Are you looking to take your VALORANT skills to the next level and become a professional esports player? The world of VALORANT esports is expanding, providing opportunities for talented gamers to demonstrate their abilities and compete against the best.
However, becoming a top player necessitates more than just playing the game; it necessitates dedication, practice, and a thorough understanding of the game’s mechanics and strategies.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to become a VALORANT esports player in 2023. From skill development to tournament participation, we’ll cover everything you need to know to take your casual VALORANT gaming to the professional level.
Prepare to reach your full potential and join the ranks of the world’s top VALORANT players.
Roadmap to get into VALORANT esports
Here is a complete roadmap to becoming a professional VALORANT esports player:
1) Practice and improve skills
The first and foremost step to becoming an eSports athlete is to practice and improve on your gaming skills.
Here are some ways you can work on to improve your skills:
- Play regularly: Make sure to play VALORANT regularly to stay familiar with the game mechanics and maintain your skill level. This will help you get comfortable with the game and develop your muscle memory.
- Focus on different game modes and maps: Try to play all different game modes and maps in order to get a good understanding of the different strategies and approaches needed for each.
- Study strategies: Read articles, watch videos, and study professional players to learn about different strategies and tactics. Try to incorporate these strategies into your own gameplay.
- Analyze your own gameplay: Use replay tools to analyze your own gameplay and identify areas for improvement. This will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses and give you a better sense of where you need to focus your efforts.
- Work on specific skills: Choose a specific skill or aspect of the game you want to improve, such as sniping, and practice it regularly until you’ve mastered it. Especially in VALORANT, you should master a particular role among Sentinel, Initiator, Duelist, and Controller.
2) Join or create a team
VALORANT is a team-based tactical shooter and you must come up with a solid team to begin your esports journey. You may either establish a new team or join an existing team.
Creating a new team can be a little challenging as you will need to hunt for serious and skilled players while also improving yourself.
Here are some tips to help you effectively create or join a team:
- Look for like-minded players: Try to find players who have similar goals, skill levels, and play styles to your own.
- Utilize online communities: Utilize online communities, such as forums, Discord groups, or Reddit, to find potential team members. You can also use these communities to advertise your own team and attract new members.
- Create a detailed team description: When creating a team, be sure to create a detailed team description that outlines your goals, play style, and the type of players you are looking for. This will help attract players who are a good fit for your team.
- Establish clear communication: Once you have formed a team, make sure to establish clear communication channels and protocols for how you will communicate with each other during matches and practices. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards a common goal.
- Set achievable goals: Work with your team to set achievable goals that everyone is committed to. This could include working on specific skills, participating in local tournaments, or practicing regularly. Having shared goals will help keep everyone motivated and working towards the same objectives.
This is how you can put together your dream VALORANT team. However, if you want to join an existing and successful team, it is also not an easy task.
To join a team, you will need to meet a number of requirements. You might have to put in more work to meet those requirements so that you can play at their level and significantly benefit the team.
3) Follow professional players
If you want to develop into a professional athlete, it is crucial to emulate such players.
You should observe experienced VALORANT players to pick up tips, tricks, and approaches from them. To stay abreast of the most recent developments in the competitive scene, you can also follow professional teams and competitions.
Here are some of the best esports athletes to follow on social media, including YouTube and Twitch.
- TenZ
- ScreaM
- Shroud
- Asuna
- aspas
- Yay
- cNed
- ShahZam
- Wardell
4) Build a network
Developing a strong network of people in the esports space is critical for becoming a successful VALORANT esports player.
A network enables you to learn from more experienced players, connect with potential team members or sponsors, and stay up-to-date on industry trends and events.
Here are some pointers to help you establish a network:
- Attend events and tournaments: Attend local gaming events or tournaments and network with other players, coaches, and industry professionals. This is a great way to meet people who are passionate about esports and make valuable connections.
- Offer to help others: Offer to help others in your network by sharing information, providing advice, or connecting them with others who can help. Building a strong network is not just about what you can get, but also about what you can give.
5) Compete in online tournaments
Participating in local and unofficial online tournaments can pave your way to official and LAN tournaments.
Your participation in tournaments is critical for capturing the initial spotlight and attracting professional team recruiters.
Competing in online tournaments also boosts your confidence and gives you experience in competitive gameplay. You get the chance to deploy your strategies and improve yourself.
Many such tournaments are organized on a regular basis by various organizations in the space. You can follow their social media handles to stay updated.
Usually, there are open qualifier rounds in such tournaments, giving you the chance to register your team and compete with others.
You shouldn’t pay too much attention to the prize pool if you are just starting out in esports. You should participate, viewing it as a chance to gain experience and demonstrate your gaming prowess.
6) Stay up-to-date within the community
It stands to reason that in order to take advantage of opportunities quickly, you must stay current within the VALORANT community.
