在过去，玩电子游戏赚钱似乎是一个黄粱美梦。如今，越来越多的人正在成为职业游戏玩家。

 

From pixel representations of table tennis in the 1970s to modern day cinematic storytelling, video games have evolved a lot and become more immersive. But it's not just the graphics¹ and gameplay mechanics that have changed – it has also opened up a range of career options, including that of professional gamer.

 

When gaming first started, those who loved video games and wanted to make a career out of them often ended up as developers, testers or coders. While there were competitions, sometimes held worldwide, in which amateur gamers could win money or prizes, it wasn't really considered a career path until the late 2000s, when live streaming really took off and gamers became celebrities².

 

With e-sports now an integral part of gaming, what does a professional gamer's life look like? The key, according to many pro-gamers, is practice – the same with many sports. While choosing the best peripherals is important, such as the right controller or keyboard, most pro-gamers spend hours every day working out hacks³ to save time or improve their chances of winning. And it's not just while playing games that they need to be active, but also in real life. Exercising and stretching is vital to avoid injuries to their backs and wrists and preventing eye fatigue⁴ from spending long hours staring at monitors by taking regular screen breaks.

 

But it's not just the physical aspects that gamers need to be careful with. According to some experts, like Dr Phil Birch, while the physical demands of e-sports and traditional sports are very different, the psychological impacts can be similar: regulating emotions, dealing⁵ with pressure and big crowds, and overcoming injury are just some of the common factors.

 

So, while the life of a pro-gamer may sound fun with lots of button bashing, just remember that it takes a lot of discipline and hard work to do it full-time⁶.

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