If you’re like me, you spend hours every week or two on your favorite video games. It’s no wonder, then, that you might find yourself asking questions about the people who play those same games and compete in tournaments or leagues: What do they look like? How do they get so good? And of course, how much money do they make? Professional gamers (or esports players) are popular today, but there are still many things most people don’t know about them—and it’s not just because of their secretive lifestyle!
1) The life of a professional gamer requires long hours
The life of a professional gamer is not all fun and games.
Professional gamers spend about 10 hours a day playing their game, plus another four hours practicing becoming better at their game. Some gamers even sleep next to their computers, so they don’t waste any precious time! In addition, most professional gamers train in specialized training schools where they live together, eat together and study together.
They also need to eat well and exercise to keep their mind and body in shape to compete at their best levels.
2) Professional gamers are highly competitive
Professional gamers are highly competitive and can go head-to-head for stakes as high as $100,000. They are competitive that their dedication to win is unparalleled to basic sports. The biggest difference between professional gamers and professional athletes though, is the type of competition. With professional athletes you’re playing against your opponents in a game or on a field or court. With pro gamers you’re just playing against each other on different games (like League of Legends). In playing other online games and sometimes top picked online casinos that pays real money can help them widen their perspective.
3) Playing video games is a sport
It’s easy to think that gaming is a hobby, but it’s quickly becoming a legitimate sport. In some countries, like South Korea, professional gamers are treated like athletes and have their own celebrity status. It is considered as a legit sport and becoming part of big leagues. Even ESPN has aired video game competitions in recent years. Just this week ESPN published a list of top ten best-paid eSports players in 2018 (which includes Felix xQc Lengyel).
4) Gaming athletes have fans, just like other sports stars
Professional gamers have a loyal following, just like any other sports star. For some people, gaming athletes are their idols, and they want to emulate them by playing video games for hours on end. The dedication online gamers show on winning a tournament, and the exemplary strategies they display inspire many young people to become like them and become successful in their field. For example, Lee Sang-hyeok (aka Faker), one of the most famous League of Legends players ever, has so much fan support that he’s been dubbed The World’s Most Marketable Athlete. He’s currently sponsored by Intel and Samsung.
5) Practicing in teams helps gamers develop teamwork skills
One thing that sets competitive gamers apart from others is their tendency to practice with teams. Practicing in teams helps gamers develop teamwork skills and push themselves to improve even more. It also encourages them to try new things while working together, which can help them branch out into other things outside of gaming.
Spending time with their team helps them perfect their technique after long hours of training. It also fosters camaraderie between players, leading to a sense of community. In fact, some pro-gaming communities are so tight knit they will take care of one another financially or personally if they need it.
6) Young players take part in gaming competitions
Young players can participate in gaming competitions, but they may not be eligible to play in tournaments with cash prizes. These usually require players to be 18 or older. However, this will be a good start for someone who wants to have a career in the world of esports.
7) Pro gamers can get paid well
Nowadays, professional gamers can earn up to $500,000 a year by winning competitions. For instance, League of Legends player Lee Sang-hyeok (also known as Faker) made $2.3 million in 2017 and was ranked number one in Forbes’ list of highest-paid pro gamers for that year.
To put this into perspective, an average annual income in America is $45,735 (according to Census.gov). In other words, professional gamers can earn more than double the average American salary in just one night!
8) Players travel to tournaments on their own dime
Players who want to compete in a tournament must first make it through a qualifier, which determines the number of players that will be able to participate. Every player is responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses. This means that if they don’t win any prize money from the tournament, they are out-of-pocket on every penny spent. But with their display of highly skilled performance, some are even lucky enough to be sponsored by different organizations or brands.
Gamers are people, too. They must live their lives just like everyone else. Whether they’re working at a 9-5 job or playing games for hours on end, there’s more to them than meets the eye.
So, if you want to have a career in esports start your training early on and count the cost, who knows you’d be one of the top players in the future. Its popularity doesn’t to stop anytime soon. The industry is only continuing to grow bigger and better.