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Guy quits his job as an engineer to play video game professionally. Wife gives him 6 months to be able to make money off of it. 10 months later his sponsored amature team earns a spot in the professions league.
http://www.twitch.tv/bubba
http://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends ... r_support/

WELL WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?!?

Well I heard someone in LoL dropped uni to play professionally, it was his last semester and he was gonna graduate.

If that's true he's just stupid. Unless he was given a major once in a lifetime chance I don't see why you wouldn't finish that last semester first and then focus on gaming.

Good for him!... But I hope he is paying his taxes!

In the link to reddit some guys were talking about a guy who dropped out of high school at 17 to play LoL.

I don't think dropping out last semester is that bad. If I had the opportunity to make good money, and it was a "once in a lifetime" opportunity, I'd take it. He can always come back and finish his semester. Joining a professional team is not a chance you get everyday.

Well I don't think his credentials expire or anything so he could just go back someday eventually to finish off his last class (maybe)

That someone was TheOddOne.

I don't know what life time opportunity that would be in terms of playing video games. I guess The Internationals and somehow you're part of a team that was invited? Even then I wouldn't drop out much like the idiots that are trying to make a so called career out of streaming. I guess if you're Day 9 then sure, but you can count the number of successful people that actually lasted more than a couple years on a hand. Pro gamers? I guess two hands for 5 years. "B-but it's still too early to say anything!" You're right, but look how many people are trying to take part of something. LoL supplements their players with a salary which is nice, but how long does that last? Dota2 is more or less winnings, sponsors, and hope you're contracted with a team much like everything else.

It's just not a viable job in the long run. Yeah, a job. I don't believe it's a career. Maybe in 10 years when the 'gamers' grow up and somehow finds it's way onto ESPN.

Yup I had to search for it, on youtube there is a video about how "regi" convinced him to drop.


To be honest id drop if im not enjoying what im studying, or I feel that my chances of succeeding/enjoying my life as a "insert job here".

A good game?

It's already big enough for people to pay money to go watch profesionals play live.

Doesn't imply you can make a career out of it. The Internationals is no doubt the biggest prize pool that ever was for a video game with 2.9m prize pool with a 1.4million #1 spot and 600k 2nd. Split that 5 ways and if their team requires a percentage of the cut.

Is that a career? I mean yeah you can argue about Na'Vi with their team going to The Internationals 3 times with #1, #2, and #2 placements ending up to be around ~2million worth of a prizepool. How long does that last though? There are more active astronauts than people who made a career out of playing professionally. I'm sorry, but it's not a viable career choice. It is for a job, but that's it.

I don't think anyone who does it is thinking of it as a career. It's a fun way to make money and you have to get in on it while you can.

You quoted to me where I'm saying it's a job with it being in an arena. Still doesn't mean it's reasonable enough to the point of where it's a viable career.

why are you riding his dick so hard about it not being a career? afaik nobody in this thread neither said nor implied it was a viable career, the players themselves mostly don't think it's a career which is why they tend to retire the minute they fall from the top. he quoted an article talking about the growth of esports in the west not the sustainability of their jobs as careers.

and while it's clearly not a career the pay some top streamers/pro players/personalities make is nothing to laugh at. nothing wrong with them having fun and making money while it lasts.

Somehow I get the feeling you've never watched a Dreamhack before :/
Watching others play a game at a high level is incredibly fun and interesting assuming you're capable of keeping track of what's going on.
Additionally e-sports games tend to have a considerably longer shelf life (5~10 years) or get their life extended through a new addition in the series, albeit it'll often be quite different.
These things have grown to be pretty big you know. In the last 3-4 years it has grown from a South-Korean exclusive event to a world wide phenomenon. Players get sponsors, salaries, visas, screaming fangirls. Prizes range from a hundred bucks to a million dollars. Even casters get 5 figure salaries for big events. E-sports is a growing business with a lot of potential.

I'd prefer watching a starcraft 2 match over watching uefa league finals, I bet playing football professionally was once a joke too, things change...

We should have gone pro dicks at Halo back in the day. Made some cash money then retired

peaked too young man, peaked too young.

He became the most popular streamer in NA for League, dominated the scene for 3 years and retired yesterday to become a coach on the same team. I'd say it worked out pretty well for him

Not all jobs work through job postings =_=
There's plenty of teams looking for new players though. So technically yes there are job postings, just not on monsterboard.
But this is the type of business where you succeed only if you prove yourself right from the start. Score consistently well in smaller tournaments or stay high on the ladder and pro teams will scout you out.

Truth.

Except these games have an automated ranking that keeps track of their progress at any time. Meaning it's easy enough to separate the good from the bad.
The nature of the communities around e-sports games is quite different from other jobs. They're much smaller and more tightly-knit. Everyone knows everyone, figureheads constantly communicate even with the common folks, and the other way around. This means that for anybody who is interested in a career it's possible to seek out the people that can help them get somewhere. The most successful people in these games usually aren't even the best of all players, but the players with that know how to present their personality best to the viewers (though a high skill level is still required). Because the viewers like them and follow them, they get the most sponsor deals.

It's not a pipedream, not at all. Is it risky? yes of course, it's not a stable job. But compared to other similar industries the chance of making it, or at least leaving a mark is quite high due to the ease of access of computer games. All you have to do is play, no 4-5 year university courses or acting school or w/e, you don't even need to move out of the comfort of your home, unless you're going to a LAN for a few days.