The frenetic cheers in the soccer stadium, the fans’ expressions of love – athletes have been used to all this for years. But now a new world of sports has opened up – eSports! And the desire of the gamblers? To achieve fame and money, to be the most popular and best sportsman! It reminds a bit of live casino table games, where every player hopes that the big win will fall on his account. But in eSports it takes more than just luck, it takes talent and that is often underestimated.
The wrong idea of the dream job
A lot of girls and boys have a completely wrong idea of what it means to be an eSportsman. Sitting at a desk all day and gaming, that’s the cliché. But the truth is different. It is true that eSportsmen spend many hours at their desks playing computer games, but the fun factor has clearly given way to the training factor.
The number of competitors in eSports is incredibly high. With hard training and great interest, skill can be built up and thus the next competitor is born. So to be at the top of successful teams, professionals have to be better than everyone else. They have to find sponsors and the harmony in the team has to fit.
Often, eSports teams even live together for a short time in so-called gaming houses to bring the team together and train with each other permanently. Giving up one’s own private life is accepted for the sake of success in the game. Boot camps for eSports players are also quite common in the scene, and here at the latest it becomes clear that professional gamers do not earn their money with leisurely gaming, but with hard work.
The free time is lost
Free time? Rare in the eSports scene, because training is mandatory. In addition, most team contracts only run for a maximum of three months, because someone better can come along at any time. For the eSports player, this means getting to know the team, training every day, and already looking for a new team spot when the old contract expires. Going out partying in the evening? Having a blast with your buddies in your free time? Unthinkable for the pros during the tournament phases.
It’s also difficult for eSportsmen in their relationships. Often, the hobby unites them, but two eSportsmen who enter into a partnership with each other will rarely get to see each other. One of them will always have to train, and in the worst case, there will be competition in the game. A partnership outside of the scene seems like a more pleasant solution, but the understanding for the intensive training sessions is often missing.
Making the journey from beginner to professional
If you’re convinced that your path will lead you into the eSports scene, there are three things you should be aware of from the start:
1. you will spend a lot of your time training hard.
2. you need to learn how to deal with defeat.
3. you should not expect to get rich in a short time.
Before you can even dream of a career, you need a game in which you want to compete to become a successful eSports player. There are many games in the scene that now host tournaments, leagues and successful championships.
The important thing is to decide on one game, even if you have several favorite games in your spare time. Your focus should be solely on the game where you are already performing well as a hobby. And it is here that each game will bring you further towards success.
The right attitude to the game
If you still think that eSports players have a comfortable life, you need to rethink your attitude! Professional gamers have a hard life, consisting of training, successes, failures and a portion of sleep every now and then. It’s important that you don’t want to get on the stairs right away, but define your goals step by step.
Practice makes successful, but the time of practice is also paved with failures. You will play tournaments again and again where you fail and get angry and miss your motivation. Don’t let such moments distract you from your goals, but analyze your mistakes and use them to improve.
Mental strength is of high importance in eSports, so it is also a myth that eSportsmen eat fast food and sit at the PC all day. Exercise, healthy eating, and regular relaxation are definitely part of your daily schedule as a future eSports player.
Training is the be-all and end-all
If you want to win, you have to learn! It sounds simple, but it is the guiding principle of the eSports scene and the only truth that has led professionals to their success. Esport is sport, and whether you’re a soccer player, a handball player, or a professional Counter-Strike player, without training you lose the practice, and without practice you lose the skill. Professionals train up to eight hours a day before taking their teams to the big tournaments on the scene, and even longer before an upcoming tournament.
The important thing is to set yourself a plan. Play regularly, focus on your weak points and show continuity. It’s not just about mastering the game, your body also needs to adjust to the new situation. The finger muscles can throw a wrench in your plans, especially in the early days.
Through regular training it is possible that you train your fingers, get them used to routine movements and thus improve your performance step by step. Once again, patience is one of the most important virtues. You won’t become a star overnight, even if your playing skill is already above average.
The dream of big money and fame
Fighting for your dreams is never wrong! If your big goal is to be the star of an eSports tournament and win the big prize money, then you know your way. No one can guarantee in advance whether you will really be the winner of everything in the end. But if you don’t try, you’ll never find out if it had worked!
All those eSportsmen who are looking at riches and fame today have the same path behind them that you have in front of you. They have trained, suffered, cursed and maybe even cried, and they have triumphed! It’s a fascinating world open to anyone who wants to work hard at it.
