Back in the day, gaming wasn’t a viable career option; however, in recent years, this has completely changed (hurray!). Competitive gaming, also known as esports, is now a billion-dollar industry. If you love gaming and can think of nothing better than actually being paid to do it, then let’s consider how you could work towards doing just that!
Master a style
If you are serious about perfecting your skills, the best thing that you can do is to choose one game style to focus on. If you think your best at real-time strategy games, then focus on just playing these until you are a master. Perhaps you’re better at first-person-shooter games like Counter-Strike? If that’s the case, then put all your energy into this. Multiplayer Battle Arena games aren’t for everyone, so if they aren’t your strength, then find a style that is (or get practicing)!
Once you start to consider your potential in esports, you’ll naturally want to reach the pro-level that you’ll need. If you flit between different game styles, it’s going to be harder to hone your skills. You will also need to choose a platform, whether it’s Xbox or via PC. Focusing on one platform increases your chances of success because you can really learn the ropes and associated techniques. You’ll likely already have a preference as to which platform you prefer.
Practice makes perfect
To get your skills to a professional level, it stands to reason that you’re really going to need to put in the time! Start to see gaming as less of a hobby and more of a project in the making. Don’t forget to have fun because if you aren’t enjoying it anymore, the whole thing becomes a bit stressful. When you are putting in the hours, you need to remember to take care of yourself. Gaming can be good for you if you play in the right way. Ensure that you take regular breaks to move around enough, get plenty of sleep, and stay hydrated. Remember to get out of the house; you could even hit some old-school arcade machines in town so that your leisure time is still game-related!
Tournaments & Networking
If you want to work towards getting a career in esports, then it’s a good idea to attend any esports tournaments or events that you can. You may get the chance to network with some of those who are already in the industry, make some contacts and get some advice. These kinds of events are the only real opportunity to communicate with pro-gamers in person, and so you won’t want to pass up on the chance. You can also check out online communities based around esports. In general, people are usually willing to offer each other advice and tips.
Some colleges these days even offer esports programs so it could be worth looking into if you think that this could fit into your lifestyle. If you’re serious about gaming this might really be a worthy step. Esports is a competitive industry, but if you are willing to put in the time and put yourself out there, you’re unlikely to regret it!
