Turning Your Hobby into a Successful Career – Advantages of the Esports Industry

Many people only see gaming as a relaxing hobby and a way to unwind after a long day at work, but some lucky individuals turned their favorite pastime into a rewarding career. Getting into esports is quite a new concept, and even though many video game enthusiasts see it as a dream come true, the majority of them are not sure how to get started. If you too would love to make a living from esports, this guide will help you take the initial steps.

The Benefits of Esports

Thanks to new hyper-realistic technologies, today’s players can indulge in sophisticated video games with incredible graphics, which makes it even more tempting to choose to play video games for a career. Esports covers a variety of exciting categories including sports games, real-time strategies, online slots, first-person shooters, multiplayer battle arenas, fighting games, and others. Thanks to the large variety of genres and the incredible demand for esports, it has become a valuable industry that is expected to grow from the current value of $1.4 billion to $5.48 billion by 2029. And just like with regular sports, virtual teams, and individuals get endorsement deals that boost their market value. For instance, in 2020, the top esports gaming team reached a value of $410 million, and the overall market growth is sure to provide the players with much greater earnings. 

How to Become a Pro Gamer

To enter the market as a pro, you need to evaluate how realistic your goal is, and then take the following steps:

Pick Your Game and Platform

To set a good foundation for success, you need to select a particular game or genre in which you can excel. The variety of games out there is incredible, and mastering all of them would be impossible. To narrow down your choices, try to limit yourself to one genre, and then explore different titles within it and see which one you’re most passionate about. After that, decide on the platform to focus on. The majority of people in competitive gaming stick to PCs, but the use of consoles such as PS4 is also very common. 

Work On Your Skills

To become a pro, you need to be able to keep up with the competition and rise above them when needed. However, being at the top of your league takes more than just playing endlessly – it requires strategy, too. Luckily for all the beginners out there, there are plenty of resources available online. So as soon as you’ve decided on the game you like, you can easily discover advanced strategies that you can incorporate into your game sessions. And after a while, you will probably develop some ideas of your own that will give you even more advantage on the market. On top of that, boost your learning by watching professional tournaments. That way you can learn from the best and accumulate lots of knowledge in a short period. 

Build a Network

When you begin researching the tactics and taking part in the tournaments yourself, you will come across individuals who are more experienced and therefore ranked higher than you are. To maximize your progress, get in touch with such players so you could learn more about their methods of training, strategies, and other useful ideas. At one point, you will also feel ready to set up gaming sessions with higher-ranked players who will help you build valuable relationships. Once you get into it, you will probably get invited to other people’s private sessions, and you might get recommended to sponsors or teams. 

Join a Professional Team

The best way to perfect your skills and get the attention of gaming scouts is to join a professional esports team. If you’ve already worked on networking and had success in a series of smaller competitions, you are now very likely to be invited to join a team. Being surrounded by like-minded individuals will help you hone your skills and take your potential career in the right direction. You will have firsthand experience when it comes to expanding your network, building proficiency, and spotting the best tournaments to join. 

Compete in Tournaments

Finally, taking part in well-known tournaments in the desired category is one of the greatest steps in your esports career. For example, the world of Dota 2 is known for hosting large international competitions where the prize pool consists of millions of dollars. 

Conclusion

Now that you are aware of the benefits of professional gaming and the steps needed to take, you are ready to begin your esports journey. And as long as you nurture your passion and continuously work on your skills, there will be a great chance for success.