Video gaming has turned from something that can be casually played at home or in public arcades to stage light-lit stadiums if you're playing it well enough to compete with the world's best.
However, getting to the top is difficult enough on its own, to say nothing of getting noticed by the world to get an opportunity to compete.
Here are seven things you may want to keep in mind to be the very best like no one ever was.
Find Your Motivation
Like everything we do in life, you first have to get the right motivation to get started. According to Intel, positive motivations keep esports gamers engaged and focused. As such, eSports athletes who go into the scene for fame, money, and quick success tend to fall out quicker than others.
As one white-haired, katana-wielding half-demon, half-human likes to say, "Show me your motivation!"
Pick Your Game
Visitors play the video game "Overwatch" on October 27, 2016 at the trade fair for the Paris Games Week, in Paris. Paris Games Week will run from October 27 until October 31, 2016. / AFP / LIONEL BONAVENTURE
Getting the right motivation is all well and good, but you'll need to choose a game to specialize on to truly climb the esports gaming ladder.
You can either pick a well-established esports game, like CS: GO, DOTA and LoL, or choose an up-and-coming one, like Overwatch 2. Each has its own advantages - choosing the latter means that you can dictate how the game's meta will go while choosing the former gives you a clear-cut way of ascending the ladder at the cost of tougher competition.
Gear Up
Now that you've chosen a game, it's time to gear up. Get a gaming PC or modify your existing one with the latest hardware to go head-to-head with the best. The things you have to focus on when getting new gear are comfort and features that give you the most options in a split-second, per ESTNN.
Whatever the gear you choose, always be consistent with it, as it'll take a long time to get used to new ones, which won't do when a tournament is just around the corner.
As such, expect you'll be using the same gear you have at home and on the world stage when competing against other esports players.
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Climb The Ladder (Do The Grind)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 28: Someone plays Fortnite at the launch of Hamleys new immersive & interactive gaming space on April 28, 2022 in London, England.
To get to the top, you have to earn the right to do so. Participating in various matches, phoning your skills, and rising through the ranks will not only keep your edge sharp but get you the popularity you need to attract people wanting to recruit up-and-coming players like yourself to their team.
Streaming these games will also get you the recognition you need to get scouted or at the very least garner some positive press about yourself, per esports.net.
Find A Team
BERLIN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 17: G2 Esports' Cista "keloqz" Wassim (middle) celebrates victory over KRU Esports with his team during the quarter finals stage at the VALORANT Champions Tour 2021: Stage 3 Masters on September 17, 2021 in Berlin, Germany on September 17, 2021 in Berlin, Germany. on September 17, 2021 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Whether you get scouted or not, it is important to find a team that you can play with regularly to develop the communication skills necessary to win games, per Make Use Of.
Joining a team will also give you the chance of getting used to other people's playstyles to synergize your talents with theirs to create some sick plays.
You could do this by either streaming your gameplay sessions, finding one in your local area, or going to Seek Team to try out to join one.
Compete, Compete, Compete
Another way of gaining recognition and exposure is by competing in many online tournaments. Competing in one, whether you win or lose, allows you to showcase your skills to many viewers, which could be hiding an esports team scout amongst them.
Even if you don't get scouted, it will still provide great practice against high-level opponents.
Maintain Balance
eSports gaming may be about video gaming for hours on end, but at the end of the day, you are only human. According to a separate Intel article, esports athletes tend to have a "holistic approach" to practice. As such, they take care of themselves by eating healthy, exercising, and maintaining a social life to avoid burnout and losing their mental focus.
Taking good care of yourself allows you to compete in more tournaments, practice harder and more frequently, and perform better than when you don't. Remember: health is wealth.
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