Most people like to play games for fun. But did you know that you can play video games professionally? That’s right! You can make playing video games into a career, if you’re dead serious on doing it for life. Although gaming may not be in the same field as sports like football or basketball, you can still earn prestige, energy, and some serious prize money with pro gaming, along with fantastic merchandise and sponsorships.
Does this sound like a fun and exciting avenue for you? Well, just know that like all other professions and fields that you set your mind to, it takes time, effort, and perseverance. So, if you want to make a living out of gaming, then start taking it seriously now by following these five tips on how to play professionally.
1. It Takes Practice
Now, you may think that you’re pretty good at video games. However, if you’re not committed to a specific game six, seven, or eight hours a day, then that’s when you need to reevaluate how good you are at gaming. If you’re looking to become a pro gamer, then you’ll need to practice by playing with potential competitors. Play against people that have a higher skillset than you, so that you can find ways to improve on your own skills. Like any sport, you’ll be scheduling practices on games, and you’ll truly advance in your skillset and grow as a player.
2. Don’t Quit Your Day Job
The biggest mistake that you can make is either quitting your current job, or dropping out of school, once you start to game as a career,” said Jordan Mistry, a lifestyle blogger at Essayroo and OX Essays. “It takes time to generate revenue from gaming, even if you have paid sponsorship or running ads on your platform, or if you’ve recently won a lot of prize money. It’s always good to have a back-up plan, when the well starts to run dry, and you need to pay bills. If you’re not sure how things will turn out in gaming, it doesn’t hurt to do this part-time, while still maintaining a day job.”
3. Pick A Game
Competing professionally takes avid skill and heavy focus on one game. When competing against other opponents, you can’t always rely on AI competitors. You’ll need to reach out to real opponents online, and ask them to play the game with you. Competing against more advanced players, and staying focused on playing that one game, can help you build a reputation with that game, and give you the challenging part of the experience that you need for pro gaming. There’s no other way around this – you have to get out there and compete.
4. Have The Right Gear
A lot of games today require users to have a high-quality internet connection; that is your first investment: paying for good internet access. As for the rest of your gear, you don’t need to go all out, if you’re on a budget. Simply get whatever fits your specific needs, and stick with the game that you’ve chosen. If you like playing computer game, then the answer is pretty straightforward: All you need is a computer.
5. Get Active
“Networking is key in active gaming,” said Andrew Mobley, a content writer at Paper Fellows and Custom Paper Writing Service. “Like any other profession, making the right connections is essential, if you want to be a part of the gaming community. People should see you as an active member in the community, what skills you’ll bring to the table if you want to join a team, and what kind of gaming content that you’ll post. There are all kinds of groups that meet up and play games; and there are hundreds to thousands of forums that offer tips, and where you can post your own tips. All you have to do is get out there and look.”
Conclusion
Like any profession, gaming takes a lot of practice, and a lot of heart. Wishing, hoping, or dreaming about being a gamer is not enough. You’ll have to put in the hard work and effort, if you ever want to reach gamer stardom.
So, if you’re looking to be a pro gamer, and want to invest your time in gaming, you have to have the time and dedication. So, get out there and play!
Katherine Rundell writes for Essay Services and Academic Writing Services, and she specializes in E-learning. Having strong experience conducting gap analyses, developing learning objectives and creating engaging training at Do My Essay, she currently holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education, and is working towards becoming a Certified Training and Development Professional (CTDP).
