8 November 2023

10 Tips on How to Start a Career in Professional Gaming

By Ronald Smith

If you’re a fan of esports, you’re probably familiar with the DOTA 2 championship. This incredible event brings together the top 16 teams who compete for a massive prize pool of over $2.8 million. Just imagine, the Swedish team, Alliance, won a staggering half of that money during the intense five-day tournament in Seattle.

Believe it or not, even before the U.S. officially recognized gamers as professional athletes, there were already lucrative competitions for games like Starcraft 2, Counter Strike, and League of Legends. And the best part? Your age doesn’t matter at all. These events are becoming increasingly popular, and there are even professional gamers as young as 13.

If you’ve ever been told, “You can’t make a living playing video games,” don’t believe it. The efforts of people in the industry have changed that. Now, esports is taken seriously. Top players can even get a U.S. P-1 visa, just like traditional athletes. This allows them to live and earn in the U.S.

But becoming a pro gamer isn’t easy. It takes countless hours of practice, skill, and teamwork. If you’re interested, here are 10 basic tips to help you start your journey to becoming a pro gamer.

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1. Learn the Gaming Language

When it comes to playing games with others, it’s important to understand the special words or phrases that are used. But it’s not just about knowing common internet slang – each game has its own unique set of terms.

For example, in games like DOTA 2, League of Legends, and Heroes of Newerth, which are all part of the MOBA genre (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena), you’ll come across terms like stun, hex/voodoo, disable, lane, neutrals/jungle, and ancients.

In First-Person Shooter (FPS) games, players often use specific names for locations on the map to help their teammates locate enemies. Communication plays a vital role in strategic gameplay.

2. Starting with AI or Robot Opponents

If you’re just starting out in a game, you have the option to practice against computer-controlled opponents, otherwise known as AI or Bots. This is an excellent method for understanding how the game works.

10 Tips on How to Start a Career in Professional Gaming

When it comes to starting a new game, you have the option to select different difficulty levels. This allows you to begin with an easier setting and gradually challenge yourself. The benefit of this approach is that it helps you become familiar with the game’s controls and interface. Think of it as laying the foundation for better performance in actual games.

3. Join Forces and Learn with Your Friends

Once you feel comfortable with the game, it’s time to start playing with real people, preferably your friends. Multiplayer games provide a wonderful opportunity to socialize online and have a blast.

Playing with friends not only adds to the enjoyment but also accelerates your learning process. Why? Because you can share tips and experiences with one another. Moreover, you might even create a team of players who have similar skill levels.

10 Tips on How to Start a Career in Professional Gaming

When it comes to gaming, I can’t deny that it’s a lot of fun! But sometimes, it can also be quite intense and nerve-wracking. It’s important to know that knowing how your teammates play can actually make a big difference in how well you work together over time.

4. Look Up to the Experts

If you want to take your gaming skills to the next level, watching professional gamers is a great idea. It might seem strange, but you can actually gain valuable knowledge from observing their advanced strategies, techniques, and even how they work together as a team. Their quick decision-making skills can teach you a lot.

10 Tips on How to Start a Career in Professional Gaming

Did you know that many professional gamers live-stream their games on platforms like Twitch.tv? You can watch them play and learn from their strategies and techniques. If you prefer a more detailed approach, you can find in-depth game tutorials and guides on YouTube.

But what if you find yourself stuck in a single-player game? Don’t worry! YouTube also has walkthroughs that can help you advance and overcome challenging levels or puzzles.

Here are 15 essential Twitch tips and tricks that you should know:

Discover helpful tips and features that will enhance your experience on Twitch’s game-streaming service. Find out more by clicking here.

5. Master your favorite playstyle

If you want to become an expert gamer, it’s important to focus on mastering specific skills. Each game offers a variety of characters, weapons, and roles for you to choose from. The key is to find the combination that truly excites you and excel at it.

This could mean exploring the map, engaging in intense action, collecting valuable resources, or supporting your teammates. Whatever playstyle you prefer, make sure to practice and refine your skills to become the best gamer you can be.

10 Tips on How to Start a Career in Professional Gaming

If you want to be a great team player, become an expert at your chosen role. Find other players who share your interests and form a strong team.

6. Get the Best Gaming Gear

Don’t let subpar equipment ruin your gaming fun. Companies like Razer, SteelSeries, CM Storm, and Logitech offer top-notch gaming gear that’s worth the investment.

These products are specially designed for gaming. They’re durable, responsive, and can greatly enhance your performance.

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10 Tips on How to Start a Career in Professional Gaming

I love gaming gear because it not only helps me play better but also looks super cool! Sure, you can start with cheaper options, but remember that investing in high-quality equipment can really make a difference when you’re in the middle of intense gameplay.

I’ve found that watching other people play games can be helpful, but it doesn’t always show you their thinking behind the moves. If you really want to understand a game, I recommend reading guides and studying it in detail. These resources provide valuable tips and insights that can level up your gaming skills.

10 Tips on How to Start a Career in Professional Gaming

The internet has a ton of information about game mechanics, characters, strategies, and more. It can be tough to master all of these details, but trust me, it’s totally worth the effort if you want to consistently come out on top.

8. Get Better Through Real Effort

Becoming a pro gamer takes time and practice. Take the time to watch live streams and get a feel for what it’s like to game full-time. Keep track of your performance to see how you’re improving.

Don’t forget to enjoy the game for what it is and learn from your wins and losses. When you’re tempted to use hacks, just resist. Using hacks undermines your skills and isn’t real gaming.

Pro gamers earn respect by mastering the game mechanics without cheating. Make sure you’re playing the game the right way and climbing the ranks honestly.

9. Adjust Game Settings for Better Performance

If you don’t have a super strong computer, don’t worry! You can still have a great time playing the game by just adjusting the graphics settings. This can really help when things get really exciting in the game.

10 Tips on How to Start a Career in Professional Gaming

Hey, don’t stress over how the graphics look. Pro gamers often tweak their settings to focus on gameplay. This can actually boost your game’s performance and minimize distractions.

10. Show Kindness to All

Gaming is a competition, but let’s not forget that everyone is playing to have fun. It’s important to avoid being rude or mean, especially if you’re new to the game.

Being friendly can go a long way. You might even find someone to team up with and they could teach you some cool game tricks. If you don’t have any friends to play with, don’t worry – you can make new friends in the game.

If you’re playing on a local server, you might even make real-life friends. Just be cautious when sharing personal information online. Good luck, and may the best player win!