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XP Sports To Sponsor First Ever Barstool Sports “College Gaming Championship”

XP Sports™ To Sponsor First Ever Barstool Sports® “College Gaming Championship”

Gaming supplement brand formulated to support gaming at its best is a proud sponsor of Barstool Sports’ first College Gaming Tournament.

Oakville, ON (October 29, 2020) – XP SportsTM, a gaming energy supplement brand, has partnered with Barstool Sports® for their first ever College Gaming Championship. The seven-week tournament features the best collegiate gamers from 64 universities who will compete to win The Barstool College Championship Belt. Games will take place on the Barstool Sports® Twitch® channel every Wednesday from 7-10 PM EST (with Thanksgiving week off) until the first ever Barstool Sports® College Gaming Champion is crowned on December 16th. 

In addition to on-screen branding, product stream integration, social media promotion and  on-campus sampling, “Stoolies” (Barstool Sports fans) can enter the XP SportsTM Game On Sweepstakes in which one lucky grand prize winner will receive a next gen gaming console, a $500  gift card to order the latest and greatest titles and accessories for their system, and a $100 XP SportsTM Prize Pack. Five first prize winners will also receive an $100 XP Sports Prize Pack. This is the first esports tournament that XP SportsTM has sponsored and the first major gaming partnership for the Barstool Sports® brand.

“There are few companies that have captivated both the gaming and collegiate communities like Barstool Sports® and we believe XP SportsTMis a perfect partner for their first ever College Gaming Championship,” said Iovate Health Sciences Chief Marketing Officer Jarrod Jordan, the maker of the XP SportsTM brand. “This multipronged integrated partnership allows us to generate exposure, target new consumers and offer gaming solutions in a competitive marketplace.”

Launched Summer of 2020, the novel gaming supplement brand is eager to bring their unique product assortment to the gaming and esports space. XP SportsTM products offer novel ingredients that arm gamers with benefits such as eye health support, focus, enhanced performance, and stress tolerance. By delivering specific benefits sought after by today’s esports players, XP SportsTM will likely be a staple of any serious gamer’s routine.

The XP SportsTM product line consists of Boost Pre-Game Powder in Sour Lime Pucker Face and Rainbow Candy flavors, Gummies in a Sour Citrus Jujube flavor and Zero-Lag Supplements, which deliver a 2:1 ratio of instant to sustained-release caffeine. There is also a Ready-To-Drink version of Boost in two flavors — Sour Lime Pucker Face and Rainbow Candy, both featuring zero calories, zero sugar and zero lag.

XP SportsTM supplements are all available for purchase on xpsports.com, amazon.com and select retailers and are formulated specifically for gamers.

The Game On Sweepstakes ends December 24, 2020. More information, including entry details can be found at www.xpsports.com/barstool. 

For more information on XP SportsTM products, visit www.xpsports.com. Also follow us at www.facebook.com/XPSportsand @XPSports on Twitter and Instagram for product information, news and updates, special promotions, and more. 

ABOUT XP SPORTS

XP SportsTM is a gaming and esports supplement brand based in Oakville, Canada. Launched in 2020, the brand saw a need in the gaming community for custom-tailored products formulated specifically for the unique needs that arise in the gaming arena.

ABOUT IOVATE HEALTH SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL INC.

Iovate Health Sciences International Inc. (“Iovate”) is a dynamic, leading-edge nutritional supplement company that delivers some of the highest quality, most innovative and effective active nutrition products in the world. With brand innovations such as XP SportsTM, Iovate is committed to being the number one active nutrition company in the world. XP SportsTM was born out of an obsession to redefine the limits of science and human potential. 

Due to our commitment to research, development and innovation, we’ve been globally recognized as one of the leading sports nutrition brands in the industry, and continue to be one of the elite brands redefining performance through cutting-edge products and high-quality ingredients. 

Headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, Iovate is a family of more than 300 employees, six leading nutritional brands and growing, with effective products that can be found across the globe.

ABOUT BARSTOOL SPORTS®

Founded in 2003 by David Portnoy, Barstool Sports® is a leading digital sports, entertainment and media platform that delivers original content across blogs, podcasts, radio, video and social, supported by nearly 70 dedicated personalities. It benefits from approximately 66 million monthly unique visitors, including an estimated 39% of males and 35% of females in the Millennial and Generation Z generations across the United States. In 2019, Barstool Sports® grew by approximately 65%, delivering nearly $100 million in revenue from digital and audio advertising, ecommerce, events, licensing and subscription.

