While video games may have been a nerdy niche decades ago, the gaming world has since rapidly expanded and caught the world by storm. In 2023, the online gaming industry generated approximately $26.14 billion in revenue, supported by an estimated 1.1 billion online gamers worldwide. Aside from classic PC and console-based online gaming genres, the rise of mobile connectivity and smartphone commodification has also contributed significantly to accessible and affordable gaming.
Free-to-play multiplayer titles like Dota2, League of Legends, Fortnite, and Apex Legends have made gaming as much a social activity as it is hours or days of friendly competition. Aside from video games becoming a big deal, their players have also risen to the occasion, pursuing careers in the eSports and gaming industry to earn a living doing what they love.
Whether you're a long-time gamer or just looking for a career switch, today's eSports and gaming workforce consists of people from various work backgrounds and skill sets. In this post, we'll look at some of the ways you can break into the eSports and gaming industry:
Playing video games competitively
One of the first things you may think about when working in the gaming industry is to pursue a career in eSports and get paid to game full-time. Many eSports professionals are paid a fixed salary by the teams and organizations they play for. This amount depends on various factors, including the team size, the player's ability, which game the player competes in, and more. Some eSports players signed to compete in popular titles are allegedly paid millions annually by their organizations.
A former Executive Director of the League Championship Series (LCS) Players Association revealed in 2020 that the average salary of players in the LCS was $410,000. Of course, this is reserved for players at the top level of League of Legends. Other titles report even higher salaries, with Counter-Strike pro Robin "ropz" Kool earning roughly $874,000 in 2022. Outside of earning from their salary and prize winnings, many of the biggest eSports pros in the world stream their gameplay in their spare time. Many professionals who retire from competitive play transition to full-time content creation, such as former CS:GO pro Michael "Shroud" Grzesiek" and Call of Duty legend Seth "Scump" Abner.
eSports players can also access other income streams, such as individual brand partnerships. A deal struck between mouse brand Finalmouse and Valorant superstar Tyson "TenZ" Ngo generated $7.6 million — of which TenZ received an undisclosed amount. Other eSports players partner with gaming-related companies, from peripherals and PC manufacturers to energy drinks.
Other ways to participate in eSports
Of course, while the thought of competing in video games can seem alluring to many, the talent pool is highly competitive and requires lots of talent, a mastery of mechanics, and days and weeks of training. However, you can still contribute to the eSports ecosystem in other ways. Aside from joining organizations as players, many gaming enthusiasts participate in eSports by joining coaching teams, doing behind-the-scenes work at eSports events, and placing bets on their favorite teams.
Some of the best eSports betting tips recommend watching eSports broadcasts and tournaments to learn the ins and outs of your preferred title. Participating by watching is valuable research and a great chance to learn about teams, tournament formats, game rules, and match histories. For those interested in eSports betting, doing enough research can help give you a distinct advantage and boost your odds of winning.
Even if you're not interested in betting, the know-how you build from learning can land you interesting and important roles in the industry. eSports casting, for example, is an essential ingredient in the competitive gaming world. Regardless of your preferred eSports title, every iconic or legendary eSports moment is complemented by top-notch casting. Counter-Strike 2 and its predecessor, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), have a memorable casting history thanks to a vast talent pool of caster duos, including Scrawny and Launders, who show off their chemistry by balancing rapid and intense casting with awkward tidbits.
Many also contribute to the burgeoning eSports segment by working behind the scenes. Today, many major eSports tournaments taking place globally require a lot of production. This includes seamless camerawork, sound, music, and more technical aspects of the production — like ensuring the gamers' PCs and consoles are functioning well — to ensure players, teams, and viewers get a flawless eSports viewing experience.
Pursuing video game careers
Finally, another way to contribute to the eSports and gaming industry is by making video games and putting in work as early as their planning and production phases. In our previous post, we discussed how many modern gaming engines have made game development a more accessible venture. Unity, for example, has been on the market since 2005 and is the engine behind many popular titles today, from Genshin Impact to Among Us, Fall Guys, and Pokemon GO.
Today, working for video game companies has become a goal for many gaming enthusiasts who may not want to pursue competitive gaming actively. Some game developers and other employees also branch out to other gaming-related avenues like content creation. YouTube streamer Dr. Disrespect, for example, worked as a Community Manager for video game developer Sledgehammer Games before pursuing streaming full-time.
Many game developer companies and organizations today also have in-company eSports divisions if you'd like a more logistics approach to organizing and planning official eSports video game events. Game development is also popular among software engineers and programmers looking for a career switch, as the two lines of work tend to share overlapping and transferable skills.
Ultimately, whether you simply enjoy playing video games or want to learn more about the inner workings of video games, there are many ways you can break into the thriving industry and make a living out of your hobby.
