eSports are hot. This new and rapidly-evolving industry has brought a competitive and professional element to sports in new ways.
The professional eSports industry’s growth has been nothing short of incredible. By 2024, the eSports industry is projected to have almost 286 million hardcore enthusiasts and another 292 million casual viewers worldwide and to earn over $1.6 billion in 2024 revenue.
eSports gamers, teams, and tournaments certainly shine brightest in the spotlight of this fast-growing industry, but many other jobs can be great careers in eSports for someone who wants to work in the industry, but not as a streamer or gamer.
You might be wondering, what jobs can I do in eSports without gaming?
Want to work in the eSports industry but don’t want to be a professional gamer? Here are some great job opportunities for anyone looking to work in this growing job market.
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Work As An eSports Coach
No matter how good their gaming skills are, eSports gamers, like any athlete, need a coach. As long as there are teams in eSports, there will be a need for coaches, one of the most important jobs in eSports.
An eSports coach guides a team and its players, invents new strategies, and utilizes new gameplay ideas to carry their team to victory. A team’s eSports coach organizes everything in a team, from building up a roster to educating players.
To become an eSports coach, you have to have an extensive understanding of the game you want to coach in. You also need great communication and leadership skills to be able to lead your players to victory.
Work as a Game Developer in the eSports Industry
Gamers may be the focus of the eSports industry, but without games, there would be nothing for gamers to play. Game developers play a critical role within the eSports ecosystem, and their importance will only continue to grow.
Game developers are the companies that develop and create the video games played in eSports competitions. These companies, often called studios, range from small companies to large corporations.
The most well-known games are usually made by the larger companies. Activision Blizzard, the maker of Call of Duty and Overwatch, is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange.
Moving forward, developers will become more powerful as they become not only the makers of games but also the governing bodies for the sports of the future.
Become an eSports Recruiter
Much like coaches, recruiters will continue to be an increasingly important part of the eSports industry in the future.
As with other varsity or professional sports, coaches and teams will always be on the lookout for new players with exceptional talent to help build and improve their chances of success.
eSports recruiters on the front end of this wave must be flexible, responsive, and innovative to create a successful program.
They must be familiar with communication platforms like Discord and social media sites like Twitter where gamers spend their time communicating about their gaming with other players or spectators.
Work In eSports Endorsements
As the popularity of eSports continues to grow, so will the need to manage endorsements for the popular teams and players. As with other sports at the professional level, the revenue being generated by eSports is substantial.
This is a role that currently exists for other sports, so it will naturally continue to evolve to include eSports as well.
Since endorsements are usually handled by corporate public relations teams, training in PR, marketing, and advertising are good foundational skills to have in the area of endorsements and related areas of eSports.
Become an eSports Shoutcaster
eSports games and matches can be fast-paced and even somewhat confusing to viewers. Much like commentators for other sports, eSports shoutcasters are responsible for helping those watching the match or game understand what is happening.
As eSports grows and becomes more mainstream, viewers are going to rely on shoutcasters for their play-by-play commentary.
There are generally two types of shoutcasters, and it’s good to determine which one best fits your personality, knowledge, and preferences:
Play-by-play casting (“The Talk”)
If you like to hype up a play or talk about what is going on in an action-filled team fight in a game, then this is the role for you. You don’t need the most impressive game knowledge, though it is helpful. Something that makes a PbP caster stand out is the creativity that they bring to the table.
Color casting (“The Brain”)
Let’s say you enjoy more of the complex bits of a game, such as strategies, team compositions, decision-making, and sometimes a little judgment of the teams, then go no further than being a Color Caster. These members of the broadcast team have extensive knowledge about the game and the ability to explain it simply yet vividly.
Video Editor or Production in eSports
As long as there are eSports matches, there will be people who want to see the playbacks. Some viewers will also want to see compilations of players’ accomplishments, great shots by teams, and player profiles.
This means that video production and editing is a key role in the eSports industry.
Sometimes people don’t want to watch your entire gameplay. Their attention span is short, and they either need to solve a specific problem when they’re stuck in a game or they just want to get entertained by the most epic moments.
A good video editor can slice and dice raw gameplay footage into an engaging highlight reel or a video that tells the story of gameplay that will entice viewers and keep them coming back for me.
These are just a few of the non-gaming jobs available in the eSports industry.
I hope you found this information useful. If you have additional experiences or tips to share on a variety of different employment opportunities in the eSports industry, let us know in the comments below.