To stay up to date on new competitions and meta-changes, you should follow VALORANT’s official social media accounts, particularly the esports-specific ones, leading VALORANT news sources like Gamingskool, and most notably the VALORANT official esports website.
7) Maintain a professional attitude
Maintaining a professional attitude is a key soft skill to elevate your career in any field. In context of esports, it plays a much significant role.
This soft skill includes being reliable and dedicated, as well as being respectful to other players and industry professionals.
Here are some pointers you may embrace to maintain professionalism:
- Be punctual.
- Communicate effectively.
- Be a good sportsman: When your opponents win, congratulate them and accept defeat gracefully. This will assist you in developing a positive reputation and making a favorable impression on others.
- Improve continuously.
8) Reach out to team recruiters
If you want to join an already existing team, you should reach out to their team recruiters.
Usually, a professional VALORANT team has a team recruiter whose job is to find talented and dedicated players who can contribute to the team’s progress.
If you are confident about your gaming skills, you should certainly try reaching out to teams.
You may contact them via email, social media messaging, or on any community platform like Discord.
Best VALORANT teams to join in 2023
Now, if you have decided to jump into VALORANT esports, you may want to add some of the best teams to your wish list. Here are our top recommendations based on regions:
North America
- 100 Thieves
- Sentinels
- Cloud9
- Shopify Rebellion
- G2 Esports
- Knights
Europe
- Acend
- Alliance
- Apeks
- Fnatic
- Team Liquid
Turkey
- BBL Esports
- NAVI Celestials
- Parla Esports
- Digital Athletics
- FUT Esports
Korea
- CNj esports
- Dplus
- DRS
- F4Q
- Rio Company
Japan
- BLUE BEES
- Crazy Raccoon
- DeToNator
- DRX GC
- FAV Gaming
Southeast Asia
- Alter Ego
- Aricat Esports
- Bleed eSports
- Paper Rex
- Made In Thailand
- Attack All Around
- BOOM Esports
- Talon Esports
South Asia
- Enigma Gaming
- Global Esports
- Orangutan
- Revenant Esports
- Velocity Gaming
Brazil
- Before
- LOUD
- Liberty
- Keyd Stars
- Team Liquid Brazil
Latin America (North)
- Border Monsters
- FiRePOWER
- Ryze Gaming
- Skull Cracker
- 19esports
Latin America (South)
- Furious Gaming
- 9z Team
- Leviatán
- Optix
- KRÜ Blaze
Middle East & Africa
- 3BL Esports
- Bravado Gaming
- Fox Gaming
- Greekay Esports
- Falcons Vega
- MLC Esports
China
- EDward Gaming
- Totoro Gaming
- TYLOO
- FunPlus Phoenix
- NTER
Oceania
- Dire Wolves
- Fury
- Mindfreak
- PEACE
You may visit Liquipedia to learn more about each team.
Note: Unless the team prohibits it, players do not essentially need to be in the same region to enroll in a specific team’s roaster.
Perks of becoming a VALORANT esports athlete
You could gain the following advantages by playing VALORANT professionally:
- Financial rewards: Esports athletes earn a significant amount of money from various sources in addition to the winning prizes. Some of the major sources include streaming on platforms such as Twitch and YouTube, and sponsorships.
- Fame and fans: The VALORANT community is quite vast and playing exceptionally means you are influencing a notable number of gamers in the community. Hence, esports can give you fans and eventually make you a celebrity in the community and beyond.
- Professional growth: If you haven’t begun your professional career yet, VALORANT esports can be the first step towards it. You can grow your career in gaming.
- Travel opportunities: Esports tournaments are often held in different locations in the globe. As an esports athlete, you get the chance to visit those locations, usually free of cost.
- Entertainment and fun: Esports tournaments, ultimately, means gathering of so many gamers of around the same age group. You can make new friends and have entertainment and fun.
How much do professional esports players make?
Esports athletes have a wide range of earning opportunities. Many people believe that the winning prize is the only source of income for esports players; however, this is not the case.
Before showing you an amount, you should take a look at the top earning sources for an esports athlete:
- Prize money
- Sponsorships
- Salaries
- Streaming
- Content creation
- Endorsements
- Tournaments and events
All these revenue streams for esports players are significant. In fact, some top VALORANT esports players have earned over $150K as prize money only.
In addition to several perks as mentioned earlier, once you become a recognized name in the industry, you will start earning more than your expectations.
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Some FAQs related to entering VALORANT esports
What is the minimum age for VALORANT esports?
You must be at least 16 years old to play VALORANT and also enter the esports space.
Can you make career in VALORANT esports?
Yes, it is possible to make a career in VALORANT esports. With the growing popularity of esports, an increasing number of players are pursuing professional gaming careers, competing in organized tournaments and events. To become a successful professional player, however, significant dedication, skill, and effort are required.
Who should think of entering VALORANT esports?
Passionate gamers with a competitive spirit may consider entering esports.
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