You can become a pro player and improve your skills following multiple efficient methods. It involves training a lot, researching the game, getting proper gaming hardware, and overall being a humble gamer.

Becoming a pro player in almost any video game requires a lot of dedication and hard work. It isn’t as simple as “I’m gonna fire up the game and play a couple of games to keep my skill level high”. If that’s your mindset, you won’t make it far in the professional scene. On top of that, the belief that only a couple of hours daily are enough to join a popular team that takes part in professional tournaments isn’t factually backed up.

There’s no evidence that says ‘talent’ in video games is enough to propel you to the top of the eSports scene. I mean hell, even eSports betting requires some dose of skill and the understanding of the game and players.







There’s also the opinion about equipment and how it plays a big role in enabling players to become better at what they do. We’ll touch this topic a bit later in the article but you might not expect to read what’ll come.

The truth is, in order to become a pro eSports player, you’ll need to endure a lot of things. You need to remember that, alongside you, there are hundreds if not thousands of players that are set on becoming the next big thing in the eSports scene. They all have the same drive as you and the same goal in mind; they also aren’t any less valuable or skilled than you. There are also those who don’t want to become pro players but are still amazing at playing the game.

All of these factors contribute to either making your dreams reality or giving up on them. So, what exactly do you need to become a pro player?

Respect Respect

Respect is one of those things that is often overlooked when talking about the characteristics of the best players in the world, but it’s actually quite important. Of course, I’m not just talking about respecting your opponents and not insulting them just because you should (and it’s what makes you a good human being). This is an important step if you want to become a pro player, even though it’s often overlooked.

Related: How to Earn a Living as a Pro Gamer in 5 Easy Steps

Respecting your opponents in the sense that you shouldn’t underestimate them is also important. You wouldn’t believe how many times people think they’re much better than the rest and end up getting eaten alive. Always assume your opponent (or opponents) are just as good as you are; or better. This’ll push you to play even better and to prove to yourself (and others) that you are better and deserve to go through the ranks. So, don’t forget to play as if you’re playing against yourself; but more difficult.

Team Play

Some specific games don’t require a team to participate (such as Fortnite or FIFA), but most of them do. If you take a wider look, games such as League of Legends, DOTA 2, Counter Strike: GO, Overwatch, etc; these all require team play. Similarly to what I talked about in the previous point about respect, you’ll also have to level yourself to your teammates. You are all equal and playing for the same common goal – to win. This is also something you learn on your become a pro player adventure!

If you fight with your teammates and assume leadership (when you aren’t the designated captain) – you won’t get far. This isn’t just important for eSports; physical sports such as Football or Basketball also don’t have a lot of space for players that think they’re better than all the rest (including their teammates).

The Fire

No, I don’t mean lighting your opponents on fire (or the expensive equipment); I mean that drive inside each of you. You mustn’t give up on your dreams just because a tough period arrived. Sometimes, things don’t go our way and it’s difficult motivating yourself to continue when there’s no hope in sight.

Related: What are the Best Paying Esports Jobs?

But you never know what might happen. Hell, in sports such as Formula 1 you can always be sure for unexpected things to happen. A driver might end up last and win the race later on. The thing is, as long as you have the drive to finish above the rest and be the best, you’ll reach greatness. Don’t give up!

If you become a pro player, don’t forget your roots. However, it’s also worth noting that gaming should be fun. If you’ve lost all of your drive to play an Esports game such as League of Legends, then no matter how big of a pro player you are, it might be best to move on to other games. Just my 2 cents.

Grit

I mean, can anyone achieve anything difficult without any semblance of grit within them? This character trait can help you in times where any sort of solution seems impossible. This is directly related to the fire I talked about earlier – with a wish for success and toughness in difficult times, there’s no stopping you.

Here’s a personal example from more than 5 years ago: I used to play League of Legends quite extensively; was pretty young then (17 y/o) and had a lot, and I mean a lot, of free time. I entered Silver V and wanted to reach Gold, but I didn’t want to play professionally. I just wanted to get better at the game.

So, I embarked on a, at the time, long journey throughout which I’d learn a lot of stuff. I reached Silver III and suddenly started losing games. Then I proceeded to lose 9 games in a row and got relegated to Silver IV. I didn’t give up and this served as a wake-up call. The losses just pushed me to overcome this situation and reach what I had in mind. And I did – 13 wins in a row. I think I got to Silver I in just one day (from IV).

Related: Transitioning from Casual to Pro Esports Gamer

You can do anything as long as you don’t let negative situations beat you down! You become a pro player through perseverance, not through maniacal 12+ hour gaming binges.

Equipment

And, finally, we’re talking about the equipment. Even though your computer won’t be the thing pushing you to higher skill levels, having fast components will give you an advantage over others. Just one lag spike during an important match and you might lose the game completely.

In games such as CS: GO, 120 fps and 140 fps is a huge difference (even though you can’t notice it with the naked eye).

So, with a bad, slow PC – can’t go further than a specific threshold. Things such as a mouse, keyboard, speakers – these are all relatively irrelevant to how good your game is going. Get yourself a proper PC and start practicing and playing as much as possible.

Only with these characteristics can you do what’s in your mind – become a pro player!