eSports are growing in popularity. Once the reserve of hardcore gamers, they’re making their way into the mainstream, with games like Fortnight and CounterStrike leading the way. Plenty of players dream of turning their hobby into a profession, but sometimes being a skilled gamer doesn’t feel like enough. Getting into the industry can seem difficult, but there are a few tips that will help.
1. Choose a niche
First and foremost, choose the game you want to specialize in. This might seem obvious, but too many prospective gamers spread themselves thinly. As the value of the eSports industry grows and more casinos offer markets, so too broadens the choice of games, but it’s important to maintain a laser-like focus. Choose whether you want to be a first-person shooter specialist or whether you prefer PvP. From there, zoom in even further. Choose a game. Practice. Repeat.
2. Nail the marketing side
It doesn’t matter how skilled you are if you play in complete anonymity. Like nearly all areas of life, marketing and social media are key. Establish and maintain an active social media platform across Instagram and Twitter, build a brand and then expand. The beauty of gaming is that it’s perfectly suited to the social media world. The streaming capabilities of Twitch and YouTube make it easy to get your skills out there. Link your videos to your other social media platforms and before you know it you’ll have your own brand.
3. Scout out local opportunities
eSports tournaments happen across the world, but they’re usually the hunting grounds of already successful players. If you’re trying to break into that world, it’s best to start local. Keep a lookout for tournaments happening near you. These shouldn’t be too hard to find if you live in a big city, but be prepared to travel if you live in a smaller town. Experience is really the only way to forge ahead with a career, so don’t be afraid to start small in competitions that don’t offer the biggest prizes. The experience you gain will prove invaluable further along the line.
4. Upgrade your equipment
As you enter more competitions and build your profile, there will come a time when you need to upgrade your equipment to keep pace. The best eSports professionals operate on the cutting edge of technology with the best equipment available, but you don’t need to leap in at the deep end straight away. Upgrading your headphones and mic (for better team communication), your controller (for increased sensitivity) and even your gaming chair can make all the difference.
5. Consider courses and coaches
It’s not always necessary, and many gamers have made it to the top without recourse to coaching, but you can undertake additional training. There are plenty of eSports coaches now operating across the world and in some cases even remotely. If you want to take things a step further, ever more colleges and universities offer eSport degrees. Far more than just a rundown of tactics, these teach game theory as well as programming nuances, offering you an in depth look at how games work.
