Making a living out of playing video games? Sounds like a pipe dream born out of our former teenage selves, but in 2023, eSports is a career that can make you serious money. But going pro in eSports is not easy.
There’s a lot that comes into it, other than having to be seriously good at gaming. We’re going to go through the must-haves to go pro in eSports.
Not Every Game Counts
If the game you’re good at is obscure and played by about 10 people worldwide, you’re not going to make it. Professional players need an audience, that’s where the money comes from.
Sorry, you won’t get anything but admiration from your little brother if your best game is Duke Nukem Forever. If you want to make it in eSports, you have to play the big-ticket games.
AAA titles need to be your thing, no argument about that. These are some of the biggest games on the eSports scene right now
- Counter-Strike. Released in 2000, it’s still a massive first-person shooter. There are almost 5k professional players; invest in this one and you may become one of them.
- League of Legends. In terms of peak viewing figures, LoL sits top of the charts.
- Arena of Valor. One of the top mobile games in eSports, you can even become a pro using your smartphone.
How Good Are You (Really)?
People tend to overestimate how good they are at playing video games. It’s not an achievement to be the best amongst your friends or to win a lot of multiplayer games on a random Thursday night.
To be a professional, you have to be seriously good. We’re talking best of the world level, beat pretty anyone you come across. Just think about it: thousands of players make it to the professional level, but millions who play video games on the regular. Even if you’re a top-tier player, it may not be enough to cut it on the pro circuit.
You Need to Practice. A lot.
According to British eSports, many top-tier players practice up to sixteen hours per day. That barely leaves enough time to get decent sleep, let alone do ‘other stuff’.
Even the most talented players put in a lot of effort. The good thing is that a lot of that time is just out of enjoyment. After all, pro players became good gamers by doing the thing they love.
But, even doing something super fun can get, well, tiring. Having to do something compared to doing out of choice, it’s a big difference. You’re going to need to build up a strict schedule, and routines, and goal setting needs to be a daily thing. It requires a lot of psychological energy.
It’s Not a Long Career
Playing video games for a living is no cakewalk. In sports, NFL players are notorious for having super short stints on the gridiron. Well, the average eSports star has an even shorter career.
Take one of the biggest names in eSports history as a case study. Fatal1ty, real name Johnathan Wendel, won 12 championships, 5 MVP awards, and mastered games like Painkiller, Unreal Tournament, and Quake III Arena. By the time he hit 26, he was done.
There are a couple of reasons for this. First, there’s the sheer amount of work required to keep this thing up. As we’ve already mentioned, you’re behind a controller for double-digit hours every single day.
It’s also pretty unstable. Yes, the money is great, but only when you win. The next tournament may be some time away, with many players going months without a paycheck.
The rewards of playing video games as a career are many, and most don’t regret the choice to go all-in. But most players just decide that it’s time well before they hit 30. And if you make it to the top, you’ll likely feel the same way.
There’s an Alternate Route: Twitch (or YouTube)
You don’t necessarily have to win tournaments to make it in eSports. You can also go an alternative route and become a Twitch streamer, for example. You still have to be better than a newb, but the main thing here is entertainment.
After all, people will be watching you for your skills, but also your personality. The biggest names make up to half a million per month, with Ninja (aka Richard Tyler Blevins) hitting a peak earning month of five million.
Of course, going the Twitch route will put you in the shop window. You’ll become an influencer of sorts, a wannabe internet celebrity. This path requires you to be sociable, willing to be in the public eye, and grind your way to followers.
It’s Hard But Rewarding
We’ve painted a bit of a challenging picture on purpose. Most people think eSports is just pure fun 24/7, but it’s anything but. It’s a job, like many others, and requires players to work at it and to make sacrifices.
But ultimately, it sure beats a regular 9 to 5. You’ll be playing your favorite game all day long. If you’re good, you’ll make serious money. And once you’re done gaming, plenty of opportunities will open up to you. If you think you have what it takes, it’s 100% worth it.
