Photo by Fábio Magalhães on Unsplash
For many people, becoming a professional gamer is something that they dream about – because who doesn’t love the idea of doing what they enjoy the most and making money from it? Gaming is a big business, too, with millions of dollars going into the industry on a daily basis.
Gaming streamers on Twitch and YouTube can also become millionaires like PewDiePie, DanTDM, KSI, and Ninja.
And even though they started ahead of the curve, and that is part of why they became so successful, there is plenty of room for new game streamers.
Although you don’t have to be an amazing gamer to get an audience, it helps! So, how can you be a better gamer? Here are some tips for you that can be applied to any game, from blackjack and chess to LoL and Starcraft.
Fun
Anything you do in life should have an element of fun. But fun isn’t something that we typically associate with our work. When it comes to gaming and trying to make it as a streamer or a professional player – fun has to be a factor. Without the fun, the viewers will be able to tell, and they will quickly tune out.
Does that mean you have to love every game? No. And it also doesn’t mean you should fake it just for the views.
Make sure that the types of games you play, how you play them, and how long you play them remain fun – because without it, gaming will just become another chore.
Positive
When you put yourself out there with any type of content, some people will love it, and others will hate it. Unfortunately, because it is the nature of the internet, the people who don’t like it will comment and leave remarks, too.
It is easy to get upset or put off doing what you love when other people have something to say about it.
Being positive about what you are doing and the goals you have set for yourself is a must – and even in the face of no views, no likes, and even some mean comments, stay positive.
Genre
When you find a genre that you like, stick with it. For many gamers, they go through a lot of different genres before they find the one that clicks. And if you give up too soon because you’ve fed the opposition, or you are struggling to figure out how to solve a specific puzzle – it might be that those genres aren’t your favorite – not that you’re actually bad at gaming!
Finding the right genre, no matter how niche it is, will do wonders for how good you are at the game. Find the one you love, and it will love you right back.
Platform
While all of the gaming platforms have something to offer, not every platform is good for every person. Some gamers get on better with a keyboard and mouse, while others want the rumble of a controller from a console.
There has been a sharp increase in the amount of people who are playing via mobile and tablets now, too.
However, you can also hook up your console control to the PC if you fancy it too! Thankfully, we are in the time of cross-platform gaming, so almost any game is available to you, no matter what your preferred platform is.
Once you have figured out how you love to play, that will instantly make it easier. After all, it is easier to enjoy something when the configuration works how you need it to work.
Practice
We all know the term, practice makes perfect – and when it comes to gaming, that is true too. No matter what type of game you play, there will be certain skills involved that you’ll need to hone to become better. It might be doing the same boss 15 times; it could be figuring out your skill tree – there are endless ways in which you can practice to become better at something.
Repetition is a big thing when it comes to gaming; playing on the same maps, testing skills, and stats, and becoming familiar with not only your character but the others in the game will see some massive improvements.
Watch Others
Part of becoming good at something is learning from those who are great at it – and when it comes to gaming, it is a lot of fun, too! You can take some time every week to watch great gamers play the games you are interested in becoming better at. You’ll be able to see them in action and read comments, too.
Watching others isn’t just about gleaning information from them, but it helps you to become part of the community, too – the more you are around, the more people will see your name and want to check out what you do.
Peripherals
Aside from choosing the right platform, what you play on can make a difference. For example, playing on a standard computer mouse versus a gaming mouse is a significantly different experience. Switching to high-quality headphones will mean that you can hear all of the tiny details – or community better when speaking. And while you can’t just rely on an expensive bit of kit to make you better, having a better tool usually makes for a better experience.
Play Time
We don’t have an unlimited amount of focus, and while our focus time increases when we are excited and having fun – it can still start to dip off after a certain point. So, instead of planning to play games for six solid hours, break it up into smaller chunks. This gives you time to walk away for a moment, and when you return, you can get your head back into what you are doing.
The real trick to becoming a better gamer is to funnel your time and attention into things that you love to play – no matter how niche, because if you love it, there will be other people out there who do it.
Ahead of choosing any game to play, it is a good idea to see what the reviews are – and how hard you really want the game to be: 4 Of The Most Difficult PC Games Ever.
Robert Griffith is a content and essay writer. He is collaborating with local magazines and newspapers. Robert is interested in topics such as marketing and history.
