Professional esports careers are often very lucrative. Professional gamers often end up very wealthy, given the fact that they can easily obtain salaries, sponsorships, and make money on various social media platforms such as Twitch and YouTube.
Given that professional esports players are often so successful, and often bring in plenty of dollars, you may be surprised to know that many of them have very short careers. The average age of retirement in the esports industry is 24-26 – your mid-20s.
Which begs the question, why are esports careers so short? We will discuss it all in this article! So, if this is something that interests you, then read on to find out!
Why Are Esports Careers So Short?
Let’s take a look at some of the key examples of why esports careers are so short!
Lifespan Of Games
Often, games will go out of fashion, which is a huge reason for short esports careers. In today’s society, technology has an extremely fast growth rate, and innovation is very important to staying ahead in the gaming industry.
Because of this, games will often shoot to the forefront of the industry. Fortnite is a great example of this, it went from a small-time indie game to a global hit very quickly.
However, games will fall in popularity as quickly as they rose. Games will quickly lose their worldwide fanbase and their money, rendering them unprofitable for gamers to continue playing professionally.
Unfortunately, this trend does not bode well for professional gamers. Pro gamers will study and master the respective mechanics of their game to become pros.
So, it is often the case that these skills do not transfer well into other games, and thus they cannot keep up with the nature of the industry, and end up falling behind.
The Competitiveness Of The Industry
Truth be told, there are many excellent players out there. And the longer a game is out there, the more players there are who succeed at it.
Here, the value of amazing players will decrease when this happens because there are so many of them. So, subscribers are split among many gamers causing a lot of them to be on equal footing.
This results in early retirement among players because there is too much competition and they are not earning enough money to stay afloat.
Mismanagement Of Their Brand
Pro gamers who fail to manage their personal brand properly have a huge chance of facing early retirement. To obtain a fanbase or a support system, then you need to be an excellent player.
But, to maintain a fanbase, then you need to create a personal brand that keeps people invested.
This is why it is important to build a strong online presence and to use social media effectively. This is also why it is necessary to secure brand deals and sponsorships.
These aspects of being a pro gamer are just as important as perfecting your skills in competitive games if you want to maintain your status as a pro.
It is also vital that the brands pro gamers chose to work with are going to market them effectively and provide them with the best possible deal.
Financial Difficulties
While an esports career is lucrative for many people, for others the opposite is true. Many players who compete in professional tournaments are often not compensated for their time, travel, accommodation, etc.
So, it takes a lot of effort and time with very little financial reward, which is necessary to sustain a career in the industry.
If a career in the esports industry becomes too difficult for players to depend on financially, then they will retire and find a more stable source of income.
Mental Health
Unfortunately, the nature of the esports games industry can take a toll on the mental health of a pro gamer. The lifestyle that comes with a pro gaming career is difficult to sustain.
Often, it involves working from home every day with very limited social interaction.
Pro gamers also have very intense schedules. They will practice ten hours or more every day, taking irregular breaks in between. This naturally leads to a decrease in physical health, which can lead to an increased toll on their mental health.
Eventually, some pro gamers find themselves unable to cope with the stress of their careers, and they eventually retire.
Is A Career In Esports Worth It?
Given the early retirement age for pro gamers in the esports industry, this is a fair question to ask. We think that, yes, a career in esports is viable and worth it, provided that you are well-prepared for what it actually entails.
Esports careers are not easy to come by, and even more difficult to maintain. So, if you want to go pro-full-time, you need to be prepared to put in a lot of hard work and effort to make it work.
It is also beneficial to network, and build your social media presence to ensure you are popular enough within the industry to reap the rewards.
You must also ensure that you are working on your gaming skills to grow your talent, win tournaments, or be able to game on professional teams.
And while working towards your goals is important, it is even more important to look after your mental health. Being a pro gamer is a stressful job, and having a healthy mindset is essential to maintaining a long career in the industry.
So, if you have prepared for the long haul, then it is worth following your dreams to become a professional gamer in the esports gaming industry.
Final Thoughts
Professional players in the esports video games industry often have shorter careers for a variety of reasons.
It can range from the quick-paced nature of the industry to the competitive nature of the industry, to the financial difficulties pro gamers can experience to the mismanagement of their brand.
So, if you love video games and you want to be a part of that industry, you should definitely try, but be prepared for a challenge.
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!