Contact:
Jake Duhaime
Consumer Communications Lead
jake.duhaime@iovate.com
617-285-8087

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Top 10 Innovations in Gaming History

Top 10 Innovations In Gaming History

From its commercial birth in the 1950s to its growth to 2 billion gamers around the world today, the gaming industry has certainly come a long way. Let’s take a look at the top 10 innovations in gaming history, so that we can better understand how the industry went from “technological oddity” to experts forecasting $196 billion in revenue by 2022.

THE FIRST ELECTROMECHANICAL MACHINE AND THE FIRST GAME SYSTEM DESIGNED FOR COMMERCIAL HOME USE

The first recognized example of a game machine was unveiled at the New York World’s Fair in 1940 by nuclear physicist Dr. Edward Uhler Condon, who designed and patented an electromechanical machine to play an ancient mathematical strategy game, according to “The History Of Gaming: An Evolving Community” for TechCrunch.

“However, the first game system designed for commercial home use did not emerge until nearly three decades later, when Ralph Baer and his team released his prototype, the ‘Brown Box,’ in 1967,” according to TechCrunch. “The ‘Brown Box’ was a vacuum tube-circuit that could be connected to a television set and allowed two users to control cubes that chased each other on the screen.”

The ‘Brown Box’ could be programmed to play ping-pong, checkers and other games, and it “was the birth of the digital gaming we know today,” according to TechCrunch.  

PLATO, LAN NETWORKS AND THE INTERNET

The first example of players competing on separate screens occurred in 1973 with a strategic turn-based game for up to 8 players, which was created for the PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations) network system, according to TechCrunch. 

“PLATO represents one of the first steps on the technological road to the Internet, and online multiplayer gaming as we know it today,” according to TechCrunch. “The real revolution in gaming came when LAN networks, and later the Internet opened up multiplayer gaming. Multiplayer gaming took the gaming community to a new level because it allowed fans to compete and interact from different computers, which improved the social aspect of gaming.” 

Today, 3.2 billion people across the globe have Internet, and at least 1.5 billion people with Internet access play video games, according to TechCrunch. 

“Since the early 2000s, Internet capabilities have exploded and computer processor technology has improved at such a fast rate that every new batch of games, graphics, and consoles seem to blow the previous generation out of the water,” according to TechCrunch. 

CARDS, CARTRIDGES, CHIPS, MICROPROCESSORS AND RAM

When the first gaming console for the home market appeared in 1972, it relied on removable circuit cards, rather than the cartridges that became popular soon after, according to a “Hot chips: the uniquely digital story of video games” for Happy Mag. A few years later, significant technical improvements were made by 1975, courtesy of the microchip, according to Happy Mag. 

“By the ‘80s, computers that were powered by microprocessors were the norm,” according to Happy Mag. “Right up until the present day, it’s easy to trace the capability gaming system by following a particularly crucial specification: Random Access Memory (RAM). The RAM spec is integral in gaming because it acts as the console or computer’s short-term memory.”

The RAM chip is responsible for handling the dynamic, fluctuating needs of game action, so the bigger it is, the smoother the gaming experience, according to Happy Mag.        

Today, “microchips that previously housed dozens of transistors for controlling electrical signals now contain billions,” according to Happy Mag. “The speed at which CPUs and RAM chips are developed and released give PC gamers an advantage in tech stakes compared with their counterparts in console-land.”

PERSONAL COMPUTERS AND BASIC CODE

In the early 1980s, new home computer systems were affordable for the average American. They were advertised as the “sensible” option for the whole family, according to TechCrunch. 

“These home computers had much more powerful processors than the previous generation of consoles; this opened the door to a new level of gaming, with more complex, less linear games,” according to TechCrunch. “They also offered the technology needed for gamers to create their own games with BASIC code.” 

Not only did early computers allow people to create their own games using code, but they also paved the way for multiplayer gaming, according to TechCrunch. 

