But this ad space

What it Takes to Become a Professional Gamer

Photo of author
Written By Lilly Miller

Many people around the world are avid gamers. Many of them dream of going professional too. But, how do you become a professional gamer?

There is nothing more satisfying than being paid to do something that you thoroughly enjoy. There is no wonder, why so many gamers want to turn pro.

No matter how strong their ambitions and desires are, becoming a professional gamer is much more nuanced than one might think. This is a highly competitive industry whose value will likely exceed $200 billion by 2023.

This means that in order to turn pro there are several important steps to consider. E-sport just like any other sport takes a lot of time spent in practice. It requires immense hand-eye coordination, excellent reflexes, and team-based strategic thinking.

If all of these things excite you, you should consider what it takes to become a professional gamer.

Practice and repetition are key

1. Practice and repetition are key

Just like any other skill, gaming requires an immense amount of practice. Each game is going to have unique mechanics and playstyles.

In order to become the best of the best and turn pro, it is necessary to spend a lot of time practising and keeping up with industry trends. This is much different from spending an hour a day casually playing video games after work.

Serious gamers dedicate several hours per day in order to become highly competitive. Only then is it possible to stand out?

A good part of what makes gamers excel at a specific game is muscle memory. This is especially the case in first-person shooter games like CS:GO, Call of Duty, and Apex Legends. Luckily there are things you can do to improve your aim.

Muscle memory can be directly trained in a dedicated software called an aim trainer. There are several different aim trainers on the market, depending on the target game that you are training for. It features a set of game modes that will let you practice your flick shots and drag shots.

You can also learn a lot by watching other pro gamers on Twitch, where you can learn some of their tricks and apply them in your own training. Ultimately you will be able to develop your own unique powerful playstyle which will get you much closer to the professional gaming industry. 

2. Surround yourself with other professional gamers

Just like in business, you need to network with others in order to get to the top. If you participate in entry-level tournaments and you see players who are better than you. You should form a connection with them. This will help you research the best tactics available.

Much like in sports, you should leave your ego aside, and listen to what others have to say on the off chance that they know something that you don’t.

It is also important to maintain contact with these players so that you can potentially invite them to gaming sessions using Discord or Steam’s built-in system. This is an excellent chance to meet new friends while becoming a potential candidate for many pro recruiters.

Remember, the professional gaming industry is one of the strongest communities in the world where people are very welcoming and friendly, regardless of your background. At the end of the day, it is purely your skills and fair play that matter.

Using professional gaming gear

3. Using professional gaming gear

Once you gain a decent level of skills, you soon come to realize that your equipment is simply a huge bottleneck towards developing a gaming career.

A traditional 60hz monitor simply just won’t cut it anymore since you will be competing against players who are using 144hz monitors at minimum, with some of the biggest tournaments in the world using 240hz monitors as a standard.

The higher refresh rate will make your reaction time within games much better, as you will be able to literally see more information smoothly, such as that one annoying opponent peeking behind a corner in CS:GO. However, this is not all. In order to run most of today’s games above 140 frames per second, you will need to have a powerful computer.

Some of the latest gaming laptops at digiDirect will give you a massive competitive advantage since they all feature powerful GPUs. In addition to that, you should also invest in some powerful gaming peripherals such as a wireless lightweight mouse and a mechanical keyboard. 

4. Get a sponsorship

Once you gain some recognition within the professional gaming community you should be able to find a sponsor. This will allow you to dedicate more time to perfect your skills, without worrying about your finances.

If you get a sponsor you will have to represent their brand during your professional gaming tournaments, and mention them in your videos and Twitch streams. 

5. Choose a game that suits you

Not everyone can excel at FPS shooters. However, there are other various genres and trends that you can try out. For instance, there are many people who have amazing potential for MOBA games such as Dota 2. Or perhaps, you will find the best success in battle royale games such as Fortnite.

How do you become a professional gamer?

How do you become a professional gamer?

The professional gaming industry has never been stronger. There are amazing opportunities for all types of gamers out there who are aspiring to turn pro gamers. However, in order to become a pro gamer, there are several steps to take first:

  • Practice and repetition are key.
  • Surround yourself with other professional gamers.
  • Using professional gaming gear.
  • Get a sponsorship.
  • Choose a game that suits you.

Spend several hours a day practising. Network within the gaming community. Get professional gaming gear. Find a sponsor. Lastly, find a game that you excel at. By following these steps, you are on your way to becoming a pro gamer.

Disclaimer. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of IdeasPlusBusiness.com. Any content provided by our bloggers or authors is of their opinion and is not intended to malign any organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.

For questions, inquiries and advert placements on the blog, please send an email to the Editor at ideasplusbusiness[at]gmail[dot]com. You can also follow IdeasPlusBusiness.com on Twitter here and like our page on Facebook here. This website contains affiliate links to some products and services. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.