We're always in search of new ways to see the good guys rip the bad guys to shreds, so it makes sense that eSports would capture our attention in the same ways that football, soccer, and chess boxing have. It just seems so much less barbaric -- and more exciting -- to watch digital avatars tear off each other's limbs and burn each other to a crisp with lasers than it is to see real-life lumps of clothed meat smacking repeatedly into each other. And the great part is that you only need one skill in order to start.
How To Get In:
Get really good at playing games. Or, to be more specific, one game in particular. Playing games professionally is often a full-time job, and very few people excel at multiple titles (though the ranks of more casual eSports, such as Hearthstone or Barbie's Fun Time Spa Day, swell with retired pros barely into their thirties). Most of the time, you won't need formal education or training, but you will need to play a lot. Like, enough that if Fox News heard about your schedule, they'd do a story on you, holding you up as a sign of the coming apocalypse.
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Though to be fair, they do that with everybody.
Your practice schedule alone is exactly the opposite of what the entire world considers sane. Expect to put in at least six to eight hours a day, not including travel or tournament time. That might not sound like a big deal, but as with many sports, players usually put in the hours on top of their regular school or work schedules -- and only the best of the best make it work full time.
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