Esports is on the rise as a multi-million dollar industry. More and more people have realized the potential of the gaming business and entered the field. However, do you necessarily need to compete in Esports tournaments to make a living out of gaming? The answer is no. You can actually earn good money with these 5 professions if you are a gamer.
1 – Streamer
In the world where Twitch and Youtube define the trend and what everyone watches, being a streamer is a dream job for gamers. Playing your favorite game while getting paid, doesn’t it sound too good to be true? Yet it is true indeed. Thousands or even hundreds of thousand people are working as a streamer to earn money while playing games. You can be the next.
You may be well familiar with some of the most renowned names like Richard Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, Michael “shroud” Grzesiek, or Turner Ellis “Tfue” Tenney. They all started out as regular gamers and rose in popularity so quickly thanks to their talent and devotion to the community. With millions of subscription, they have earned millions of dollar from their career as a streamer.
How to start being a streamer?
What are you good at the moment? Which game do you feel most confident while playing? Pick out a game of your favorite and start making videos or contents. Viewers are expecting fun and entertainment out of watching a streamer.
You should start out by giving tips and advices to viewers. If you have the gift of gab, start telling stories or make up jokes while playing games. That would give off a good first impression and attract people coming to your stream. Or if you have any innovative idea, try putting one into practice. Sometimes, new stuff can work wonders and bring more audience to your show.
2 – Playing for an organization
Of course, competition is the center of Esports. Where there is competition, there are viewers, players, and money! We have witnessed several million-dollar Esports tournaments like Fornite Worldcup 2019 with $30 million, The International 2019 with $34 million. With so much money on the line, winners can be an overnight millionaire after just one tournament.
We have heard the enticing story of two-time champion OG with $15.6 million in the bag, the 16-year-old Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf with $3 million from Fortnite, the CS:GO clutch minister Andreas "Xyp9x" Højsleth with 4 Major Championships and $1,5 million. They are all the top earners in the world of Esports. Claiming the lion’s share in one Esports tournament and you can earn real good cash.
How to earn money from playing professionally?
First, you have to determine which Esports you are most comfortable with. Are you a carry in CS:GO where you pulled off multiple clutches to save your team? Are you the best mid laner who controls the tempo in a Dota 2 game? Do you bring the chicken dinner home for your teammates in PUBG mobile? Choose wisely as you won’t have 20 years as a pro Esports player.
Next up, try to sharpen your skill and go for professional Esports organizations. It is often hard to reach an established Esports brand right off the bat. It may take times and effort to find a good organization. However, once you have proved your value, money from contractual salary and prize money will be worth your effort.
3 – Ambassador for brands
Just like other professions, Esports players can earn a good reputation for their skill or personality. Famous figures in the world of Esports can get advertising or ambassador contracts. Like Ronaldo with Clear or Roger Federer with the luxurious Rolex band, Esports players can get contracts to advertise for certain brands.
We have the Head & Shoulder ambassador in Russia – RAMZES666. We also have Alexey "Solo" Berezin in a Gillette advertisement. In the latest move, H4X – and Esports performance wear brand field 4 iconic Esports faces as their ambassador. The brand stars CS:GO rifler Tarik “Tarik” Celik, FIFA player Mike LaBelle, the EG captain Tal “Fly” Aizik, and Call of Duty player Ian “Crimsix” Porter.
They are all familiar faces in the world of Esports. To reach an advertising contract, you need to establish yourself as an iconic figure among the community. It may take time but definitely worth your effort.
4 – Coaching
This may sound odd but coaching in Esports is indeed a job. However, being a coach requires great skill and experience as a player. You need to accumulate a great deal of knowledge in one specific profession to actually become a coach. It often suits players with higher ages and has been around a lot.
Right now in the world, we have some of the best Esports coaches to implement success to various squads. Danny “zonic” Sørensen – the current coach for the Danish giant Astralis – used to be a legendary professional Counter-Strike player. He retired and started the career as a coach in 2015. We also have ex-pro Dota 2 player Lee Seung “Heen” Gon who played as a coach behind the success of Team Liquid and TNC Predator.
Coaching requires much more experience and is often demanding. To become a good coach, you need to understand people and how to improve the results of a squad. It is still a viable option for Esports players who have gone through countless battles.
5 – Journalist/ Analyst/ Caster
These are all regarded as side-jobs of Esports. However, one Esports tournament can’t go on without the help of these professions. We all remember how hyped a match can be with the casting of Toby “TobiWan” Dawson. An Esports incident under the pen of Duncan "Thorin" Shields turns into a fun story. Without the help of them, an Esports tournament can’t be a success.
However, just like coaching, journalist/ analyst/ caster is the job for retired players. One still needs to accumulate enough experience to work in the field.
All in all, the future for Esports gamers are looking good as the world has begun to acknowledge games and Esports. If you have a passion for game, don't hesitate to go for it.