With the largest video-game tournament in history recently coming to a close, Vlad Slavov examines the challenges of making a career as a pro gamer:
Without the financial support of a team or committed sponsors, it’s basically impossible to put in the time necessary to refine your skills to the highest level. Juggling pro matches with school or work responsibilities is particularly awkward in the US, where most competitive games are played in the morning. It’s an all-in or all-out affair, and the way the players talk about it reveals the sustained intensity that’s required.
[Career gamer] ppd speaks of “disengaging” in the afternoon after at least six hours of team practice every day. That’s later followed by playing solo or live-streaming matches on Twitch late into the night. [Gamer] UNiVeRsE adds that there’s also no such thing as a holiday from the game: players take some time off after The International, but otherwise The Chinese e-sports teams take the commitment to training to its logical extreme by having the whole team live together under one roof throughout the year. They don’t even consider it proper practice unless all five players are in the same room, working as a team.
The tournament closed “following an epic best-of-five clash between two of China’s biggest teams”; with the victorious five-person team taking home $5 million of the tournament’s $10-million prize pool.
(Photo of Seattle’s KeyArena for the International DOTA 2 Championships on July 18, 2014, by Jakob Wells)
The Dish 