10 Most Sought-after Careers & Jobs in Esports

Do you want to become a professional gamer? Are you looking for career opportunities in the eSport industry? Wondering what are the different types of eSports jobs you can pursue? Then, you’re in the right place. 

The eSport industry has grown with lightning speed over the past couple of years. If we talk about the numbers, it is soon to touch a whopping $1 billion milestone in the next few years. No doubt, why there is a huge range of job opportunities in this industry. From working behind the scenes of eSports to playing in eSports tournaments, there are multiple career options in this field. 

Most importantly, the eSport industry is looking for talented, creative, and skillful candidates who are passionate about esports and want to build a lucrative career in it. And have no doubt, gaming jobs can be quite lucrative, when you play your cards right. 

So, if you find yourself fit for these industry demands, then keep reading to learn about the different types of jobs in esports. 

10 Most Sought-after Job Roles in eSport Industry 

Here are some of the the best job opportunities to pursue in the eSport industry:

1. Become a Professional Player

If you are a hard-core gamer and want to build a top-notch career, then this is perhaps the best eSport and gaming jobs out there for you. You can become a professional gamer by playing in top tournaments and signing up with a a professionally managed eSports team. You will have to play professionally to win exciting prize money. 

Although the money to be made vary, the top esports players in the world earn hundreds of thousands of dollars every year by playing tournaments, participating in sponsorships, advertising, and so on. It is among the most popular gaming jobs today.

2. Game/eSports Developers

If you’re into eSports, then you know how many games get released every year. Not just the new games, but older games are also updated and revamped. For this purpose, there is always an increasing demand for game developers and game development jobs in eSport companies. This is the among the most interesting and lucrative jobs in this industry. 

If you’re a software engineer who is a fan of eSports, then it is a great opportunity for you. From programmers to project managers, there are a plethora of job roles required by eSport development companies. Online game development courses are a great way to get started with a career in this.

Nintendo, Electronic Arts, Rockstar Games, Sony Computer Entertainment, Valve Corporation, etc. are some of the top eSport companies stating their demands for talented game developers. Besides, many budding and mid-level companies regularly hire game developers from all parts of the world. So, don’t wait anymore and combine your passion for eSports and software development to build a successful career in this industry. 

3. eSport Hosts/Shoutcasters

Shoutcasters are commentators who offer live commentary during an eSport tournament and also take part before and after the match. Apart from this, they also take interviews with the top eSport companies, professional players as well as experts. 

Similar to other sports, there are mainly two types of eSport hosts or casters: 

— Color Casters: Those who provide supplementary comments following a highlight of the match. 

— Play-by-play Casters: Those who provide live commentary during the matches. 

Simply put, a host is the public face of an eSport tournament. They introduce players and matches to the audience and may also interview professionals to discuss and analyze the games. 

Just like a TV host, an eSport host needs to have very good communication skills to provide the audience with a fun and entertaining show. 

4. Team Owner/Manager 

This is an extremely rewarding job role in the eSport industry. Team managers are responsible for everything happening within a team, from hiring the best players, creating contracts, guiding players and staff, handling travel and accommodation of the team, dealing with brands, to developing partnerships and strategies for the tournaments. 

Moreover, senior team managers in an organization can also look after areas like business development and sales. 

5. eSport Admin 

Referees or admins make sure that an eSport match or tournament goes on smoothly and that all the rules and regulations are followed. 

These professionals usually work with event organizers, and team broadcasters, handle team or player disputes, organize tournament schedules, etc. 

6. eSport Streamer

These are mostly self-employed professionals. A streamer is a gamer who essentially records themselves playing live on a match and streams it online to an audience across various social media channels. 

Twitch is the most popular platform that is revolutionizing eSport streaming in the world. 

To become an eSport streamer, all you need is a love for the most popular eSport games and familiarity with technology, along with high-quality equipment like a high-performance computer, powerful graphics card, microphones, webcams, and most importantly a speedy internet connection. 

Starting a career for this role is relatively easy. You can start streaming on platforms like YouTube where you can build and grow a substantial audience with the help of social media promotions and good quality content. 

7. Marketing Executive/PR

A marketing executive or a PR (Public-relations) professional is required in all sorts of industries and businesses. However, they are in huge demand in the eSport industry. As we all know, eSport is a booming industry, which is still in the development phase and holds a lot of growth potential. This means, eSport companies want more and more people to know about them and this is where the need for great PR officers and marketing teams comes into play. 

The role of a PR professional is to make sure the eSport company comes before the audience in a positive light. In short, this job role involves managing and boosting the reputation of an eSports organization or an individual player. 

On the other hand, a marketing executive designs and implements solid strategies to boost the image of companies via channels like social media, television, radio, the internet, etc. 

While both job roles are different, their objective remains the same — the growing popularity of a company or an individual. 

As far as the wages are concerned, professionals with merely 2 to 3 years of experience can make around $55,000 per year on average. 

8. Sales Manager

Sales managers are again the most popular job category in the eSport Industry. These professionals are responsible for selling an eSport service or product to generate huge revenue for the company. 

For instance, a sales manager can help a company sell its product or ads or may help them collaborate with other eSport companies and players to grow its organization. 

They may also handle sponsorships. But how? Here is the answer:

Organizations love collaborating with the most successful eSport personalities and companies. Since it is in its development stage, small and mid-sized companies are looking forward to making themselves more visible in the industry. And hence, they sponsor tournaments and players and engage in other related activities. 

9. Production Crew/Broadcaster 

Broadcasting and production are an important part of all kinds of sports. However, it works slightly differently for eSports. You can say, it is a more special role in this industry. Generally, the production or broadcasting companies look at things like preparing sets, setting lights and cameras, shooting matches, and broadcasting them on various eSports channels. 

This is not just a standalone job, but it requires a team of talented and creative individuals who work hard to deliver a world-class show to the audience. 

10. Legal/Finance Experts

Legal experts, lawyers, solicitors, etc. are required by all the eSport organizations regardless of their size. These professionals help companies create and manage contracts, handle disputes, work on legal matters, and so on. Moreover, these are highly reputed professionals within an organization.

Furthermore, eSport companies also require qualified and experienced finance staffers to manage their cash inflows and outflows. Both of these are excellent job opportunities for someone with a good law or finance background. 

Now addressing the most important question — how to get a job in eSport companies? 

The first and foremost requirement for getting an eSport job is to have immense passion and love for the industry.

The required qualifications can vary from one job to another. For example: if you’re from an engineering background, you can apply for game development jobs. Similarly, if you’re from the management field, you can become a team or product manager. 

Online game development courses can be great first step to understand the fundamentals of the world of gaming and esports, and know how to build a career in them. 

If you’re passionate about esports and want to make a handsome living out of it, then there are great career options in this field. The popularity of eSport is growing like a wildfire and opens up several career opportunities for anyone interested in it. You can learn how to build a successful career through an industry-focused program in gaming & esports industry, like the upcoming Certificate Program in Gaming & Esports by Hero Vired and NODWIN Gaming.