How to become a professional video game player?

The field of video games is now a world in its own right, with a huge community of players, both amateurs and professionals. Some play for fun, while others find a vocation, a real professional career. It is indeed possible to become a professional video game player. Moreover, to practice as a professional in the video game industry, you can adopt the status of employee or self-employed.

Beyond the legal structure you choose to play professionally, becoming a professional comes with certain responsibilities. On the one hand, you will have to train intensively and on the other hand to integrate a community, in order to work on your image. To improve yourself, apart from exercises, you can take specialized training. Discover below all the points you need to know to become a professional video game player.

The characteristics of a professional player

The professional video game player is a recognized status. In geek jargon, a professional gamer is also called a “pro gamer” or “esports person”. He is a video game player who takes part in many national and international tournaments . This, whether in LAN, that is to say locally, or on the web.

A professional player almost never plays solo, he is part of a team. As a professional, the player lives from his passion thanks to his winnings, but also to his sponsors. The more titles he wins, the more he is known and the more his game is appreciated by the public. Which is a publicity stunt for big brands.

Like any professional athlete, the professional gamer trains daily to better prepare for competition. He can practice his exercise sessions in a team or alone. Accompanied by his coach and his teammates, the player develops tactics in order to emerge victorious from tournaments.

For sports, a good mental and physical preparation is essential, since a steel mind is useful to meet the greatest challenges. He must therefore prepare himself properly, in order to "survive" a game of play, which can last several hours in a row. He must also be able to withstand the pressure of playing in front of spectators.

Like a top athlete, he will have to preserve his lifestyle. Adopting a drastic diet is therefore essential, given that video games require various faculties, such as reflection or concentration.

Moreover, to aspire to be one of the best players, the esports player will have to specialize in a particular game. There are thousands of them, to name only Rainbow six, League of Legends, Fortnite or StarCraft. Also, there are several categories of games, such as RTS or real-time strategy game, or FPS or first-person game. And that has an impact on the strategies to put in place and the way of playing.

Being a professional player: what training to follow?

If you want to become a professional gamer, you need to gain experience and possess certain skills. For this, you can in particular follow a training. In France, you will find schools focused on video games. Some establishments provide training on esports. This is for example the case of:

• Power House Gaming;
• Roger School;
• Helios Gaming School;
• Paris Gaming School;
• Gaming Campus.

In these schools, you can benefit from training to become a pro gamer, a gamer coach, an image producer or a specialized journalist. If you have a sufficient level, you can also join a professional team.

Succeeding as a professional player: some conditions to respect

To go far as a pro gamer, certain conditions are required. You not only have to train hard, but also equip yourself accordingly, maintain your pro profile on social media…

The qualifications of a pro gamer

If you want to become a video game professional, you must have certain skills and qualifications. First, you need to know how to adapt. And for good reason, video games are constantly being improved. New technologies may be incorporated over time. Thus, you need to keep yourself updated with new game tactics. You need to acclimate yourself to the development of the game.

In addition, the pro gamer must have team spirit. This, because as a rule, professional players often play in teams. And of course, to become a video game expert, you must have a passion for this field.

The desire to improve

The first step that leads an amateur into the professional world is his will and his motivation. To become professional, the amateur player must not be content to play at home. He will have to climb the ranks by playing against other players who are more experienced than him. For this, he will have to participate in video game competitions.

A video game player wishing to become a professional is an enthusiast. Victory or defeat, it will have to amplify this desire to improve and become better in the game. The state of mind is very important for a player. This determines his focus, willpower, and motivation throughout his practices and games. A professional player must have a mind of steel capable of withstanding the stress and pressure of competitions.

Choose your playground

As mentioned above, video games are countless. Each game is part of a special category. To claim the title of video game professional, first define your playground. Specializing will allow you to focus on one type of game and improve your skills.

