You've practiced your macros, memorized your strats (strategies), optimized your K/D (kills/deaths) ratios, and obviously got the lingo down. You believe you're ready to earn some cash with your skills. So how exactly do you get started?
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Image: artubr[/caption]First of all, you'll need to choose a game to compete in. Most multiplayer games are represented in eSports these days, but some are more popular than others. Whether your taste is for RTS (real-time strategy), FPS (first-person shooter), or GTA (Grand Theft Auto), as long as there is competition at hand, you can play. Whether you prefer PCs, consoles or other platforms, they're all supported across competition-hosting platforms such as Major League Gaming. However, PCs are undisputed kings in terms of power for the best visuals possible (provided you have a system up to the task), and the availability of controllers is the most diverse, so you'll be sure to find peripherals which are a perfect fit for you.
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It does pay to think strategically when choosing your game. You may only be playing for laughs and some spare change now, but one day you hope to be on stage in a stadium filled with cheering fans, music pumping, lights blazing — all eyes on you as you take home that six-figure payday — don't you? A Mario Kart championship doesn't exactly fill a stadium, so if that IS your goal, it would be worthwhile to consider more popular games such as League of Legends or Halo.
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Image: Jareed[/caption]There are a multitude of places you can play for cash or credits: Major League Gaming, ESL Play, and CyberGamer, to name but a few.
Competition-hosting platforms can be a little tricky to get the hang of, but head straight to the forums if the FAQs don't help you enough. Generally you will be able to sign up for free and you will need to use credits to pay for your game entry (which is how the prize pool is funded). If you are playing a one-on-one game, you can go straight to the game-matching section, find a game, and get down to business. If your game requires teammates, you will need to recruit others to be in your team (try the forums for teams who are short a player) or invite your IRL (in real life) friends to sign up as well.
Speaking of forums, you are probably already active on your favorite game's forum, but have you looked at their eSports sections? COD, WOW, LoL, Smite, World of Tanks have dedicated eSports sections and there are thriving eSports community forums (like Defense of the Australians, eSports Heaven, GosuGamers) — so you have no excuse not to get out there, make friends, and build up your knowledge base.
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ASUS ROG Dream League - Season 2[/caption]In order for you to have the edge on your competitors, your PC will need to be up to scratch. Against formidable opponents, you do not want to suffer from lag or be running on minimum graphics when you are lining up for a head shot. You will want the best of everything when it comes to decking out your gaming computer, but it is your graphics card that is one of the most important items in this regard. So, get the best one you can afford. If your budget allows for it, get a top-notch motherboard with multiple PCI-Express slots (usually one with a larger form factor such as an ATX or E-ATX) then drop in multiple graphics cards (have identical ones just to be sure) for an SLI (Nvidia) or CrossFire (AMD) setup.
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ASUS 20th Anniversary Gold-Edition GTX 980 running in SLI.[/caption]Cranking up the beautiful details with smooth frame rates on a high-resolution display is a power-hungry job, so if you go down this route you'll need to upgrade your power supply while you're at it. Get more than you need, and that way you will be setting a good foundation for any upgrades or overclocking you perform on your setup.
And don't forget to cool your unit! If you are having trouble with your PC and decide to take a look into your cooling, some suggest to investigate CPU cooling before installation, whereas others choose to upgrade later (If you are leaning towards a small compact build, then definitely looking into this with great care). For most PC enthusiasts, liquid-cooling is the weapon of choice to combat heat. Other reasons being that it's fun, and the sense of satisfaction when your finished project runs and looks incredible.
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Custom liquid cooling jobs are a lot of fun. However, if you're just starting out or keen to get straight to the eSports action because you're not really that into hardware, but still want a system to look the part; try a compact all-in-one (AIO) that requires little setup. Or for the ultimate gaming experience on the go, a liquid-cooled laptop is not a bad idea considering your matches could last anywhere between 40 minutes and four hours!
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