Jan 17th, 2019

Jan 17th, 2019

A career in competitive gaming is a path gaining popularity by the day for Australia’s young adults.

With the recent the surge of interest in global gaming phenomenons such as Fortnite, there’s no doubt that some will take the plunge. But does eSports provide a reliable career path?

The evident trend in recent years shows that the average player has a career that usually only spans between one to three years.

The reasons for this are still manifesting in the blossoming industry but it often attributed to the intense mental stress, heavy travel and the physical toll of professional gaming, such as the high injury risk of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury).

Esports is taking off in a big way worldwide (AAP)

The revolving door of competitive gaming could deter some emerging players from the scene and Clinton ‘Fear’ Loomis, one of Esports' oldest professional players, has expressed his concern with the age stigma affecting the industry.

“As of right now, a lot of players, fans, and organisations treat players in their late 20s to be an older player reaching retirement,” Loomis said on social media.

At 30 years of age Loomis is considered to be past his prime by some, but he attributes his longevity to Dota2, a game that has been around for almost a decade.

The Dota2 age-defying anomaly has allowed its players to cement themselves into the community and leapfrog the pitfalls of an early retirement, but it is certainly not the norm.

Loomis is eager for younger players to follow his lead to help the growth of Esports and ensure it’s presence well into the future.

“I may be one of the first players to take the charge in playing Dota in their 30s, but I do hope many more will follow in my footsteps because I truly believe it is good for the game and Esports as a whole," he said.

The Silver Snipers are the oldest esports team in the world

Former pro turned coach for Avant Gaming, Zack ‘Rusty’ Pye, has experienced the competitive gaming scene first-hand, and can attest to the limitations on playing beyond a certain age.

Pye said that apart from the obvious physical advantage that comes with youth, he believes a younger team roster thrive due to their greater availability to train and play professionally.

“I believe this perception exists simply because younger players have more free time to dedicate solely to playing the game at a professional level," Pye said.

"Age doesn't directly correlate to potential success, though younger players seem to be more fresh and able to commit to the crazy hours required to succeed."

The age of Esports players has been a taboo subject, but remarkably there are some rare instances of people pursuing the competitive scene older than ever thought possible.

The Silver Snipers are a competitive Swedish gaming side who have a CS:GO team where the average age of the players is 65.

Some of the Silver Snipers are using this as a way of learning more about Esports, and fight the age stigma in the sport,as well as help better communicate with their grandchildren.

And although their tournament journey hasn’t been as fruitful as their younger counterparts they still seem to enjoy the competitive scene.