STACK #166 Aug 2018

GAMES

FEATURE

How do I become a pro gamer? Practise and natural talent. Of course, some people are just naturally good at things, and if gaming – especially competitive gaming – is one of those things then you’re halfway there; but that’s not to say practise doesn’t make perfect, either. The next step is choosing a game you’re particularly good at or that you enjoy, as chances are you’re going to be spending plenty of hours each day poring over the same maps, characters, or strategies. If, for example, your game of choice is Blizzard’s FPS Overwatch , you’re going to want to play as many games as you can – both Quick Play and Competitive. Pick a hero – or hero type – that suits your playstyle and keep at it. Read tutorials. Watch other people play them. Put in the hours and just practise; everyone starts somewhere. You should also consider joining a club. Take an interest in a local team, whether it’s just a group of people at your Uni, a fully-fledged competitive team, or even start a group yourself with people you meet in-game or on forums. Keep an eye out for tournaments and local competitions. Grassroots is the best place to start. If you can get a seat at the table at a locally-hosted event, and do well, you’ll be able to move up through the ranks and potentially even be noticed by a team looking for players. You might also want to stream your gameplay. There’s no need for a facecam, or necessarily even commentary, but if you can manage to get the ‘right’ person watching you play, you may be approached. Sometimes it’s just a matter of right place, right time, but be prepared to put in the hard yards. Is becoming a pro gamer a viable career in Australia yet? Despite being a smaller nation, Australia is well on its way to recognising esports and competitive gaming as a viable career. Events like the Alienware Gfinity Series held at Hoyts and the fighting-game-focused Couch Warriors tournaments are paving the way to bigger and better events being held in Australia – such as September’s Melbourne Esports Open.

Are all streamers competitive gamers? No. You don’t necessarily have to be amazing at a game to stream it or create content for YouTube. People watch others play games to learn how to get better, for sure, but there are also people who get views simply because they’re funny, or use unorthodox strategies. Some streamers even get early access to games before they’ve been released, so consumers can watch their streams to see if the game will be worth buying or not. Channels like Twitch don’t just stream video games, either. There are movie and TV series watch parties, an ‘IRL’ (in real life) section that includes everything from fitness to LEGO, and even just live streams of people out and about. The live chat section allows viewers to interact with the hosts, and streamers will often accept donations and take subscriptions that serve as a regular income.

What is esports? Essentially, esports is a broad category for competitive gaming, which includes teams and/or individuals playing against one another in any number of games. It can sometimes be for prize money, or even played as a charity event. Why should you care? Though Australia is still relatively behind as far as a local competitive gaming scene goes, esports around the world is fast becoming recognised as a viable career. There are some countries where esports is more highly developed that play games competitively and stream on Twitch or YouTube as a full time career.

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