Becoming a master of your game takes a lot of time commitment, dedication, and of course natural skills for the genre. Hobby gamers will know how quickly time flies when you're spending an evening after work in front of your screen. So to become a professional gamer, you'll need to put even more time in (oh no! what a shame! we hear you cry). Being a master in one genre will make it much easier. Also, consider the genre that you have spent the majority of your gaming time on. For example, if you've played a lot of CS:GO, you'll have an advantage if you decide you want to build a career as a pro gamer by playing Call of Duty, since similar skills are needed.

You can optimize your game by researching strategies and techniquesAn awesome idea to really level up your game from amateur to expert is to always be on the lookout for top tips on new strategies and techniques to optimize your game and play like the pros. There's tons of guides and tutorials online for tips on specific games. Even the smallest of things can give you an edge in competitive gaming. For example, knowing how to beat different champions in LOL or CS:GO's rifle spray patterns. Read interviews and content from the esports elite and swap ideas with others in your network (more on that later).

Watch Streamers and Professional Competitions

The advent of streaming allows amateur gamers to see the pros in action and get close to the action. This is a great way to learn important tips and tricks that will help you master your game, and get on your way towards becoming a professional gamer. In your pursuit of becoming the best, you can't just have a one-track vision of the game. Esports pros will often deploy 'out of the box' approaches to beating their opponents and smashing their game. These techniques can be mental, such as a strategy that you never thought of, or physical, like quick wrist movements or finger movements, that give them the competitive edge. Watching pro streamers and live competitions will help you discover what the meta of the game is.

Get to know other gamers

Yes it's corny, but as with most ways to make a living, you gotta network. But put all thoughts of networking at stuffy corporate conferences out of your mind - if you love gaming so much you want to become a pro, it's going to be much more fun engaging with others who share your passion. It's crucial to find the right gaming communities and meet other gamers to practice with. Not only will you get real-life gaming experience, which is essential to become a pro gamer, but you'll also learn from other gamers. A solid gaming network will keep you motivated. This is especially important for those who are devoted to learning their game and working towards being a professional esports player.

Invest in the Best Gear

Honing your strategy skills will only get you so far if you want to become a professional gamer. Your gear won't be able to match up with your opponent's, so you will never have an advantage. Your gear should be considered your teammate. You need to work together to achieve the best results. If you're gaming on PC, you should invest in a mouse that has the ultimate precision that can handle rapid fire movements and works with pinpoint accuracy. You should choose a mouse that suits your hand so you feel secure after long hours of gaming. It will also allow you to perform quick movements when needed. SteelSeries offers a range of professional grade and multi-award winning gaming mice. Some of the features of the Rival range by SteelSeries include the world's first true 1 to 1 tracking for pinpoint precision and state-of-the-art lift off detection system, due to TrueMove optical sensors that are world class and approved by pro gamers. All movements are incredibly accurate, with no acceleration, no lag, and absolutely no chance of tracking errors. There's no point in practising hour after hour if your gear can't keep up with you and you're at risk of tracking lags. SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless wireless mouse is the most precise on the market. It features Quantum Wireless(tm) 1ms lossless performance and the most precise gaming sensor ever made.

Your monitor is also a super important part of your gaming setup. Your gaming gear must work together to keep up with your game and be streamingliveacademy.com/malding-meaning-the-twitch-term/ at your best. For the best gaming experience, your monitor should have a resolution of 144Hz and a response time of 1 millisecond. Your PC itself also should be top spec so it can handle any game without lag or stuttering.

Whether your preferred platform is PC or console, being immersed in the sounds of your game is a key way to play like a pro. Especially if you are playing CS:GO, Call of Duty or other similar games, you will need a 360-degree soundscape to be able hear every sound. These sounds will be your audio clues about where your enemies might be coming from. SteelSeries' Arctis gaming headsets are tournament-grade and have all the specifications that you need to be a pro gamer. Every Arctis comes with first-class hi-res audio drivers, so you can pick up every sound in the game clearly. SteelSeries Arctis Pro can reproduce high-res audio at 40,000 Hz. This is almost twice the rate of standard headsets. It's important to buy gaming gear. ClearCast microphones are also featured in the Arctis headsets. They pick up your voice with crystal clear precision and deliver studio-quality clarity. This is super important if you pick a game to become pro in that's team based - your teammates need to be able to hear you loud and clear. ClearCast mics expertly cancel background noise too, so your teammates can hear your instructions without any without distractions. Many of the SteelSeries gaming headsets loved by esports pros are compatible with PC and console, so you can get the best gear on the market no matter what platform you pick.

3. Get Pro and Join a Team

Joining a team is the next step on your path to becoming a professional player and aspiring to esports stardom. You will need to be a pro at your game, have a good reputation in the esports world, and have a great record of playing. Online forums are another way to reach out to other esports enthusiasts and teams. You might be asked by a team to join your ranks if you build a solid reputation in the gaming community. However, this privilege is only for the best. This is why step 2 is so important when learning how to become professional gamer.

Play in Gaming Leagues and Competitions

Once you're on your way to mastery of your game, there's plenty of tournaments and competitions happening year-round to get involved in, either as part of a team or as an individual player. Start off with online leagues such as MLG, ESL and ESEA, and keep an eye out for local esports competitions near you as a starting point. Keep winning and working hard to become a professional player. This is where your status as an elite pro esports player is established. It's also the place you can make a career and earn big bucks.

Participate in tournaments

The key difference between an esports league and a tournament, just with other more traditional sports, is that a league is generally played over a longer period of time, and players gain or lose points or rank in each game played with the goal of working their way to the top of the league. An esports tournament is usually played over a much shorter time frame, and as a rule is more of a last man standing competition - once you lose, you're out. This type of competition is more suited to certain games, like Fortnite and Counter Strike. You can start by participating in smaller tournaments online. Once you have smashed those and built up your reputation, you can join the big guns at tournaments like the League of Legends World Championships or Intel Extreme Masters. The next step is to compete in live events - there's always something going on around the world that you can get involved in at this level. Thousands of esports fans turn up to a venue to watch you play - and this is where you'll have a chance at earning those big pay cheques you're probably dreaming about - but you gotta be in it to win it.

The Final Step in Becoming Fully Pro - Get a Sponsorship

While it is safe to say winning live events will bring you a huge check, it is not a guarantee that you will make a regular income. The answer to this? Get yourself a sponsorship deal. Big brands in the esports industry will pay you to use their gear and wear their merch when you're competing, particularly in live events. That way they get their name out there and they get to be associated with the best esports pros in the world.

Still Want to Be a Pro Gamer?

Although it sounds easy, this guide will show you how to become professional gaming professionals in just a few steps. However, it is not easy to break into the industry or make a living out of it. Only the most exceptional players will ever make it. But that's not to say it's impossible - many have turned their dreams of playing full-time into a reality with some hard work, dedication, and a ton of hours of practice in the bank - as if we need an excuse to play more. See you on the battlefield.