WIFI & ROUTERS

“Today, games of all sorts can be played smoothly and easily virtually anywhere WiFi or cellular connectivity is available,” according to “How the Internet changed the gaming industry” for KnowTechie. “That means that games can be played during the daily commute while riding on the bus or train just as easily as they can be at home.” 

“The best gaming routers 2020” for TechRadar recommends investing in a top-notch gaming router in order to make sure you have a reliable connection. 

“The best gaming routers considerably minimize lag spikes during the most crucial moments and prioritize network traffic for you when you’re gaming,” according to TechRadar. 

The best gaming routers also have technology that allows multiple WiFi devices to simultaneously receive multiple data streams and increase the network’s throughput, according to TechRadar. 

MOBILE GAMING

“The proliferation of smartphones and tablets has fundamentally changed gaming,” according to “The 11 Biggest Gaming Innovations Of The 2010s” for Inverse. “Consoles and PCs are no longer a requirement.”

An Entertainment Software Association (ESA) survey found that 93 percent of American households own a smartphone, and almost half of those households use smartphones to play video games. 

Mobile gaming (smartphone and tablet) brought in $68.5 billion, or 45 percent of the global games market in 2019, according to Newzoo.

4K GAMING

“The release of the first 4K monitor back in 2013 opened an opportunity for gamers to experience gaming at a whole new level,” according to “1080p Vs. 4K Gaming: Is Gaming At 4K Worth It?” for WePC. “Since then, more and more 4K monitors have been released, and prices have dropped significantly (although it’s important to keep in mind that to run 4K graphics it also costs hundreds of extra dollars for the required GPU).” 

Monitors running at 4K resolution have four times the pixel count as a similarly sized 1080p monitor, which means that you’ll have better overall clarity and image quality, according to WePC. 

When it comes to 4K gaming, WePC recommends using a monitor that’s 27 inches or above to really take advantage of the technology. 

VR (VIRTUAL REALITY)

“Virtual reality has existed in one form or another for decades,” according to “A Strange New World: Has Virtual Reality Gaming Lived Up To Its Promise?” for WBUR. “Since the term was coined in the 1980s, VR has been used to train pilots, assist doctors and help patients with PTSD, and the number of applications just keeps growing.” 

The goal of VR gaming is to offer gamers a fully immersive experience, according to WBUR. Instead of only getting to watch stories play out, you’ll be able to live them through VR gaming. 

“2020 is once again being declared to be VR’s make-or-break year,” says Robert Morgan, who creates VR games and experiences, in the WBUR article. “Now, people have been saying that since roughly 2014.”

VOICE RECOGNITION

“Voice controlled gaming has been around for a while, but the potential of using the technology in gaming systems has finally caught up to reality – computers are now able to easily recognize voice commands from the user,” according to “11 Unbelievable Advances in Gaming Technology” for Mental Floss. “Not only can you turn the console on and off using this tech, but you can also use voice commands to control gameplay, interact on social media, play selections from your media library, or search the web, all by simply talking to your gaming system.” 

GESTURE CONTROL

Gesture control technology allows you to play first-person shooter games, or simply interact with your device, with just a few waves of your hand, according to Mental Floss. 

“Using a 3D camera that tracks 22 separate points in your hand, gesture control allows users to connect with their gaming experience by using the natural movements of your body,” according to Mental Floss.

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Gaming Trends to Watch in 2021

Gaming Trends To Watch In 2021

The gaming industry is reshaping the way that we interact with the world, and it constantly inspires innovation by pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. 

The State of Online Gaming 2020 research report found that 38 percent of gamers would like to become professionals, as long as they can support themselves; watching gamers play online is more popular than watching sports for 18 to 25 year olds; and on average, gamers spend 6 hours and 20 minutes each week playing games. Mobile devices also remain the primary gaming device, download speed still matters, and online gaming continues to be popular. 

What should gamers expect next year? We’ll take you through all the gaming trends to watch in 2021. 

NEXT GENERATION GAMING CONSOLES

Microsoft and Sony will both be releasing next-generation gaming consoles toward the end of 2020. The Xbox Series X console will be available on November 10, and the PlayStation 5 console comes out two days later on November 12. This has been a long time coming, since both companies released their current-generation machines 7 years ago. 

The main selling points for both new game consoles are realistic graphics and smoother game play, and both feature central and graphics processors from Advanced Micro Devices. 

