The cost of being a Pro-Gamer

dstryr

United States69 Posts

December 22 2011 15:17 GMT

It should be obvious that Pro-gamers are very dedicated to playing and improving constantly, but what is the cost?

With all of those hours spent "chasing the dream", what sacrifices are made? Career prospects, spouse/partner, family life, etc?

I am genuinely curious as to what others opinions are on this. Although I love the prospect of e-sports success in 2012, I wonder what the effect/backlash will be on the number of up-and-coming aspiring pro-gamers.

Since so few are able to achieve success with Pro-gaming, what are the negative impacts of living this lifestyle?

Najda

United States3765 Posts

December 22 2011 15:20 GMT

The sacrifices one has to make is different for every person. Some sacrifice school, others sacrifice family life or other things unnamed. It's the same way for a lot of things though, for example a business man often has to make similar sacrifices (depending on what type of business etc).

I think every pro-gamer looks at the sacrifices he will have to make and consciously decides to make them though. I don't think it's a negative backlash, I think it's just something that you have to be willing to do if you are going to chase your dream period.

ComaDose

Canada10349 Posts

December 22 2011 15:25 GMT

rekrul's recent thread, huk's more depressing interviews, sheths reaction to living in korea, etc etc.
It's obvious it is a big sacrifice.
Starcraft is the most competitive game and to reach the very top it requires 100% dedication. Therefore 100% sacrifice.

I'm thinking broodwar but its obvious people dedicate 7 days a week for years just for a shot.

MrBitter

United States2939 Posts

December 22 2011 15:45 GMT

People make sacrifices in all lines of work. It's not exclusive to progaming or SC2.

GMarshal

United States22154 Posts

December 22 2011 15:54 GMT

The cost is everything. You see, to become a real pro, someone who is successful, you need to love the game. Not enjoy winning, not have fun with it, you need to love the hell out of the game. Boxer, the Emperor, regularly practices 10 hours a day. He isn't the exception. To be a pro means you have to put in at least same amount of work people put into day-jobs, but thats actually not enough by itself, because due to the competitive nature of the game, there are people who are going to invest much, much more time into it then that, and to compete with them you need to match it.

I've said this before, but to be among the best, to be a real pro, you need to love the game to the point where it dominates your life, where you go to sleep thinking about how to micro mutas, where you dream about that TvT you lost an hour ago. Because if you aren't putting that amount of love into the game you will lose to those who are. I think it was SotG where someone asked IdrA what other games he had played recently, and if he had tried skyrim yet, to which IdrA replied that the only game he had been playing lately was Starcraft. This isn't because IdrA hates all other games, or wouldn't enjoy Skyrim, its because time put into other games is time taken away from starcraft, and pros cannot afford that. That's why korean pro houses usually ban playing poker and why whenever a pro-gamer gets a girlfriend he tends to slump incredibly hard.

To chase a dream is an all-consuming thing. The very best are the very best because they have sacrificed everything else to get there.

Thats what it takes. Not just time commitment and work ethic, but to fully invest your emotions in the game. That is what progamers sacrifice, because you can only ever have one true passion at the time. That said, there is literally nothing better in life than doing what you love, so yes, its a sacrifice, but for those who love the game, its a sacrifice well worth making.

EDIT: This is assuming SC:BW or SC2 or a comparable game where skill matters.

Tuneful

United States327 Posts

December 22 2011 16:02 GMT

"All men are created equal, some work harder in preseason." - Emitt Smith

Can you guess who works the hardest in preseason?

+ Show Spoiler +

Those who sacrifice the most.

IdrA

United States11541 Posts

December 22 2011 16:05 GMT

depends on what game you play and how good you wanna be

Rkie

United States1278 Posts

December 22 2011 16:07 GMT

If you ever pay attention to the scene, there are always players that are getting sick or have wrist injuries simply from playing and practicing so hard. It is a demanding job that has much smaller returns for the good player, but is amazing if you ever become a top player. Even then, it is only the best of those that get paid well. There is a reason people tend not to play beyond the age of 30-35 other than the game being so taxing on a person at that level. If you are playing games from the age of 16 or 18, you likely will not study at the university level and play, so gaming becomes your job. It is all or nothing then. If you are not successful as a gamer and do not have a degree or anything like that, it will probably be harder later on.

On December 23 2011 00:25 ComaDose wrote:
rekrul's recent thread

Just so you know, that thread is from 2005. It still applies here though.

Emon_

3925 Posts

December 22 2011 16:08 GMT

On December 23 2011 00:25 ComaDose wrote:
rekrul's recent thread, huk's more depressing interviews, sheths reaction to living in korea, etc etc.
It's obvious it is a big sacrifice.
Starcraft is the most competitive game and to reach the very top it requires 100% dedication. Therefore 100% sacrifice.

