Professional cybersports and amateur gaming

Many things that no one would have thought of before are becoming a reality. For example, would it have been conceivable twenty years ago that team or individual competition in video games could be recognized worldwide as an official sport on a par with soccer and swimming?

Cybersports players earn substantial sums of money for winning tournaments. As a result, there is a noticeable increase in audience interest in cybersports disciplines. In addition, the booming gaming industry, with a turnover of almost $175 billion per year and a tremendous increase in the number of players around the world, has turned ordinary video game gamers into sports (or, more correctly, cybersports) rails. Of course, cybersports do not overlap with Indian online casino games, but they can also be quite profitable.

It did not take long to monetize cybersports. The prize funds of cybersports competitions in such projects as Dota 2, League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and many other games amount to tens of millions of dollars, and this is a fantastic amount. However, it begs the question: if today’s eSports are so popular, what will happen to them in the future?

Perspectives on eSports

Perhaps, for some reason now challenging to predict, it will lose all relevance after some time and sink into oblivion? Or, on the contrary, in the future, cybersport will only gain momentum and will eventually squeeze from the pedestal of such an insanely popular traditional sport as soccer is nowadays?

Let’s start with the gaming and cybersports industry has excellent potential. However, it is already clear to everyone that the essential product of the future is feelings and emotions.

Of course, time will put everything in its place, but the second version of events looks more likely.

Many people may have legitimate questions: how do you get into cybersport? How do you become a cyber athlete? What will happen after I become a cyber athlete? We are going to find out.

The gaming industry and cyber athletes

The most obvious way for people who want to get into the gaming industry is to pick up and start making games. There are a lot of accessible and affordable tools for that right now. If you want to get into the game industry, it’s basically like directing a movie. You first have to make a small, auteur-driven movie to make a big movie.

But let us return to more down-to-earth things and try to explain what a cybersportsman is. A cybersportsman is a professional player in specific disciplines (whether a multiplayer first-person shooter or a multiplayer MOBA online battle arena) who participates in thematic tournaments and competitions in the struggle for cash prizes. Each cybersport discipline requires different skills, including reaction speed, honed marksmanship, and strategic thinking.

• Cyber athletes can be single players or team players. For obvious reasons, cyber athletes are pretty young (18-30 years old), but almost all started their careers on amateur and semi-professional resources from the age of 13. What is the difference between an amateur and a professional?
• Amateur does not get any fee for the game and often even spends money on it, buying in-game skins and loot boxes. But the situation is quite the opposite: the video game is the primary source of income for him.
• Daily virtual training sessions allow cyber athlete to hone their gaming skills, better understand the nuances of gameplay and gain experience. The competition in eSports is fierce, so some champions succeed one another time after time.

The workplace of a cyber athlete

First and foremost, an aspiring cyber athlete needs to have a properly organized workspace. Here is what you should have:

• A computer with excellent performance;
• A good monitor with a high refresh rate of the screen;
• A good quality mouse;
• Wired or wireless headphones with high sound quality;
• A comfortable computer desk of the right height and size;
• A comfortable chair for hours of gaming;
• An uninterrupted high-speed Internet connection.
• Also, an important circumstance is good warm lighting and the absence of various noises (this can be achieved by having good soundproofing).

Perseverance and diligence are the essential qualities of a cybersportsman. But unfortunately, many cases existed when cyber-athletes started their professional path on old and poorly working computers, sitting at a shabby table on a wooden stool.

To become a cybersports champion, you first need to play, play, and play. After that, experience is gained through practice. 

Team 

Even if we are talking about team disciplines, you first have to learn everything on your own. In the days of computer clubs, teams were often formed based on a particular club, whose members went through all the career ladder steps together. But in modern eSports, players often develop on their own: serious teams are formed from established professionals. So to become one, you need to be clear on why you are involved in cybersport and what you want to achieve. 

The goal is usually money for novice players, but it’s too vague a concept. Money can be a good motivator, but the goal should be to win. Look at Korean eSports players who will do anything to win trophies, including training for 10 hours a day. They understand that money and fame come only after successful performances. As an option, you can create your team, try yourself as a manager, and recruit and look for sponsors. This kind of arrangement will require a lot of time, to the detriment of training. 

Pulling on an entire team is not just a matter of gathering acquaintances and sending them to a tournament. There are a lot of details and nuances that have nothing to do with cybersports. It makes more sense to talk about cases where former eSports players start successful careers as a manager.

Money Matters

And now, finally, the moment has come when you have attracted the attention of famous teams (for example, it could be a team of players who perform in the individual discipline). Note that the salary level depends directly on the popularity of the chosen game, so it is not a fact that you should bet on the one you like the most. For example, when Blizzard stopped supporting Warcraft 3, many leaders of this discipline switched to StarCraft II or Dota 2. Together with a team of professionals, you can set the most profound goals for yourself. Of course, training assistance and trips to tournaments are a great help to progress, but by signing a contract, you should be aware of the responsibility that falls on a member of any favorite team. 

You become a public figure, which means that all your mistakes will be noticed immediately. And it’s not just a breach of contractual obligations. A couple of years ago, Singapore’s favorite Dota 2 team, First Departure, was on the verge of losing its main sponsor because of the scandal when one of the players – SCripted, insulted watching a match with his Muslims. The incident received wide publicity, and the contract with the offender was eventually terminated. It is not only the level of performance of an athlete that determines his success and popularity. Communicative skills, a sense of humor, and personal charisma can bring significant financial dividends, sometimes even exceeding tournament prizes.