THE RISE OF 5G

Eighty-seven percent of gamers find the process of downloading games to be frustrating, with the length of time it takes being the top issue. Expert gamers and aspiring professionals have the most frustration with download speed, with half of them noting it, according to the State of Online Gaming 2020. Fast performance is also cited as the most important aspect of game play across all ages. 

“Mobile games have always been limited by latency, currently around 10 milliseconds on 4G tech,” according to Treasure Data Blog. “That might not seem like a lot to a layperson, but it’s an eternity when it comes to competitive gaming. 5G will drop latency down to less than 1 millisecond, opening the door for new possibilities.” 

Treasure Data Blog says that when global 5G adoption goes mainstream around 2021, mobile gaming will show even more remarkable growth. 

MOBILE GAMING

Mobile phones remain the primary gaming device, followed by computers, gaming consoles and tablets, according to the State of Online Gaming 2020. In the last 10 years, more than 2.2 billion people used their smartphones to play games. 

“As chipsets continue to advance we’re seeing mobile devices that are arguably on par with a PlayStation 3,” according to VentureBeat. “With people replacing their phones around every 1.5 years, compared to replacing consoles every five or six years, we’re going to get mobile devices that are arguably as powerful as PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. There will be billions of AR-enabled devices as standard in iOS and Android through ARKit and ARCore.” 

Since 2017, the market share of mobile gaming revenue has continually increased, and research shows that it can grow by 59 percent before the end of 2021, according to “13 Current Gaming Trends: 2020/2021 Data, Statistics & Predictions” for CompareCamp. 

SPECTATORS OVERTAKING GAMERS

Gaming has become mainstream entertainment as a spectator sport. The State of Online Gaming 2020 report found that most 18 to 25 year olds would rather watch gamers play video games than watch sports. 

There’s an esports shift that’s about to take place, with the number of spectators overtaking the number of gamers around 2021. Gamer growth is projected at around 9 percent, while streaming audience growth is projected at 90 percent, according to VentureBeat.

“When audience growth overtakes player growth, that fundamentally flips the business model on its head,” says Erik Archer Smith, marketing director of data at Treasure Data. “That’s going to fundamentally change how developers have to approach their game, where you need to think about producing games with the audience in mind, versus just the gamer in mind.” 

In 2017, esports had a total revenue of $655 million. In 2021, that number is expected to be closer to $1.6 billion.

CLOUD GAMING

While the idea behind cloud gaming or Gaming-as-a-Service isn’t something new, experts believe that a successful solution can revolutionize the gaming industry. In the future, we’re expected to see PCs and consoles start to adopt the idea behind cloud gaming. 

“Basically, you will be able to play any game you like through a live stream on your device,” according to COIN-OP TV. “So, this means that you could have a low-performance PC but still will be able to play the latest games since they will run on high-performance servers across the world. Also, there will be no waiting for updates since all games will already be updated.” 

In 2018, the value of the cloud gaming market worldwide was $1 million, according to CompareCamp. Industry insiders predict that by 2025, it’ll grow to $8 million. 

MILLENNIALS BECOMING THE PRIME GAMING DEMOGRAPHIC

The gaming industry is expanding, and millennials are the driving force, according to “How millennials are expanding the gaming industry” for The Charleston Chronicle. In fact, 71 percent of millennial gamers watch gaming content on YouTube and Twitch, according to Nielsen.com.

The average age of gamers is 34 years old, with women around 36 years old and men around 32, according to VentureBeat. As of 2016, millennials became the largest workforce generation, and by 2021, they’ll be 34 years old on average. 

“Peak millennial is going to hit peak purchasing power and also going to hit peak gamer,” says Erik Archer Smith in the VentureBeat article. “When all of these demographic trends coalesce around 2021/2022, gaming culture goes mainstream undeniably. If we think it’s big now, there’s going to a holy-shit moment.” 

AR & VR

“Augmented Reality (AR) is an experience where virtual objects are superimposed onto the real-world environment via smartphones, tablets, heads-up displays, or AR glasses,” according to “The Important Difference Between Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality” for Forbes. “Virtual Reality (VR) is a fully immersive experience where a user leaves the real-world environment behind to enter a fully digital environment via VR headsets.” 

