Becoming a pro gamer is not as easy as it looks. Getting paid to play your favorite video game was only a fantasy in the past decade. But now it is a reality for those who are talented and hard-working. There are three categories that each aspiring gamer belongs to.
- Competitive
- Streamer
- Content Creator
In this article, we give you tips on how to become a pro gamer.
Find Your Game
Having a variety of games you play can benefit you in some conditions. If you want to be a competitive player you need to find a game that you will become a professional in. If you want to be a streamer and a content creator you can play multiple games but you have to be an expert in most of the games you play. It will give the audience a reason to watch you because of your expertise.
If you decide to play competitively and try to put your name in the history of eSports you need to specialize. You have to dedicate time and effort in order to be playing at a very high level. It takes 10,000 hours to become a master.
Becoming a pro gamer takes many hours of practice. You will need to pick a game that you enjoy so you can stick with it when times get rough (example losing). When you are playing a game competitively it gets really boring pretty fast. You need to be able to enjoy and love what you are playing. It is very important to find your game.
You can pick from an eSport that is already established or a game that is up and coming. There are pros and cons to both. For an established game, the pro will be that the infrastructure and resources are already available to support your career. The con will be that it is much tougher for newcomers to become a professional.
If you pick a game that is new it will be easier for you to break into the scene. The downside will be the risk that the new game’s competitive scene will fail and cannot support your career.
There are tons of games out there and you need to choose the one you are going to choose as your career. When you decide to go pro you need to be serious about the game that you are going to master.
Practice & Study
It will be awesome to play a game you love and believe you are good at. But do you think you can play it up to eight hours or more a day, every single day? This is what it takes if you want to become a pro gamer. The top pro gamers in the league practice even harder, that’s what separates them from the mediocre. Practicing always gives you an advantage over talented gamers. You can beat others that are not willing to give time and effort into mastering the game. Practicing is the only way to become a high-level pro gamer. It is what will separate you from the rest.
Regardless of what path you want to grow your pro gaming career, whether you become a competitive gamer or a streamer. You need to practice & study the game so that people will want to follow you. If you compete you need to make sure your skills match up with your competition. If you stream you need to have a high rank. The audience will not watch if you are not skilled in the game you are playing.
Becoming a pro gamer needs high-level skills. Anyone who will get to the top of eSports will have thousands of hours under his belt. Practice makes perfect and with eSports, there is no exception.
Along with practicing you need to study. Research strategies for the game you are playing. You need to be on top of news and updates. Knowledge in the game is an additional advantage that every pro gamer has.
Practicing needs time, so you need to dedicate yourself to be able to develop the skills it takes to reach the pro level.
Watch Other Pro Gamers
Watching other pro gamers can help you. You can pick up tips and learn new tricks you can add to your arsenal. Seeing other players play the game can give you insights on how they play the game. This can give you an advantage over them.
Watching game replay of tournaments or watching their streams. These are vital information if you are in the pro league. Like other sports knowing your competition is extremely important.
If you are a streamer or a content creator you can see what works and what doesn’t. Find what you enjoy watching and use that as a baseline for the content you will create. Don’t just copy but add something unique to your content or stream. Your channel should always show the real you and not someone else.
Discipline & Motivation
Aside from practicing, in order to become a master at gaming you also need discipline. It is vital for you to have a training schedule. You need to have the discipline to keep on practicing and studying the game in order for you to reach the pro level. You have to consistently practice, research, and analyze strategies.
For streamers and content creators. Having a regular streaming and upload schedule helps grow your audience. Having the discipline to consistently stream and create content is a must for you to be successful.
In the long run, you also need the motivation to keep being engaged. Loving the game and what you are doing will make a difference when you practice daily.
Join The Community
Gaming has a whole community for different types of games. Being involved in the larger community is important. There is a culture surrounding a game. Before investing a lot of time on a specific game. Try to check out the forums and places where players get together. This will provide a better sign of the path ahead. It will be easier for you to determine the path ahead.
Absorbing the game’s scene is necessary to advance your career. Make sure you enjoy the other players’ company. Some of the game’s meta is laid out on forums, message boards. You need to interact with other players in order to keep track of the evolving meta. You can also contribute back to the community.
Knowing that most pro gamers are part of a community. Whether you are participating in forum discussions or creating your own team. It is important that you are not practicing alone. External input and discussions with players are important when becoming a pro gamer.
Compete In Tournaments
If you’re just starting out, competing in tournaments can be fun. You meet other gamers. This can help you be connected to the gaming community and get your name out there by meeting other players. Practice hard before competing because if you get to finish in a top spot during a tournament it can help you professionally.
Start by joining smaller online tournaments. Once you feel confident about your skills by playing online tournaments, you can step up and play in LAN tournaments. Competing in LAN tournaments can give you a taste of big live events.
Start looking for local events and then see how your skills match up against an environment where there is pressure and distractions. A well-played LAN tournament can be a stepping stone to greater things to come.
LAN gaming can also help you to figure out how to play under pressure and in an unfamiliar situation. This will also help you build your confidence when playing in front of a crowd.
Set Goals
Setting goals can keep you on track. Goals help you be motivated in your pro gaming journey. An example of a goal as a competitive player could be, competitions you want to qualify. For streamers and content creators you can set goals based around the production of your content.
This will keep you focused on your progress. In order to stay on track, you need to constantly set goals and achieve them throughout your pro gaming career. In order to achieve your aspirations, setting goals is a must.
Invest In The Right Gear
The right gear can make a huge difference but don’t think that it will replace practice and skills. You should invest in gears that are right for you. They don’t have to be expensive, they just have to be comfortable for you.
If you play on PC, investing in a mouse that fits your grip style is important. You can also check out what other pro players are using. We have a list of those on our pro gamer settings and gear page.
You need to have a decent PC for you to be able to handle games more competitively. During competitions each second counts so your PC must be able to handle games without lag or stuttering. We have reviews for different types of gear for you to choose the best one that fits your style and give you comfort when gaming.
Conclusion
Being a pro gamer is easy when reading it from this article, but it can be very hard to break into the pro gaming scene and to make a career out of it. It’s not impossible if you have the dedication, motivation, and discipline to make your dreams a reality.