Do you like playing video games? What if someone were to pay you to do that? Well, that’s precisely what professional gaming is. Here is our complete guide on how to become a professional gamer and get paid.
Key Takeaways
- Becoming a professional gamer requires a lot of hard work and dedication. You must have excellent gaming skills and be willing to invest time and money into improving your equipment.
- Joining or building a team is essential to succeed as a professional gamer. It allows you to improve your coordination and compete in local tournaments, which can help you get noticed by professional teams.
- Building a following on platforms like Twitch and YouTube can be a great way to showcase your skills and get noticed by professional teams. It takes time and effort to build an audience, but it can be a rewarding way to turn your passion for gaming into a career.
- Age is not the only factor when it comes to becoming a professional gamer. While it may be advantageous to start at a young age, what matters most is your skill level and dedication to the craft.
- Pursuing a career in gaming is not limited to playing professionally. There are many other roles in the gaming industry, such as game development, marketing, and streaming, that can be equally rewarding and fulfilling.
Analyze Your Situation As A Gamer
Getting into professional gaming will require you to spend a ton of time on practice and some money for better gaming equipment. Before you do that, you need to analyze your current situation.
The hard truth is that you need to be at a young age to get into professional gaming. The average age for getting into professional gaming is 18. Also, you must be good at a particular genre of video games.
Being over 30 and not dominating the ranked pool of your game of choice is not an ideal starting point. You can try, but it’s much riskier for you.
Get Decent Gaming Hardware
Once you have made sure that you are in your prime and are dominating the ranked pool of a particular video game, you can make the first step, which is to get decent gaming hardware.
At this point, you don’t need to spend a ton of money. You need to be able to get at least 144 FPS on the game you play, you must have a good gaming mouse, and you must have a good headset.
Join Or Create A Team
After getting decent hardware and playing at the top-ranked level of a particular video game, you should consider building or joining a team. All you need to do is find a couple of friends who are as passionate and dedicated about gaming as you are. Once you have built a team, you must play with them every day and work on your coordination.
Start Competing In Local Tournaments
After either building or joining a team and playing several hundred hours together, you should enter some small-scale tournaments. Figure out more about the gaming scene in your area and find local tournaments and competitions.
When you compete in tournaments, you get a better feel of what it’s like to play under pressure when an audience is watching your gameplay. Who knows, maybe a professional team may reach out to you at this stage.
Start YouTube & Twitch
After competing and winning several local tournaments, your main goal should be getting the word out and showcasing your skill. What this allows you to do is present yourself in front of professional teams that are potentially looking for some new players.
One of the best ways you can showcase your skill is by presenting it on YouTube or Twitch. Start live streaming on either or both of these platforms and show the world how skilled you are. If you are good at video games, you will build an audience, which may lead to offers from pro gaming teams.
Keep Improving & Competing
After doing all that, all you need to do now is keep improving and competing in tournaments. You will slowly make your way up in higher-level tournaments with better teams and improve your skill as well. If you give it effort and some time, you will get a paid offer to join a professional team.
Conclusion
Becoming a professional gamer might seem tempting, but it requires a ton of hard work. You can start by getting some decent gaming hardware and then building or joining a team. After that, compete in local tournaments, and make your way up from there. If you continue this path, you will soon get recruited by a professional team and get paid to play for them.
FAQ
What does it take to become a professional gamer?
Becoming a professional gamer requires excellent gaming skills, hard work, dedication, and the willingness to invest time and money into improving your equipment.
Can anyone become a professional gamer?
While age is a factor, what matters most is your skill level and dedication to the craft. Even if you’re not a young player, you can still become a professional gamer if you have the skills and commitment to succeed.
How do I get noticed by professional gaming teams?
Building a following on platforms like Twitch and YouTube can be a great way to showcase your skills and get noticed by professional teams. You can also compete in local tournaments and work on building a network in the gaming community.
Do I need to be part of a team to become a professional gamer?
While it’s not necessary to be part of a team to become a professional gamer, joining or building a group can help you improve your coordination, compete in tournaments, and get noticed by professional teams.
How much money can I make as a professional gamer?
The amount of money you can make as a professional gamer varies depending on your skill level and game type. Some experienced gamers make millions of dollars, while others make a more modest income.
Are there other careers in the gaming industry besides playing professionally?
Yes, many other roles in the gaming industry, such as game development, marketing, and streaming, can be equally rewarding and fulfilling.