AR and VR gaming have both made leaps and bounds since their inception, redefining the term “immersive gaming experience,” according to Treasure Data Blog. In 2016, we saw the release of Sony’s Playstation VR and Nintendo’s popular AR mobile game, Pokémon GO.

COIN-OP TV expects that the latest virtual reality headsets will be able to render 3D graphics that look like real life.

VR and AR grossed $1.8 billion and $1 billion, respectively, in 2016. In 2021, those numbers are projected to be $19 billion and $20.3 billion. 

VIDEO GAMES AS A SERIOUS ART FORM

“Vintage video games now command the sort of cultural currency and influence once reserved for classic films, perhaps the clearest sign that video games are now an essential form of entertainment,” according to Business Insider. 

The Tribeca Film Festival will be adding video games to its official starting lineup in 2021. 

“Games have proven to be one of the most sophisticated storytelling vehicles today – not only with narrative but also with incredible artistic mastery, the creation of highly immersive worlds, and providing meaningful connections to communities all over the world,” says Casey Baltes, vice-president of Tribeca Games, in an IndieWire article. 

This move by the Tribeca Film Festival further acknowledges video games as a serious art form.

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Getting A Gaming Education – How To Study Video Games & More

Getting A Gaming Education – How To Study Video Games & More

Planning your life after high school can certainly seem overwhelming, even if you have a clear goal in mind. A survey found that affordability, availability of a desired program, reputation/academic quality, career outcomes/job opportunities, value of education for cost, feeling of fit and proximity to home are the seven key “decision segments” on the minds of aspiring college students, according to “The 7 Things Students Think About When Choosing a College” for The Chronicle of Higher Education. 

So, even if you know right now that you want to become a professional gamer, you still need to figure out the path that’s best for you. The tricky part is that there is “no single path after high school that is right for everyone,” according to “5 Best Degrees for Gamers” for Stem Jobs. “While a traditional four-year degree is required for some jobs, there are others that require an apprenticeship, certification, or associate degree.” 

Some colleges and universities have specific gaming degrees, while others have different types of degrees and training that can put you on a path to a great career in the gaming industry, according to Stem Jobs. 

UNDERSTANDING THE GAMING INDUSTRY

The gaming industry includes the development, marketing and monetization of video games, as well as the production, distribution and consumption of content generated by video games, according to “How You Can Make a Career in Gaming?” for Entrepreneur. 

Entrepreneur explains that video games – PC gaming, mobile gaming and console gaming – are a form of entertainment that’s part of a $115.8 billion global industry. The industry can be divided into two verticals – game developers and gamers, according to Entrepreneur. Game developers are the companies that create the games, while gamers are the ones playing these games and drawing entertainment from interaction, participation and viewership. 

“The career opportunities are pretty vast in the gaming industry,” according to Entrepreneur. “An essential trait in any gamer must be to find the right balance in a healthy lifestyle and their gaming habits. The gaming industry is booming rapidly with expansion into multiple domains and prospects for talented people have never been higher.” 

WHICH SCHOOLS HAVE VARSITY ESPORTS TEAMS?

There are several college esports leagues including The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) and Tespa. 

NACE was formed in 2016, with only seven colleges and universities having varsity esports programs then. Today, NACE has more than 175 colleges and universities that have varsity esports programs, with over 5,000 student athletes. This is important, since NACE schools officially recognize and support their college esports teams as official varsity-level athletic programs, according to “List of Colleges with Varsity Esports Programs” for Next College Student Athlete. This means that student athletes may be eligible to receive esports scholarships. 

“Esports scholarships are awarded on a school-by-school basis,” according to the “Esports Scholarship Guide” for Next College Student Athlete. “The majority are partial and range from $500 to $8,000 per year. Several schools are beginning to offer full-tuition, and even full-ride scholarships.” 

Tespa has over 270 North American chapters with more than 120,000 Tespa members and alumni. College clubs compete in Tespa leagues and give gamers the chance to win scholarships and prize money, according to Next College Student Athlete. Tespa has over 1,350 schools competing in its tournaments and has awarded $3.3 million to students through scholarships and prizes.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BEST COLLEGES FOR GAMING

“The best colleges and universities for varsity esports have a tradition of excellence and support from the administration to grow and develop the program,” according to Next College Student Athlete. “Across the country, some of the best gaming colleges include Maryville, Robert Morris, Miami (Ohio), California-Irvine, Ashland, and Harrisburg University.” 

