How to Become a Professional Gamer in India
The world of professional gaming has expanded exponentially in the past few years. The fever 🤒 (of the good kind, of course) has really caught on in India, with career options going beyond doctors 👨⚕️ and engineers👷 to accommodate professional gamers 🎮. It feels as though our entire childhood spent playing Super Mario and Contra has prepared us for this very era where the gamer life can fetch us a whole career!
But it possible to don the hat of a professional gamer in India? What are the figures corresponding to a professional gamer salary 💰? And most importantly, how to become a professional gamer in India? We have all the answers right here!
Is it Feasible to Pursue Gaming as a Career in India?
The gaming industry in India is at its peak. From the release of games like Raji by indigenous developers to PUBG spending $100 million to return specifically to India - therein lies a lot of potential here. 🤑🤑🤑
Without combing this sector extensively, here are the meaty details of the Indian gaming industry:
- eSports is estimated to reach a 17 million audience by the end of FY 2020.
- The growth of the gaming industry will generate revenue touching $69 million for the said period.
- eSports players and audiences spend over 22 hours per week on game streaming platforms.
- In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, online gaming advertising and sponsorship has registered a 300 to 400% surge, with international brands like NVIDIA, Red Bull, and even Louis Vuitton investing in the Indian eSports ecosystem.
- By 2023, eSports is slated to account for a whopping 36% of the entertainment spends globally.
Want a TL;DR? Yes, now is a great time to lay the foundation of your career in gaming and learn how to become a professional gamer.
What is a professional gamer's salary in India?
A professional gamer salary ranges from Rs. 5,000 to 50,000 depending on your skill and reputation. 💸
You can bump up these numbers by signing up with an eSports company, sponsors, or partners. Apart from this fixed professional gamer salary component, you also get some additional perks, such as jaw-dropping rigs, top-notch equipment, and of course, competition winnings.
So if you’ve got it, gaming as a career in India can rake up some serious moolah!
Become a professional gamer with 5 easy steps
By now, you may be itching to kickstart your career in gaming. And we are just as excited to give you direction in this journey. Here are five easy steps that will help you pursue gaming as a career in India:
💪🏽 Find Your Motivation
Let’s start with a little introspection here. Ask yourself, why would you want to be a professional gamer?
Is it for the lucrative professional gamer salary? The fame and recognition? Or just for the spirit of competition?
Find out the positive motivations that push you towards pursuing a career in gaming. Outline your long- and short-term goals that will prevent you from burning out and get you hustling until you finally become a pro gamer.
♳ Pick a Game
There is no dearth of video games online in India. So which one would you choose as your conduit to success?
Typically, the choice here is between an existing, well-established game or something up and coming.
When you opt for the former, you are tapping into the existing network, community, resources, and infrastructure to start your career in gaming. Picking games like CS:GO, Dota 2, and League of Legends gives you an entry into the existing ecosystem of competitive gaming, gamer life, and tournaments. However, this very popularity can go against you as you may find it harder to establish yourself as a professional gamer.
On the other hand, when you pick the former, you have the opportunity to assert your dominance right from the start. This road less taken also offers flexibility in developing completely new gaming styles. However, such fledglings of video games online in India may fail to take off, and you may have to switch to something else.
Ultimately, if you pick a game that you enjoy, the rest will follow.
🌐 Join the Gaming Community
Pro gamers are generally known for their individual talent. However, it takes a village to reach that status, and in this case, the gaming community would be your village.
First, these are the people that elevate the position of a game. Going by the game’s popularity, you have tournaments and competitions that further promote the came. As a result, there are teams and other professional gamers that coach and mentor enthusiasts. Finally, you have the entire gamer life culture and experience comes together to push you towards your ultimate goal of being a professional gamer.
When there’s so much at stake, even the most socially awkward beings cannot shy away!
👀 Get Noticed
When you are not climbing up the rank boards, you should set aside some time to advertise yourself. One of the quickest ways to become a household name (apart from, of course, winning competitions and gaining recognition as a professional gamer) is through streaming games.
Live streaming games can fetch you the right kind of audience. Additionally, it can also earn you recognition in the gaming industry circuits that will further propel you towards fame. Almost every professional gamer has taken this route to stardom. So, get on as many game streaming platforms as possible and stream games until you have forged a name for yourself!
🕹️ Practice, Practice, Practice
Pro gamers are not made overnight! They are a product of years and years of practice. So rather than getting cocky after winning a game or two, continue honing your craft. If the gamer life has taught you anything, there will always be a stronger final boss that you will have to topple!
Parting Thoughts
We are standing at a cusp of a revolution where the title of a “professional gamer” has a solid ring to it. So now is a good time to pursue gaming as a career in India and monetize your skills. The above steps will help you reach the pinnacle of success for your career in gaming. So, get set and play, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!