selecting the best teammates:

Objectives: You should look for teammates who share your objectives and who are prepared to put in a lot of effort to get there. You will likely not succeed if you attempt to compete against a group of athletes who lack your commitment or aspirations.
Trust: It’s crucial to select teammates you can rely on. Both in success and failure, you must be able to depend on them, and they must be willing to do the same for you. In order to succeed in any eSport, a strong team dynamic is required.
Balance: Your team needs players that can work well together. You need a person capable of serving as the reasoned person’s voice and keeping things calm if, for instance, there are a great many combative players present. Choosing an IGL (in-game leader) is also highly beneficial because the team needs someone who can act as the team as opposed to numerous different individuals.
Consistency: Last but not least, it’s critical that your teammates play consistently because everyone needs to understand their position on the team. It will be very difficult to win games against high levels of competition if you have a guy that is incredibly skilled but unable to play consistently. In order to locate the ideal teammates for you, take your time and don’t be scared to try different things.

Should Professional eSports Athletes Start Streaming as Well?

In addition to winning competitions, numerous professional eSports players stream on Twitch and YouTube to grow their fan bases and earn additional money, which might also come from eSports bookies here if they promote them or their tips help punters win bets. Despite the fact that streaming might be profitable, it’s crucial to remember that since most professional eSports performers spend a lot of time preparing every day, they might not have the time to devote to broadcasting as well.

The drawbacks of streaming include the time commitment and potential income differences between it and playing professionally in eSports. Having said that, streaming may prove to be a terrific method to create a following for you and your business, which will make it easier for you to stand out and get the attention of a professional team.

Summary

When attempting to develop into a professional eSports player, numerous variables are at play. You must be persistent and work hard. One must be committed to improving in all one does if one wants to accomplish this with certainty. Also, you need collaboration because it’s imperative to collaborate with others, especially if you want to play in the major leagues!

In these years when it appears like every person around you has ambitions but only yours matter, don’t forget about your health or let it slide. And finally, even though there may be obstacles in your road, having patience will help you immensely in realizing your dreams (it’s the fear of every pro player).

Even while the finish line may feel far away right now, every day that you spend getting better brings you that much closer. When you ultimately break into the eSports professional ranks, it will all have been worthwhile.