For the longest time, esports were considered as just video games. We all play games, and that’s a fact. However, not many of us think of video games as an opportunity to pursue a career. As it turns out, it’s a perfectly reasonable assumption and one backed up by fact. There are many professionals in video gaming today, and you can be just about any.
In fact, the business of esports has grown by so much that esports betting is booming. Websites such as Pinnacle are leading the way in offering excellent betting markets. To find out more, you can quickly stop by this Pinnacle review.
Back to the topic at hand, though, the esports industry has truly grown by a whole lot. As such, there are many niches that now require the expertise of highly-trained individuals who are keen on contributing to the ecosystem in a professional capacity. There are many jobs in esports, and yes, video gaming is a viable career path. Let’s explore it together.
Becoming a Professional Gamer
Clearly, the first thing that many people think of is becoming a professional gamer. As we grow up or play esports as a hobby, the thought of going professional ourselves often crosses our minds.
It’s good to know that following this career path is a viable option, but just like any other career, it requires dedication and commitment, and unless you are prepared to put in the hard work, you may want to choose another aspect of esports gaming.
For starters, professional video gaming is very competitive. You can call esports anything you want, but in their essence, breaking into competitive video gaming is no easier than becoming one of the best tennis players out there. There will be some factors that play just about the same role:
- Hard work
- Dedication
- Talent
- Starting at the right age
You can hardly get a 30-year-old person and turn them into an esports professional if you have to teach them the ropes. However, many young players show the immense talent that quickly promotes them to competitive gaming.
Journalism, We Need More Good Journalism
Because competitive video gaming is fairly new, there have not been many attempts to deliver on great journalism. Well, this is changing, and many talented writers are entering the space with the sole mission of creating more entertaining written content. The goal here is to have reliable sources of information, something that is important for any industry to succeed.
Even though video gaming journalists start on their own, they can benefit immensely from professional training, which is precisely what they get later in their lives. Esports, for its part, can also derive some substantial benefits from having more trained writers who can do right by esports in terms of:
- Contribute factual and accurate content
- Do investigative journalism to highlight issues
- Create captivating narratives and inspire a love for esports
All of these points hold equal weight and are absolutely necessary for the esports industry to prosper and be vibrant. Journalism is a great calling if you love games and have a knack for writing, and, more importantly, you are prepared to study up on those points that are still a little vague.
Commentators and Analysts
As esports is getting a more massive phenomenon, a lot of the coverage now hinges on how well a commentator or an analyst can cover events. After all, not everyone is familiar with video gaming, and commentators these days try to balance between specialized reporting and what new audiences may be keen on.
Good commentators need an in-depth understanding of the game, background knowledge of all teams and players, and the confidence to talk in front of what could be millions of listeners or viewers. Commentators are there to entertain, granted, but they are also what is required for a great stream to be really worthwhile.
That is why the job of commentators is going to people who have spent years honing their abilities and learning how to deliver impeccable coverage while adding value to listeners and keep everyone entertained.
Tournament Hosts and Managers
To have esports, you need tournament hosts. The job of a tournament host is not easy, but it’s one that is of the utmost importance. You need to know what needs to be done and how to set up a proper gaming event. Is live coverage important, or are you going to hold the event online?
It’s almost impossible to think of esports as anything but live these days, as people do love to turn up and watch the games in-person in the hopes of sharing in the energy of esports. Therefore, tournament hosts must make sure that they have everything covered.
Besides, there are many aspects you can specialize in if you are a tournament host – from knowledge of how a production booth works to establish the right partnerships to get the right people in the right places. There have been many great examples of properly hosted events over the past years, with organizations such as BLAST Premier, WePlay, and EPIC League really making the cut!
Streamers, Why Not?
Imagine that you could just play or comment on esports and make a living? Well, many people have actually done as much. Esports streamers are quite popular as they play various games and bring insight, entertainment, and knowledge to hundreds of thousands of people, and often even millions.
Myth, Ninja, and Disrespect are some of the big names in streaming, but they prove that it can be done. To be watched, you ought to definitely have the right skills to help yourself stand out from all the rest:
- You have to be very good at a game
- Be worthwhile listening to
- Or simply provide high entertaining value
You can approach esports streaming any which way you choose to, and it will be all worthwhile, but ultimately, you will have to learn that streaming, while a lot of fun, is also challenging and requires unflagging dedication.
Executives Needed in Esports
Esports executives are now needed. The business of esports is growing rapidly, and that means that you no longer need people who run on enthusiasm. You need all the right people in the right places – those are people that can make the right calls and help you strategize and tell you what direction your organization will be taking from here on in.
You need well-seasoned veterans on the top level. If you are an executive yourself, pursuing a career in esports is actually more viable than ever before. You will be excited to find out that many S&P 500 companies are readily jumping at the opportunity to invest in competitive video gaming and justifiably so.
Marketing Expert
For any organization to really take off, you need a lot of marketing experts. Securing the right partnerships with mainstream companies and fellow esports organizations is essential. You ought to know how to contact others so that it benefits your organization. Marketing experts can forge important partnerships. Just think about Esports.com and Astralis, a partnership that was so bizarre but was rooted in great marketing synergies.
Nevertheless, marketing experts are in high demand and especially those that have a wide variety of contacts that they can leverage. It’s not that you can become a marketing expert on the spot. You will have to culminate and form relationships over the years and then leverage them successfully.
Health Experts
Health experts are actually in great demand. For the longest time, esports athletes will play on their own and not really show any care for their health. However, numerous studies have revealed that the only way to truly push your play to the next level is to take better care of your body.
That is why multi-million esports organizations are investing in physicians, dieticians, psychologists, and other physical and mental health experts who can really help players to cope with the stress and pressure as well as for life after esports. After all, the average esports player retires at the age of 25.
Health experts are there to help and assist people, and more and more esports organizations hire them and put the same store by them as they do by coaches and even the gamers themselves!
Coaches
If you are particularly good at any given game and can theorize about it and devise successful strategies but haven’t cultivated the “killer reflexes” of a professional video gamer, you will find a coaching position fit. Of course, being a coach is not just about knowledge. It’s about results.
Can you really get your team to a level where they can really progress to the next level? Securing wins through your team is what matters for sure, but you also have to create an environment where individual players can thrive and reach their full potential.
The best coaches out there know how to nurture their fellow players, and that is precisely what you should be trying to do. Make sure that the environment in which your players play is healthy and helpful.