I'm thinking broodwar but its obvious people dedicate 7 days a week for years just for a shot.

100% dedication is doubtful... the goal is to evolve as a player and that's hard to do. You have to play loads of games. Analyze your plays, perform at your peak at command. There's a whole psychology behind this that the coach handles in other sports. The lack of a coach is probably the hardest thing for a foreigner. They are walking into new ground alone and it's HARD to know which way to turn

Chef

10810 Posts

December 22 2011 16:11 GMT

#10

Meh, you have to live your life somehow. What's the sacrifice when you work 9 to 5 at a job you don't really like? Or you work hard and then are really tired by the time you get home? No matter what life is never going to be all roses. I would still prefer to think of the positive aspects of the relationships progamers form with each other, the joy of following a passion for their game, and the reward of winning on a stage. Course, there are many who never make it to that stage. But it's not really the end of the world. You give it your best shot, and if things don't work out perfectly you pick up your life where you left off.

Denzil

United Kingdom4193 Posts

December 22 2011 16:29 GMT

#11

Pokebunny seems like a good example of someone who managed to balance a lot and not sacrifice too much in any areas.

Kickboxer

Slovenia1308 Posts

December 22 2011 16:32 GMT

#12

Exactly the same as the sacrifices of being the best at anything else.

Kickboxer

Slovenia1308 Posts

December 22 2011 16:35 GMT

#13

I'm adding a photo for greater clarity ^_^

[image loading]

This. Except it happens to your wrists, your eyes and your social life.

Djzapz

Canada10681 Posts

December 22 2011 16:49 GMT

#14

I think the biggest "cost" of being a pro-gamer is that many of them eventually come to the realization that once they can't make money off of gaming, they may have to go back and do something else... School, work - whatever it is, they'll be behind everyone else, going back to a "normal" life around 25-30+...

Obviously this doesn't apply to everyone, as the biggest names just may have a life-long career in entertainment. I'm thinking players like IdrA who will probably have doors open when he decides to stop being a player (maybe), and Day9 who could probably commentate and just stick to the business in general if he wants to.

Basically, I think the biggest difficulty is that most of them are slowing down their career for a little money right now.

Pokebunny

United States10654 Posts

December 22 2011 17:02 GMT

#15

It really, really depends on the person and situation you put yourself in. You can't generalize at all.

marttorn

Norway5211 Posts

December 22 2011 17:09 GMT

#16

Rekrul's Korea Story says it well. And although that was long ago, it basically rings true. Not every story is a success story, there are some who go the path of Naniwa (who sacrificed school and was kicked out of his parents house back in WC3) but never get far. And then, as was said in Rekrul's thread, they kind of have very little to go back to. So like Naniwa said in one of his interviews, you have to be "kind of crazy" to take a shot at progaming.

Not that I have any real life experience with this, this is just what I can gather, and it's obvious everybody within sports has to sacrifice a ton in order to get good.

Liquid`TLO

Germany766 Posts

December 22 2011 17:20 GMT

#17

For me ESPORTS has had only positive effects despite the CTS. I think if you are smart about it ESPORTS can be more of a long term career. I didnt finish studying at university but I never felt more secure about my future than at this point of my Life I met people all over the globe and have friends as well as business contacts in a lot of companies that might open future paths for me.

It all comes down how you handle yourself, however being a member in Team Liquid probably puts me in a priviliged situation, stilll I believe every famous sc2 progamer can easily build a future from here if you are not too lazy and a bit smart.

valaki

Hungary2476 Posts

December 22 2011 17:42 GMT

#18

Being a progamer is a job. I'm pretty sure, aside from the koreans, most foreigners don't practice more than 8 hours, daily. That's like a normal job (excluding weekends). Go figure.

FireFish

Denmark228 Posts

December 22 2011 17:47 GMT

#19

On December 23 2011 01:35 Kickboxer wrote:
I'm adding a photo for greater clarity ^_^

[image loading]

This. Except it happens to your wrists, your eyes and your social life.

I defently disagree a 100% with this. Your wrists will be okay, nothing happens to your eyes (lol), and you will meet sooo many new people with e-sport. Im not even a proffesionel but i met some really cool people.

SigmaoctanusIV

United States3313 Posts

December 22 2011 19:01 GMT

#20

Honestly thinking about it from the broodwar style you kind of have to dedicate yourself 100% of the time to stay current in less you have a natural talent for the game you can easily fall behind in trends and when your required to do everything perfect to be the best you have to sacrifice a lot. Like living in a team house(In korea) you don't have your own room and for as long as you live there your going to be spending the majority of your time talking about and playing starcraft, That is what separates the Koreans from most foreigners. Also people saying that you put yourself into any job/career don't really know what they are talking about when it comes to your job that you live and your only task is to be the very best. Not like a Bank Manager lives in the vault with all the tellers and practice counting when he on duty.

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