Maryville University of St. Louis: “The university maintains a state-of-the-art practice facility with the best internet possible for low ping and high FPS (frames-per-second),” according to Lineups. “Along with high-speed computers, the facility also comes with top-of-the-line headsets and gaming chairs for maximum comfort and complete concentration. Maryville offers scholarships up to $2,000.” 

Miami Unversity (Ohio): “Based in Oxford, Ohio, Miami University boasts greater name recognition and a higher academic ranking than most schools that offer varsity eSports programs,” according to “The Best College Varsity eSports Programs” for BestColleges. “Miami also provides students with a picturesque campus and plenty of collegiate nightlife.” 

Miami University began offering esports scholarships in 2016, won the 2017 National Association of Collegiate eSports Overwatch season, and finished as runner-up at the 2017 NACE invitational in League of Legends, according to BestColleges. The university also created a minor in digital gaming and has an on-campus esports arena. Miami University’s teams compete in Tespa’s collegiate esports leagues, according to BestColleges. 

Ashland University (Ohio): Ashland University has a varsity esports program and is one of the few in the nation to offer scholarships to Fortnite players, according to BestColleges. The program also recruits athletes for other games, and all esports athletes receive team gear including a jersey, backpack, mousepad, mouse, headset and jacket. 

“Ashland’s eSports teams practice in the school’s on-campus facility, which contains 25 top-of-the-line gaming PCs and chairs in addition to widescreen television sets for coaching purposes,” according to BestColleges. “The team also brings in guest speakers – mainly professional players – to address athletes in a seminar series.”

Robert Morris University (Illinois): This university operates in the heart of Chicago and created the idea of varsity eSports programs,” according to Lineups. 

Robert Morris University has dedicated coaches for the games the team competes in, as well as several sponsorships that provide the players with some of the best facilities in the nation, according to Lineups. The university offered the first esports scholarships to prospective members of the school’s League of Legends team back in 2014. 

University of California-Irvine: UC Irvine became the first public university to create a varsity esports team, according to BestColleges. 

“The program primarily focuses on Overwatch and League of Legends, awarding $5,610 scholarships to League players and $2,500 scholarships to Overwatch players,” according to BestColleges. “The campus loves eSports, as the school states that 72% of UC Irvine’s student body participates in some form of gaming. UC Irvine houses one of the nation’s most extensive eSports facilities, which currently includes more than 70 gaming computers.” 

Harrisburg University: Harrisburg University became the first college esports program to award full ride scholarships to its entire 16-player roster in 2018, according to Next College Student Athlete. The university won ESPN’s inaugural Collegiate Esports Championship in May 2019.

“But schools like Harrisburg are playing an entirely different game: They’re willing to treat college e-sports like Alabama treats college football,” according to “Why Colleges Are Betting Big on Video Games” for The Atlantic. “The hope is that the scholarship money the institution invests will elevate the campus as a dominant force in a still-nascent community.” 

The university opened in 2001, and has a total student population of about 750, according to The Atlantic.

WHER CAN I GET A GAMING DEGREE?

There are a number of colleges and universities where you can earn a gaming degree. In the United States, schools including Shenandoah University in Virginia, Becker College in Massachusetts and The Ohio State University have debuted esports degrees, according to a “Colleges are starting degrees in esports, with $36,000 programs” for CBS News.

Becker College offers a Bachelor of Science in esports management, and Ohio State is launching an esports and game studies undergraduate major that will include the application of games to health and medicine, according to the CBS News article. The University of Utah created an undergraduate gaming degree, and Miami University (Ohio) created a minor in digital gaming, according to BestColleges. 

Full Sail University also offers a variety of game degrees including a Simulation & Visualization Bachelor’s Degree, a Game Art Bachelor’s Degree, a Game Design Bachelor’s Degree and a Game Development Bachelor’s Degree. 

WHAT DO I STUDY?

If you’re wondering what you should study, “Roadmap to Becoming a Professional Video Gamer: From Degree to Career” for Learn.org notes that there are few options available for careers in professional video gaming, and adds that your first step should be education. 

