Related Articles
How to Become a Professional eSports Player?
Top professional esports players are now earning millions of dollars, competing in massive tournaments with 7 figure prize pools and signing mouth-watering sponsorship deals with companies such as Red Bull, Amazon, Nike, and even Gucci! To become an esports pro takes a lot of dedication and some luck, but here are some tips to help you sign your first pro contract!
1. Select the Right eSport!
Esports are now highly specialized, just like traditional sports. As they are so competitive, you need to choose one eSport to focus on. There are not enough hours in the day to become a pro at more than eSport!
Once you have made the decision to focus on just one game, you need to choose an eSport that gives you the best chance to go pro. Some esports have well-developed pro scenes with well-funded teams and regular 6 and 7-figure prize pools such as Dota 2. While other esports pros are barely making minimum wage. However, the more financial opportunities an esports offers, the more competitive it is and the harder it is to go pro.
Here are some of the top esports to go pro in:
Dota 2
League of Legends
CS:GO
Valorant
FIFA
Overwatch
You shouldn’t just base your decision on which esports offer the most financial reward. You also need to consider which games you enjoy playing and which you have natural talent in because to sign a pro contract, you need to log thousands of hours of game time!
2. You Need to Play a Lot!
Most wannabe esports players don’t realize just how much you have to play to go pro. Even if you are the second coming of Anathan “ana” Pham, you will still need to play thousands of hours to level up your skills to the point where you are ready for the pro ranks.
The number of hours you will need to play will depend on your talent and the competitiveness of the game. In top esports like CS:GO and League of Legends, expect to play for 5000 or more hours to get your first contract. Many high-level pros have often played 20,000 hours! So, after reading this article, start practicing!
3. Watch Professionals!
One of the most effective ways to improve your eSports skill and impress pro scouts is to mimic professionals. By analyzing pro matches, you can identify the best strategies and quickly realize what the best actions in certain common scenarios are. If you want to go pro in Dota 2, then head to https://getesports.net/en/dota-2-matches/ and watch live all matches from major tournaments, including The International.
4. Play Ranked Matches!
Most esports have a system where you play ranked matches against people around your level, and if you win, you ascend to the public leaderboard. Esports players who get to the top of public leaderboards are often approached by professional teams and invited for trials. For example, once you achieve an MMR ranking of 6000 in Dota 2, low-level pro teams will start taking an interest in you. Achieving a high ranking is the easiest way to signal to pro esports teams that you are a talented and dedicated player.
5. Join an Amateur Team!
Once you have developed your esports skills and have achieved a decent ranking, it is time to join a team and play in some tournaments. You will most likely start with an amateur team and play in local tournaments with little to no prize money. However, don’t worry if you put in some good performances, you will be quickly noticed by pro teams and get offered a trial spot or even a contract!
Final Thoughts
Signing your first eSports pro contract is no easy feat! However, if you stay disciplined and continue to analyze your weaknesses, rise up the ranks, and battle in tournaments, you will eventually get noticed and be offered a trial.
