8 Crucial Steps to Become a Successful Esports Player

In the world of esports, gaming is no longer a hobby. Elite players and teams who compete in these tournaments get to reach massive audiences and win major prizes which can vary from money to sponsorships from gaming industry giants. Esports is a rapidly growing industry with millions of players tuning in to live game streams every single day.

What is Esports?

In its most basic sense, esports are professional competitive games with systematic leagues, tournament structures, and professional players. Currently, the esports industry is one of the biggest and fastest-growing industries in the world, surpassing the film and music industries and generating massive revenues of as much as $1.38 billion. Thanks to its massive popularity, esports tournaments are streamed on famous online platforms such as Twitch and YouTube with over 810 million viewers.

Thanks to the rising popularity of esports, many players are turning their passions into careers. But what makes a successful professional esports player? Below, we’ve shared some of the most useful tips and important steps for esports enthusiasts.

8 Steps to Become a Successful Esports Player

1. Pick a Game, Platform, and Genre

If you’re planning on becoming a successful esports player, carefully choosing your game, your genre, and your platform is critical. First and foremost, pick a genre. It could be fantasy, racing, or maybe strategy. Next, try out different game options. Decide on which game you feel more accomplished in and focus on building your skills in said game. Even though the genre and the game are important, the platform you choose is just as crucial. Your choice of platform should be decided according to how you feel most comfortable playing. If you’re a PC gamer, keep doing what you do best. If you’re into consoles such as the Xbox or the PlayStation, pivot towards console gaming.

2. Practice

It’s true. The more you play a game, the better you’ll be at playing it. If you spend enough time playing a certain game that you like, you’re most likely to become a skilled gamer. You can also study other professional gamers, stream their games, and spend time researching particular strategies and gameplays to perfect your own gaming style.

Most players around the world practice games by merely playing them and making the same mistakes over and over again. Try to learn about the game. There are a lot of resources and tutorials about games and well-known gamers, make use of them. As is the case with most things, dedication and effort go a long way on the route to becoming a successful gamer.

3. Create a Gaming Network

Good players are only as good as those who notice them. That’s why you should always focus on getting noticed by gaming communities. The best way to do that is by joining and being active in these communities. Be present, be open with everyone, and try to contact pro team members.

Networking is more important than it’s credited for in the esports industry. Connections can help you reach larger audiences, and larger audiences can bring you popularity and fame. Using your network, you can make a name for yourself and become a professional gamer in a considerably short amount of time. Whether it’s online or in person, try to reach out to other like-minded gamers and streamers who are interested in the same game as you are for support.

4. Get High-Quality Gaming Gear

While it’s obvious that you need quality gaming equipment to succeed in gaming and eventually become a professional gamer, it can be costly to put everything together at once. However, having high-quality gaming-specific gear is a sacrifice you should make in order to play seamlessly. If you’re in need of a lot of upgrading, try to get the gears you need piece by piece and start from there.

Some of the most important things you should consider buying or upgrading include a gaming PC or laptop, a headset, a mechanical keyboard, a LED monitor, a quality gaming mouse, a high-quality webcam and microphone set, surround speakers, and of course, a comfortable gaming chair. Since these items are usually overly expensive, consider buying investment pieces while you’re at it so that you can use them for prolonged periods of time.

5. Start Small

After you’ve joined a community, you’ll notice many events and smaller tournaments taking place. The best way to learn something is through experience. It doesn’t matter if you’re not a professional, join local events and test yourself out. By doing so, you’ll also be getting used to the professional players’ mindsets. Being active and partaking in tournament qualifiers is the first step to becoming a successful professional gamer. What’s more, most of these open qualifiers are free, so it’s not going to cost you anything other than experience and connections. Give it a shot and begin climbing the ladder.

6. Join a Team

After joining these events, tournaments, and groups, you’ll notice that you’ve met a lot of high-performing players out there. After you’ve made a name for yourself, it’ll be easier for you to get invited to a team. Most of the time, these teams solely invite skilled players to join their teams. So try to be the best version of yourself throughout these tournaments. If you can catch their attention, there’s a high chance that professional players will invite you to join their team. However, you can always request to join a team if there’s a vacancy. Try to look out for opportunities at all times.

7. Compete in Tournaments

After you’ve joined a team, you can now start competing in leagues and tournaments. This is the first step to going pro at esports. Though it’s exciting, try to observe successful professional gamers in their habitat and make notes. Watch their gameplays in real-time and focus on winning. Even though you probably won’t be the winner in your first few tournaments, these events are great opportunities to grow your audience both online and in person. Try to get as much spotlight on yourself and your team as possible. Your status as a professional gamer depends on your strategy and whether you win or lose. Stay focused and keep your cool.

8. Find a Sponsor

That’s sort of a given. However, having a sponsor or two is the sign of a successful professional gamer. Though these sponsorships aren’t steady income, you can still make good money and fame through collaborating with industry giants in sports games. If you make a deal with a brand for a product or service promotion, your sponsors could offer you yearly payments. That’s when you know you’ve made it as a professional gamer. Enjoy!