Lokesh Suji is Director at Esports Federation of India & Vice President at Asian Esports Federation. With over 20 years of experience, he is an esports Evangelist, Hustler and Telecom Veteran. Over the years been part of esports, and across different formats and categories of games, he found that the vertical in India is unstructured & Unexplored, which needed to be developed along professional lines – much in the same way that other forms of sports are being developed in the country (be it Cricket, Football or now Kabaddi). As one of the country’s leading evangelists of esports, Lokesh continues to play an influential role in actively shaping the future of competitive esports in India. Lokesh is also an avid gamer and his gaming nickname is dAwesomeNinja.
Many parents still believe that working in the esports business entails being an expert at video games or spending all day in front of a computer playing games. Esports/Video Games is a versatile industry and there is a huge scope for professional gamers as well as other jobs like casters, commentators, and other support staffs appointed by the esports tournaments like producers, editors, analysts, product managers, game testers, referees, production crew members, event managers, social media managers, etc.
Apart from specializing in gaming skills and game theory, below mentioned are the different professions that also help in handling the business aspect of the esports industry like:
- Managing team events
- Learning about ethical and legislative laws governing the esports ecosystem
- Game designers
- Esports marketing
- Social media marketing
- Coaching
- Event promotion
- Communication
- League management
- Accounting
- Live streaming
- Esports Journalists
Choose your Niche:
Are you a professional gamer or a casual gamer? Choose a game that suits your abilities, experience, and interests. In well-established games, newcomers may struggle to survive. Future games will assist you in navigating the resources and honing your play styles. Getting into professional levels is considerably simpler for well-trained pro gamers, and it helps them create a name for themselves in the business. Others with strong communication and public relations abilities and marketing expertise should consider moving into other areas of the esports business.
Look Out for Opportunities:
You must, like any other profession, go out and seek new possibilities/opportunities. Contact tournament organisers and broadcasters, or apply to work for a firm and gain the necessary experience. Another option to get hands-on experience in this profession is to volunteer. Sign up for unpaid volunteer positions like event manager or technical support staff to learn the fundamentals of running a tournament, hosting events, and assisting visitors. Internships add value to your CV and can help you get hired in prospective companies.
Practice is the key:
It’s all about practise when it comes to gaming. If you want to be a professional gamer, you must put in a lot of practice time and understand the game mechanics. Look for new players and learn their strategies by watching live-streaming footage. Replay and check through your matches to find out where you went wrong. Study how professional players play the game to enhance your own game techniques & strategies.
Take Part in Competitions/Tournaments:
Climbing the success ladder requires more than just practise. Go out there and compete against real competitive athletes to see where you stand. Make contact with top players and observe how they approach the game. Form a squad of professional athletes and learn a variety of skills. This will offer you an advantage in the esports scene and help you get recognition in the community.
Stay Focused and Trust the Process:
Take your profession very seriously. If you want to be a professional gamer, you must concentrate on your work and practise consistently, but not to the point of exhaustion. It’s easy to become addicted to video games and spending hours in front of a computer. Maintain your equilibrium. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, take regular breaks, stay motivated, and learn about your field constantly.
So long as you finish your studies and at least get a degree, you can pretty much go anywhere in esports.