Imagine playing your favourite video games professionally for a living. Well, Several Singaporeans have actually made it their reality! Being in the Esports industry, these professional gamers are able to earn an income while doing what they love.
On the second episode of The Lifeguide Show, we talked to guests from 3 local esport teams. We talked about what it’s like to play games, such as Counter-Strike: Global offensive and FIFA Online 4, professionally as a career. During the live broadcast, we also learnt more about what are some of their goals in this career and the curious stories behind their game nick names.
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Table of contents
- What is Esports
- The Esport scene in Singapore
- Popular Esport games
- How professional gamers earn an income
What is Esports?
Esports (electronic sports) is a form of competition sport where professionals take part in playing video games competitively. Teams or individuals play against each other in these games in arenas during tournaments.
The prize money to be won and sponsorship opportunities available in these tournaments have been on the rise. With over millions of people willing to watch these tournaments, it’s no wonder the industry has been growing.
The Esport Scene in Singapore
The competitive gaming scene in our home country has been growing as both new and old gamers are playing tournaments locally and abroad. According to Elicia Lee, founder of GameStart Asia, “Singapore gamers are pretty well versed with playing games across mobile, PC and console”.
There are several teams and players in Singapore who take part in Esport tournaments. Furthermore, there are also several associations such as the Singapore Esports Association and Singapore Cybersports & Online Gaming Association that have events for gamers.
During our interview with Team Flash during our live stream, they also addressed how Singaporean parents might not be too keen on having their kids playing games for a living. Team manager Joseph also mentioned that there might be some uncertainty when entering the industry as a professional player.
Popular Esport games
In the world of video games, there seems to be an endless list of options. So what are some of the more popular games played during Espprt Tournaments?
Even if you’re not an avid fan of video games, you’ve probably heard of them. Some of the games include Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global offensive, Street Fighter, FIFA Online and League of Legends.
Fun-fact: in 2019, the most popular Esports game was Dota 2.
How professional gamers earn an income
Streaming their game plays
Streaming services on platforms like Youtube and Twitch have provided a platform for casual gamers to turn their passion into a career. Esports professionals use live streaming to supplement their salaries. While a Twitch subscription costs about $5 a month, streamers can monetise their streams with advertisements and accept donations from their viewers!
Winning tournament prizes
When playing in tournaments, gamers can win prizes. In America, some of the top prizes may value from $100,000 to $200,000 for one win. The prize pools of a tournament can range from thousands to several million dollars. This amount will usually be divided and split amongst the members of the winning team. In 2019, The International Dota 2 tournament hosted a $34,330,069 prize pool.
Being sponsored by brands
Teams can also have sponsors which may play a big part in a professional gamer’s income. Additionally, gaming tournaments sponsors are mainly manufacturers of products such as gaming equipment or energy drinks. Brands with products unrelated to gaming may also choose to sponsor professional gaming teams.
While it is sensitive disclosing the exact figure of their salary, Joseph, the Team Manager of Team Flash, shared that the salary he earns is on par or even better than that of a fresh graduate’s. On top of the salary, there may also be other perks such as travel arrangements to play overseas.
If you have an interest or passion in computer games, this might be a path you would like to consider for your career. As advised by the pro gamers during our show, it’s better to focus on one game. Of course, be sure to practice your game of choice well! You can also start with live streaming to build a fanbase and you’ll also be able to earn some income. Be sure to check out the second episode of The Lifeguide Show to hear from professional gamers and watch them play a round of Counter-Strike Global Offensive (CS:GO)!
Planning on a virtual event? Here’s all you need to know about live streaming a virtual event!
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Writer: @furdoors
Lifeguide.sg 