eSports is an umbrella term for video games that are played in competitions.
The competitions can be as simple as two players competing against each other on their home consoles, or as complex as teams from different countries playing in tournaments around the world.
The rise of eSports has led to a new career path for gamers: that of the professional competitive gamer. But how do you get into the world of eSports and compete at the highest level?
eSports is a form of electronic sports (or e-Sports) where people play video games against each other in matches. These matches are organized by tournaments that have specific rules and regulations.
Much like traditional sports, eSports features teams and players who train together before entering a tournament.
These players need to be the best of the best and must train to hone their skills, albeit in a different way from what you would expect from traditional sports.
There are plenty of people out there who are desperate to become a professional on the eSports scene, so let’s look at some of the ways you can get involved.
How To Get Started In Esports And Competitive Gaming
Step 1: Find A Game You Enjoy And Get Good
The first thing you should do when thinking about becoming a pro gamer is to find a game you enjoy.
This is important because if you don’t enjoy the game, it will be much more difficult to be enthusiastic enough to practice and improve your skills.
If you’re not sure what kind of game you’d enjoy, here are a few suggestions of popular games in the eSports sphere:
It’s a free-to-play online multiplayer battle arena game where 2v2 or 3v3 teams fight over control points on a map. Players gain experience and gold by killing enemy champions and completing objectives.
Counter Strike Global Offensive
Counter-Strike was originally developed by Valve Corporation back in 1999. Since then, the game has been released multiple times and received numerous updates and patches.
CSGO is a First-Person Shooter (FPS) game where teams of 4 take part in a variety of modes including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Search and Destroy.
Dota 2
Dota 2 is another hugely popular MOBA title. It’s a 5v5 team-based game where teams of five players attempt to destroy the opposing team’s base. Each player controls a unique hero character, and they work together to complete objectives and kill enemies.
Starcraft II
Starcraft II is a real-time strategy game set in the universe created by Blizzard Entertainment. The gameplay revolves around building units, researching technologies, and controlling them in combat with other players.
Overwatch
Overwatch (see also ‘How Many Characters Are In Overwatch?‘) is a First-Person Shooter game that pits two teams of six players against each other in a round-robin format.
The objective of the game is to eliminate all members of the opposing team while protecting your own and either controlling an objective by defending or capturing or escorting or defending a payload.
Fortnite
Fortnite (see also ‘How To Level Up Fast In Fortnite?‘) is a Battle Royale game wherein teams or solo players parachute onto a remote island where they must survive for as long as possible. At the end of the match, the last person- or team- standing wins.
Step 2: Pick Your Platforms
Now that you’ve found a game you enjoy playing, it’s time to decide which platform(s) you want to use to compete.
A great deal of professional gaming is done via the PC (see also ‘How Much Does It Cost To Build A Gaming PC?‘) due to the platform being able to handle high frame rates and higher resolutions than consoles.
However, competitive play can also be done on other consoles such as the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox.
Step 3: Study Up On Your Game
Once you have chosen your platforms, it’s time to start studying various techniques and tactics to hone your skills. There are many resources available online to help you learn how to become a better player. Some of these include:
YouTube
YouTube is a great place to watch videos related to your chosen game. You’ll often see top-level players demonstrating their moves and strategies. This will give you insight into what works best at different levels of competition.
Twitch
Twitch is a streaming service similar to YouTube but geared towards gamers. Many top streamers use this site to broadcast themselves playing games live. If you’re looking to get more practice in before competing, this is a good way to do so.
Gamepedia
Gamepedia is a wiki dedicated to video games. They offer guides, tips, tricks, cheat codes, walkthroughs and much more. Their content is divided up into categories, making it easy to find exactly what you need.
Step 4: Networking
The final step in becoming a pro gamer is networking with other players. There are several ways to go about this, such as attending an eSports game or chatting via social media.
Once you build a network of people who share your passion for gaming, you can begin to form friendships, and relationships and gain valuable knowledge and up-to-date information about the eSports scene.
Step 5: Join A Gaming Club, League, Or Team
Joining an organization- even if it is just an amateur one or one with your friends- is an excellent way to build on your skills and get the general feeling of what it’s like to play competitively within a team.
It may take some time to get used to the culture and rules of the group, but once you feel comfortable, you’ll be ready to move forward to the next steps.
Final Thoughts
There are many things involved in becoming a pro gamer. While there is no single path to success, the above five steps should provide a solid foundation for anyone interested in getting started. Good luck!
My name is Ashley Newby and I want to put integrity back into esports and get the hype surrounding them paramount once more. During my teenage years, I happened to stumble across a Street Fighter tournament online and I was hooked.
From that day, I have kept up with and watched many tournaments including Valorant, Super Smash Bros, and League of Legends. I even got to compete in my first one earlier this year!
