You may have heard the term “professional gamer” before and wondered how they differ from you and your friends. The hours you spend gaming may make you feel like you are a pro, but the truth is, there is more to it than that.
Here are the key differences between amateurs and professionals when it comes to gaming.
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Live Streaming For Profit
While you may occasionally consider live streaming your gameplay on Twitch, with only a few of your friends watching; a professional considers it a business opportunity. They may even invest money in boosting their live streams by using services such as StreamOZ, because they want to attract as many viewers as possible. Professional gamers earn through ads, which means their revenue is proportional to the size of their audience. Thus they are more serious about their live streaming than the average gamer.
They’re On A Schedule
You probably play whenever the mood strikes, depending on your other commitments and whether you want to organise a game with your friends. Professional gamers tend to treat their gameplay as their primary commitment because it is technically their job.
So, they likely have a schedule for their gameplay, and will look for upcoming events to join ahead of time. They may even announce to their viewers part of their schedule.
Ergonomics Aren’t A Luxury, They’re A Necessity
Chairs, mice, controllers, everything that can be ergonomically designed is important for professional gamers not just for the aesthetics of their livestream.
They usually spend the better part of their day using these gadgets and a split second difference in their gameplay due to comfort can make a substantial difference for their profits. Amateur gamers may settle for any kind of gaming setup, but professionals will put a lot of thought into it, even going as far as investing large sums of money for the ultimate setup.
Other Considerations Besides Gaming Preferences
Your gameplay is probably based solely on your preferences. However, professional gamers have a lot more to consider, such as marketing, viewer preferences, and sponsorship potential. They may try out a game on livestream simply because there is a lot of hype about it, even though it isn’t their style.
If they notice that a particular game is attracting them more viewers (and thus potentially generating more revenue), they may opt to play the game with no regard for their preferences whatsoever. Basically, they are hired workers, and the viewers decide which way their live-streaming goes.
Can Anyone Become A Professional Gamer?
In theory, any amateur gamer can decide to try becoming a professional gamer. However, success requires a lot of effort and understanding marketing principles. Even if you are the best gamer amongst your friends, the competition between professionals is on another level, and you’d need to be in tune with mainstream trends to attract a larger audience.
In short, amateur and professional gamers may have a lot in common – but they are certainly different in a variety of ways. Becoming a professional gamer requires a lot of hard work and determination, as well as commitment.