Three skills you need to play esports professionally

Jared Wynne Published 13/08/2019

There are many more avenues for professional and semiprofessional gaming than for other forms of gaming, with players perfecting their skills and cutting their teeth on a variety of games including League of Legends, Dota 2, Overwatch, and even FIFA. But how can a player develop their skills sufficiently in order to become a truly strong esports competitor?

Improve strategy with MMORTS

You can boost your ability to think and play strategically by playing MMORTS (Massively Multiplayer Online Real-Time Strategy) games, which usually take the form of war games. Games such as Throne: Kingdom at War and Clash of Clans force you to think analytically to defeat your opponents through limited in-game means.

The open nature of these games means that there are many ways through which you can attempt to take victory. Players dedicate huge amounts of time in order to perfect certain strategies and prove out methods of game theory in order to better ascertain how they can better their opponents.

Capture personality with Twitch

Many esports players don’t just have to play the game to a high degree of professionalism, they also have to have a degree of showmanship in order to be appealing to spectators. While playing to a high level is enough for most, those who want to build a following by gaming on Twitch need to be able to showcase their personality and merge it with their gaming ability.

There are hundreds of streams on Twitch of various esports, and some players have gained exclusive contracts and spots in huge tournaments just from streaming on Twitch. Plus, the Twitch community provides an opportunity to view others playing the games in order to learn from fellow players.

Build teamwork with Dota 2

The multiplayer aspects of certain games also involve key skills you need to develop in order to be a stronger player. Some games, such as Dota 2, rely heavily on the ability to work well as a team or to lead a team to victory. While gaming usually inspires you to work alone and to build your own skill set through your actions and practice regimen, games like Dota 2 require you to be cooperative and collaborative. The element of teamwork can be the undoing of many individually strong players, and the game inspires you to push that bit further to not just be a skilled player, but also a good team player.

Ultimately, becoming a professional esports player comes through one’s ability to play the game by thinking strategically in order to be victorious. You will also need to ensure that you are able to work well in a team, whether that means delegating or relying on others as much as you would yourself. For professional esports, it always helps to have a personality that would inspire others to want to watch you play, as drawing in viewers is a key part of the esports industry.

Jared Wynne

About Jared Wynne

Jared Wynne is the Editor-in-Chief at WIN.gg, overseeing its content. He has been working in digital media for over two decades, most often in and around the gaming industry. His all-time favorite games include Baldur’s Gate, Doom, and Counter-Strike, but he’ll play just about anything that seems interesting. His previous credits include The Daily Dot, The Esports Observer, GameLand, and more.

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