What Does it Take to Be a Professional Esports Player?

The career aspirations of young people have certainly changed over recent years. Once upon a time, a lot of young people would have said they want to be soccer stars or rock stars when they grow up. Now, they’re more likely to aspire to become esports players or YouTubers.

While a lot of people will say that there is no chance of reaching the elite level, there are estimated to be over 3,000 professional esports players in the US alone. A small percentage reaches the top level, but it isn’t impossible. Of course, it is tough to reach the elite level in esports, but what sort of skills does it take to get there?

Understand the Industry

Anyone who wants to be a professional esports player needs to understand what is going on in the industry. This means new game launches, tournaments that are taking place, and even the latest tips on how to play specific games.

Following the industry through blogs and news outlets such as https://thunderpick.io/blog/ is a way for players to ensure they have the latest information about what is happening in the industry. On this website, information is shared about industry topics including tournaments and their schedules, plus plenty of information about gambling on esports. The gambling industry is one of the ways that money is generated within the world of esports and this means more potential income in the biggest tournaments. Thunderpick is the host of the Thunderpick World Championship, a tournament with a huge Bitcoin prize for the winners. This is an example of how the gambling industry and the esports industry go hand-in-hand.

It is also packed with information about the actual games, including tips such as map strategies for specific games, so it can be classed as a resource for beginners and players too.

People with ambitions of reaching the very top of esports usually have a huge passion for their favorite game, meaning that following the top blogs and YouTube channels comes very naturally and is how they get their entertainment anyway.

Laser Focus

To get to the very top then aspiring players need laser focus. This means spending their time honing their skills in one specific game and even one specific role.

For example, in the game of CS: GO there are roles including entry fragger, support, in-game leader, lurker, and AWPer. Those who want to reach the very top will usually find one specific role they are good at and spend all of their time building upon this. This skill set may mean that they can play two or three of the roles in the game, but having a specialism increases the chances of getting to a professional level, especially in a team sport.

Even in individual esports such as Fortnite, there is still a huge level of focus needed, as players will need to play for a huge number of hours to keep their skills sharp and stay up-to-date with any changes within the game. Fortnite is famous for making tweaks to the game.

The kinds of players who tend to flit between different games and don’t stick with one long enough to build their skills to an elite level may find it harder to get to a professional tournament. Laser focus on one game and possibly one role will usually help.

Multitasking Skills

Most of the games that are played at a professional level have a huge amount going on. Players may need to track things like inventory as well as what teammates and opposition are doing during the game.

The sort of person who gets easily flustered or doesn’t tend to cope well in situations with a lot of moving parts will find it a lot more difficult to get to an elite level. Fortunately, there are plenty of things players can do to work on their multitasking skills and gradually get better at this.

Perseverance and Mental Strength

This is a career with a lot of setbacks and potential disappointments.

Gaming has grown to the point where it has a huge social impact and is one of the most common hobbies in the world, but for most people, it remains a hobby. If you want to be professional, the disappointment of missing out on a tournament can be huge, and it may be months until players get another opportunity to make money out of their skills. Mental strength and perseverance are skills seen in many of the elite players, and many of them had a real struggle to reach this top level. Rome wasn’t built in a day, as the saying goes.

Conclusion

Being a professional esports player is a lofty ambition, and there is a huge amount of competition to get to the top of any esports scene. However, the rewards are potentially huge both financially and in terms of the lifestyle that professional players have. It is easy to see why so many people dream of becoming professionals, but few have the dedication, perseverance, and skill that it takes.