Pro gamers are redefining what it means to be an athlete while most people associate the word with professional sports players including basketball, football, volleyball, and more. While it still applies today, an athlete actually originated from the word “athlein,” meaning “to compete for a prize,” so in essence, pro gamers are athletes. In fact, the e-sports industry is becoming so big that the best of the best pro gamers are making as much as six figures just to play video games.
Professional gaming is a cutthroat industry, and not everyone can just casually stroll in to make big bucks—you have to earn it. While most people enjoy playing games in their free time, becoming a pro gamer means sacrificing time and talent to succeed. It also helps to have natural talent and the willingness to grind for many months to years to hone their skill level and game mastery.
There are many popular video games that compete in e-sports, and because pro gaming has exploded in the last few years, the market is saturated with so much talent that you need to have the next-level dedication and focus to be able to make it. While others naturally excel, there are those who supplement what they lack with sheer determination and effort.
Here are some known gaming strategies pro gamers are known to use:
Have the Proper Equipment
To become a video gamer, you must have the proper equipment set up. If you are a console gamer, you must have the appropriate gadget to be able to practice. The same thing applies when you are a pro gamer—you must have a heavy-duty gaming computer of your own to hone your mastery and make yourself the best that you can be to have a chance to win in competitive gaming.
While it is enough to have a gaming rig with all the basic equipment, sometimes it is necessary to invest in the best gear you can afford. Pro gamers use specialized peripherals like gaming mouse and keyboard because they are specifically designed for their purpose.
Overall, a good rig should be able to handle hour after hour of refining your gaming technique daily. That kind of heavy usage may not be achievable for normal personal computers, but rigs specifically designed for gaming will have no problem at all.
Be Dexterous
Unlike physical sports, pro gamers need only use their fingers and hands to play. It is important to be nimble with fingers because a lot can happen in a split second, and being too slow in executing a move can lead to disastrous results. Pro gamers take note of their actions per minute (APM) rate such that they waste not even any second when they are in the game. Efficiency is a valuable skill in the pro-gaming skill, and the best of the best are known for that.
Micromanagement and Macromanagement
Depending on the nature of the game, pro players are aware of micromanagement and macromanagement, and they often use these to be more efficient.
Micromanagement, or event-scale management, in a nutshell, refers to status awareness, best positioning, and how they prepare their characters for an attack, retreat, or support. Macromanagement, on the other hand, means being able to read their opponent’s status and countering them before they make any move. Both of these are essential in winning in the pro scene.
Use Shortcut Keys
Knowing individual shortcut keys is also important because it helps pro gamers execute complex actions with just a touch of a button. Shortcut keys are formulated by the gamers themselves on their own gaming keyboards.
This is not to say that those with fast hands can easily key in complicated moves themselves. Shortcut keys help in the long run and overall prevent the gamer from tiring out too early especially if the game is long.
Final Word
No amount of gaming strategy can outweigh heavy training by playing every day for several hours. Others have to practice at least fifty hours per week in order to stay competitive and on top of their game. Extensive game knowledge and dexterous reflexes are part of the formula that makes pro gamers successful.
Do you have gaming strats you wanna share? Sound off in the comments below.
