Gaming has come a long way since the days of Pong, Duck Hunt, and Pac-Man, when competing meant getting the top score at the local arcade. Electronic sports, or esports, describes the organized video game competitions (with cash prizes) that are quickly rising in popularity as more gamers become fierce pro competitors.
Now pro gamers are competing around the world — some for winnings in the millions — at events such as the Major League Gaming (MLG) circuit, the International Dota 2 championship and Intel® Extreme Masters.
MLG built dedicated arenas across the country to host and stream professional gaming events, and has scouts and communities to find the best untapped players.
Gaming is serious business.
So if you want to be a pro gamer, to make a career out of it, what does it actually take? A lot of dedication, according to pro gamer Ryan “Big Apple Pie” Gresty.
“It takes a lot of your life up, but when you’re in a one-versus-one situation and you know what play to make, you realize all the practice has paid off,” Gresty said. He added that many gamers — or at least himself and the gamers he knows — suffer from “a lack of sleep.”
Rumay “Hafu” Wang began competitive gaming at age 14. Now 23, she evolved her gaming career from team competition, traveling around the world with Fanatic, to becoming a full-time streamer on Twitch.
“Streaming is a lot more relaxing,” she said, adding that she plays up to 12 hours a day from the comfort of her home. “You can do it at your own pace, listen to your own music and be your own boss.”
Whether you’re looking to get into team competition or streaming, the following tips can help get you started.
Now pro gamers are competing around the world — some for winnings in the millions — at events such as the Major League Gaming (MLG) circuit, the International Dota 2 championship and Intel® Extreme Masters.
MLG built dedicated arenas across the country to host and stream professional gaming events, and has scouts and communities to find the best untapped players.
Gaming is serious business.
So if you want to be a pro gamer, to make a career out of it, what does it actually take? A lot of dedication, according to pro gamer Ryan “Big Apple Pie” Gresty.
“It takes a lot of your life up, but when you’re in a one-versus-one situation and you know what play to make, you realize all the practice has paid off,” Gresty said. He added that many gamers — or at least himself and the gamers he knows — suffer from “a lack of sleep.”
Rumay “Hafu” Wang began competitive gaming at age 14. Now 23, she evolved her gaming career from team competition, traveling around the world with Fanatic, to becoming a full-time streamer on Twitch.
“Streaming is a lot more relaxing,” she said, adding that she plays up to 12 hours a day from the comfort of her home. “You can do it at your own pace, listen to your own music and be your own boss.”
Whether you’re looking to get into team competition or streaming, the following tips can help get you started.
Become a Pro Gamer in 8 Easy Steps
Easy to understand, that is. Playing for a living isn’t all fun and games. It takes time, skill, and determination to win in today’s competitive circuits. If you’re up for the challenge, here’s what you need to do:
Pick your game. With a service like Xbox Live, you can practice and compete around the clock both with and against very skilled players. It’s not about randomly finding people to play against. You have to find a game you’re good at and become exceptional at it.
Once you find that game, build your reputation as both a skilled single player and a team player.
Stay motivated. Winning and money are big motivators for pro gamers; so are family and passion. Pro gamer Marcus “ShoNuff2025” Davis has been practicing the latest Call of Duty game, Advanced Warfare.
When asked why he wanted to go pro, Davis said, “First, I want to be the best so my Dad doesn’t think I’m asking for all these games and PC upgrades for nothing. Then I want to have fun doing what I already love doing.”
Practice. Study the best tactics, watch a ton of gameplay, and learn how to lose. Even when you lose, you’re practicing, and practice really makes perfect. Tyler “Teepee” Polchow, who was part of the team compLexity (now Evil Geniuses), which won the Call of Duty World Championship in 2014.
“Winning the championship was the pinnacle of my professional gaming career,” Polchow said. To get there, Polchow practiced with his team eight-plus hours a day, live-streamed the games and created other content.
“We were up against the best and had to prove we were better. The grand finals against Team EnvyUs was a quick 3-0 sweep for us, and it was in the last minutes of the third map where we secured the victory,” he said.
“A $100,000 check and the prestige of being a world champion is what all pro gamers strive for, and having that become a reality was one of the most gratifying and relieving feelings.”
Read Full Article Here: How to Become a Pro Gamer – 8 Tips from the Pros
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