By FMT’s Lifestyle Desk
You’re a boss at League of Legends; you have more kills in CoD than your peers; and you’ve been breathing Minecraft since it was just a mod. Gaming is your ‘bae’ and your skill level is: God. You’d do anything to be able to be a gamer for the rest of your life, and you’ve heard that it’s possible to make a living from it. So how and where do you sign up to be a pro gamer?
Not so fast, sport. First, you’ll have to practice many, many, many hours because it’s not enough to be a good player – you’ll have to be an EPICALLY GREAT player. So you’ll need to go the distance and train endlessly – both alone and with/against recognized top-notch players to develop MAD SKILLZ.
You’ll need SICK reflexes, an awesome mind for strategy and problem-solving, and the machine-like ability to multitask. There is no university course to take to become a great gamer (and no one will care if you went to college or not). You just have to be badass.
Pros and cons of being a pro
Tips to getting started on your road to pro gaming
- Master the jargon – There’s a lot of lingo involved in multiplayer games, and it’s not just internet speak. Game jargon varies according to what you play.
- Practice, practice, practice – Many competitive multiplayer games let you practice against Artificial Intelligence or Bots. It may feel like a boring task, but even the Karate Kid had slow ‘wax on, wax off’ beginnings.
- Watch pros in action – Many pro-gamers allow the world to watch how they play, made possible through live streaming on Twitch.tv or Youtube videos. Seeing them do their thing lets you understand the complex teamwork and strategies involved; study their key twitches and split decision-making; and pick up tricks that will help make or break your own gameplay.
- Find ways to prove yourself – Try to participate in as many tournaments as possible, and try to win as many as you can. Climb your way up the ladder and gain others’ respect.
- Search for tips, tricks/cheat codes and tutorials – The internet is a lifesaver when it comes to providing in-depth details about any game. We’re talking about knowledge of each character and their skills, their moves with weapons, their armory, the playing field and much more.
Go get ‘em!
* Based on an article published in Asia’s leading education site, www.easyuni.com