There once was a time when gaming was nothing but a hobby. In fact, many of our parents have told us various times to drop the games and focus on Algebra. I know my parents did. But, times are rapidly changing. What used to be only a hobby is now becoming a viable career choice. Once such hobby is video games. In this article, we will discuss the opportunities for career paths in the eSports industry.
A quick search will reveal that eSports is a “multiplayer video game played competitively for spectators, typically by professional gamers.” By this definition, a few things may be puzzling to people not familiar with this space. Firstly, yes. There are many people that would watch others play a video game. And yes, there is now such a thing as “Professional Gamers.”
When considering eSports opportunities, most would often thing Professional Player. While this is indeed one option, it is not the only option. There is also the Business side of the equation. That is, team management, journalism, event management, brand management and so on.
Choosing the path of eSports player is probably what many would choose first. I mean, what could be better than being paid to play a video game? There are two primary ways Professional Gamers can earn from this career path, as of this writing.
The first way is through Sponsorships. Sponsorships allows a player to be rewarded for promoting a brand or company. The rewards received by each player is negotiated between the two parties. But generally speaking, it can range from cash payouts to free hardware and merchendise.
The second way a Professional Player can earn is through a salary. That is, a player joins a professional eSports team to compete against other teams. As the industry is still at its infancy, the salaries received by players of a team can vary depending on factors like popularity and win streak. As an example, Grayson Gilmer, a player for the Ember League of Legends team, earns a salary of $65,000 with $21,000 in additional bonuses. Keep in mind, however, that not all players will be paid the same. But this just highlights what is possible.
If you would prefer a more traditional career path, there are also many opportunities for you. One such example is an eSports journalist. eSports journalists (or Game Journalists) do exactly what you think — create gaming articles and other content. As most people in this space are freelancers, salaries can range from as high as $60,000 to as low as $26,000 per year.
There are far more opportunities in this rapidly growing industry than what is covered here. We have barely even scratched the surface. eSports has given many of us opportunities that was once not available. As the industry matures, the opportunities available will be far greater.
Article written by Silver79