“While a formal education isn’t required for all video game-related jobs, you’ll likely still need a degree to open other career opportunities and advancement,” according to Learn.org. “A degree from an accredited college can be a springboard for a job as a programmer or designer. A number of different degree programs are available, but you may wish to consider a bachelor’s or master’s degree in game development or computer science. These programs teach you the essentials of designing and testing computer games and console games.” 

Learn.org says that some of the subjects that you may study include animation, programming languages, storyboarding, interactive media and media ethics. 

The five best degrees for gamers, according to Stem Jobs, are computer science, software engineering, video game development and programming, game art/interactive media design and computer animation. 

If you’re serious about gaming, do your research to find the school and degree that will help you the most on your journey to becoming a professional gamer.

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How To Become A Professional Gamer

How To Become A Professional Gamer

If you’re someone who has gaming on their mind 24/7, you’ve probably considered going pro at some point in your life. After all, what’s better than getting paid to do the thing you love most in the world?

While the odds of becoming a professional gamer were about 1 in 10,000 more than five years ago, there’s more money than ever in the industry today. Current esports players are able to make more than $2 million for winning an international tournament, and many of them also earn steady salaries while competing for corporate-sponsored teams. Last year, competitive esports revenue was around $1.1 billion, which was an almost 27 percent increase from 2018. The entire industry is expected to be worth $3 billion by 2022. 

For those of you who think that you may have the talent and drive to become a pro gamer, or are even just interested in learning more about what’s involved, we’ll take you through the necessary steps to becoming a professional gamer. 

1.  DECIDE IF YOU REALLY WANT TO COMMIT TO BECOMING A PRO GAMER

As mentioned previously, the odds of becoming a professional gamer aren’t in your favor. So, it’s important that you really love gaming and have fun doing it, even if you don’t make any money from it. 

“As with anything in life, it’s important to play esports for the right reasons,” according to “How to Become a Pro Gamer in 10 Steps” for Intel. “The love of competition, the satisfaction of growing as a player, and the sense of contributing to a team and community are all valid reasons to play. In the long run, positive motivations are what keeps players engaged. Players who are motivated by cash, fame, and quick success, on the other hand, will likely burn out before ever turning pro.” 

In fact, the peak of an esports professional is “so short-lived that players often toss their controller and call it quits by the time they’re in their mid 20s,” according to “Esports players burn out young as the grind takes mental, physical toll” for CBS News. The article explains that the world of esports is both physically and mentally demanding, which is why professional gamers barely past their teens burn out faster than athletes. 

“Players between the ages of 21 and 25 have won more money than all other ages combined, according to stats posted on E-Sports Earnings,” according to “The 0.1 per cent: How eSports pros make a career playing video games” for Global News. “The data shows very few players win any prize money in their 30s, and only a handful have ever won money in their 40s.” 

If you’re still all-in and know that you want to become a pro gamer, even after learning about how difficult the journey will be, you need to decide what kind of professional player you’d like to become.

2. DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A COMPETITIVE PRO OR A LIFESTYLE GAMER?

Competitive pros and lifestyle gamers are generally the two kinds of professional video game players, according to “How to Make Billions in E-Sports” for The New York Times. 

Competitive pros are like pro athletes, competing on teams in specific games like teams compete in baseball or basketball. There’s lots of coaching, training and scrimmaging that takes place, and the gamers need to have raw talent. 

On the other hand, lifestyle gamers are entertainers and play games on digital channels or live streaming services. The goal for lifestyle gamers is to build a massive following with millions of fans. The most successful streamers can earn seven- or eight-figure incomes, according to the New York Times. 

“To get to this level, it helps if they are very good at their games, but they aren’t necessarily elite players,” according to the New York Times. “Above all, lifestyle gamers need to be compelling to watch – some combination of funny, attractive, edgy, and skilled.”

3. CHOOSE YOUR GAME 

“The next step is to find your game,” according to the Intel article. “There are two schools of thought here: either pick a game that’s up-and-coming or go with a well-established game.” 

The article explains that the reason to pick a game that’s already established is that the infrastructure and resources are already in place to support pro gaming. The downside to picking an established game is that it’s hard for newcomers to break into the scene. 

“When a game is up-and-coming, players have an opportunity to help excavate the game and advance the meta, which tends to be more volatile and accommodating of different play styles at the outset,” according to the Intel article. “That said, there’s also a risk that a game’s competitive scene will fail to thrive, at which point you may have to pick a new game.” 