Here are some game genres you can indulge in:

• Platform games, such as Super Mario Bros;
• RPGs, "Role Playing games" or role-playing games;
• FPS, “First Personal Shooter” or first person shooters;
• MOBAs, “Multiplayer online battle arenas;
• The hack'n slash which literally means "cut and slice";
• RTS, “Real time strategy” or strategy game…

Always play in groups

It is true that becoming a professional player is mainly a matter of individual player skills. But as the saying goes, "alone we go fast, together we go far". In the world of video games, this adage finds all its meaning. Certainly, if the player plays solo, he will be able to understand the game while increasing in capacity.

However, to assess his level, he will have to join a community of video game players. Playing against other players and seeing how they play will all help him learn faster.

Finally, the spirit of competition between the players will only animate even more the will to progress. Interaction always leads to reaction, which results in improvement. Moreover, the majority of professional players work as a team both in their training and during competitions.

Prioritize workouts

As it is important to play as a community to be able to earn points, it is just as essential to train. The training allows to better work the concentration, the technique. In addition, it will help you to put together game strategies.

The more you train, the more you will evolve. The same is true for muscle reflexes. Even a professional trains not to lose his hand. With practice, you can sharpen your senses and your reflexes.

Part of the training will be focused on various research focused on the game. Through this research, you will be able to measure your strengths, weaknesses and the improvements you need to make. This data will allow you to play while exploiting your maximum potential. It will also help you customize your game strategies.

Finally, since you currently have the possibility of saving the games played, this will allow you to view your games to detect your faults and perfect your technique. As you practice, you will create your own style of play.

Take part in national and international tournaments

To become a professional player, you must have the will to win. In the field of video games, you will particularly feel this during competitions and tournaments. A professional is easily recognized during these events.

At this point, playing in community will not be enough. You must indeed evaluate your know-how by challenging the best. To do this, there is nothing better than registering for competitions and tournaments. During these events, players are ranked according to their levels.

In esports, if you're just starting out, you'll play public games first, then move on to ranked games. Then you can play in the league. After that, you can participate in real video game tournaments. These different steps will allow you to be part of several communities of players. If you chain the victories, you will forge a name in the middle.

Get adequate equipment

Equipment is a parameter not to be overlooked for a video game player. If you want to be a pro gamer, your hardware should be your most loyal companion. As a pro player, you must have a "gear" that is both efficient and of excellent quality. The most important thing is that it is adapted to your level of play.

Of course, when you start, you will equip yourself with basic equipment to gradually improve them. Each time you gain skill, you will be able to get advanced equipment.

Among other things, you will need to provide yourself with a computer that can support the game. This, so that the games are fluid and without interference. A game console and good controllers are also required. To maximize your comfort during your hours of play, invest in agaming chair and possibly a gaming desk.

Gamer pro and Sponsors: a winning combination

When you cross the threshold of professional status, you will have to find sponsors. From the outset, you will define the relationship you will build with your sponsors, as well as your interests.

Knowing that you will enjoy great notoriety with the public, the sponsors will take the opportunity to make themselves known in turn by the public. Thanks to your brand image, sponsors will be able to reap profits and increase their turnover.

On your side, the sponsor will finance you. This can for example translate into a percentage that you will get on the earnings of the sponsors. In particular, you will need it to register for video game contests. You will need a lot of money to afford better equipment.

Maintain your professional status

To make yourself known and preserve your reputation, you will have to work on your image. Be present on social networks to interact with your fans and your community. To date, social media is the most effective and fastest communication channel. You must be active there. You must have your own pro gamer page there, and regularly feed it with publications of all kinds.

Along with that, always accept interviews. This will allow you to shape your profile as a professional player. In the meantime, if you don't have any competitions in sight, you can aspire to the position of video game tester. This will allow you to work while remaining in the world of gaming.

Conclusion

To become a professional player, there is no magic solution. The key is to practice regularly. In order to prove yourself and get far in the professional world of gaming, you will have to attend tournaments and competitions. Make sure to win as many games as possible.

And even if you reach a very high level, you must continue your training, even intensify it. To do this, do not hesitate to get all the paraphernalia you need: gaming table, gaming glasses , helmet, seat... Moreover, adopting a healthy lifestyle will allow you to have a very good physical condition. and mental to play. And don't forget, becoming a professional gamer is all about maintaining your notoriety and staying close to your audience.