The article recommends trying out a few different games and sticking with your favorite – the one that you truly love and look forward to coming back to and playing each and every day.

4. BECOME A MASTER OF YOUR CRAFT

“Becoming a master of your game takes a lot of time commitment, dedication, and of course natural skills for the genre,” according to “How to Become a Professional Gamer” for SteelSeries. 

Top competitors are playing for 12 to 14 hours a day, at least 6 days a week, according to the CBS News article. That’s why Techni Sport writes in “How to become a pro gamer in 2020” that regardless of whether you want to be a competitive gamer or a streamer, you need to practice, practice, practice.

“If you’re a competitive gamer then you’ll constantly be battling against the best gamers in the world and you need to make sure your skill level is up to scratch,” according to Techni Sport. “On the other hand, if you’re a streamer then people will only watch high ranked players. If you’re not up to scratch then your viewing figures will suffer and you’ll lose subscribers, donations, and ad revenue.” 

The Intel article recommends that you master the game’s mechanics first, which means concentrating on “learning game-specific skills until they become ingrained in your muscle memory.” Pro players practice mechanics tirelessly to stay sharp and make minute improvements, according to the Intel article, but players who are just starting out should improve a great deal with practice. 

“While you’re honing your skills, start researching the game’s overarching strategy,” according to the article. “Understanding your role in a given situation is a good place to start.”

It’s also recommended that you watch the top players in your particular game or games and learn from them. Both videos and live streams are great resources for learning good in-game habits, and they provide a reference point for how you should be playing the game, according to the Intel article. Then, as you get better and better, you can watch replays of your own matches to break down your play style and learn from your mistakes.

5. INVEST IN GOOD GEAR

“Honing your strategy skills will only get you so far if you want to become a professional gamer,” according to the SteelSeries article. “If your gear doesn’t match up, you’re never going to have the competitive edge over your opponents. See your gear as your teammate – you need to work in harmony together for the best results.” 

SteelSeries says that if you’re gaming on a PC, you need to make sure that your PC can handle any game without lag or stutter. It’s important for you to invest in a mouse that’s precise and accurate, as well as a quality monitor. You’ll also need a top-notch headset to hear every little sound, since sounds are often your audio clues as to where your enemies are approaching from in the game. 

6. START STREAMING AND ATTRACT ATTENTION

Techni Sport suggests starting a stream regardless of whether you want to be a pro competitive gamer or a streamer. You’ll be able to use the streaming platform to showcase your skills and talent, which will hopefully help you get noticed. 

“Getting yourself noticed is an important step if you want to make it like a pro,” according to Techni Sport. “Not only do you need to build a fan base of loyal fans but you also need to show off and get noticed by scouts. Many high-level streamers have gone on to join professional gaming teams all because they used streaming as a way to get spotted.” 

Or, as the Intel article says, “Getting good at the game is only half the battle. The other half is making connections that will help you ascend the competitive ladder. Once you’ve found your footing in more competitive lobbies, start networking. Leverage your position as a quality opponent to connect with better players.” 

It’s recommended that you create fan pages on different social media sites and use them to attract visitors to your streams. 

“Getting views is the most important thing in building a social media following,” according to Techni Sport.

7. JOIN A TEAM

“The next step in your journey to become a professional gamer and leaping towards esports stardom is to join a team,” according to SteelSeries. “But you’ll have to already be absolutely nailing your game and have built up a solid reputation in the esports community, which is why networking is so important early on.” 

SteelSeries says that you might even be approached by a team and asked to join. You can also try reaching out to teams and other esports enthusiasts via online forums.

8. STAY BALANCED AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

“While the grind mentality looms large in esports, pros must learn how to balance their practice regimen and off-screen activities,” according to the Intel article. “A holistic approach to practice – including proper nutrition, exercise, and an active social life – improves mental focus and prevents burnout. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will allow you to stay motivated for long enough to develop the skills that will ultimately attract pro organizations.” 

Becoming a pro gamer will probably take years of hard work and practice, according to the article. But, in order to succeed, it’s important to take a well-rounded approach to training that includes developing social skills, expanding your knowledge of the game, finding positive sources of motivation and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

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