Join the Republic - The first-time pro gamer experience

The Republic of Gamers “Join the Republic” Community Challenge elevated amateur gamers to a whole new level, giving them a taste of the pro lifestyle. The first-time pro journey was full of amazing, dream-fulfilling moments, but it wouldn’t be a competition without its own fair share of surprises and emotional experiences. 

Getting the royal treatment

Watch: Team France's bootcamp in beautiful Paris

For many, the entire experience felt practically unreal. The Grand Final in Sweden was in itself a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — Taiwanese player Arcadia said it felt like he was living in a dream. But there was more to it than just that: “We’ve been treated like princes,” French player LnR said in awe. From a bootcamp in a beautiful, snack-stocked Parisian apartment, to new gaming gear, to the culminating, all-expenses-paid trip to Stockholm, the pro gamer life was pretty sweet.

Everyone else was inclined to agree: Team Sweden went north to Jukkasjärvi where they received survival training, dog sledded, and chilled in an ice hotel. Team Poland got competitive at a Barcelona racing track, and Team USA hung out in the Las Vegas desert before taking a night helicopter tour.

Even meeting the pro captains and other players was a dream come true. This wasn’t just about new hardware or free trips, but also the opportunity to rub elbows with and learn from some of the best in the industry.

Watch: Team Sweden keeps it cool in ice hotels

Not all fun and games

Although the life of a pro gamer might seem like it’s all glitz and glamour, there’s plenty of grit, too. Before the competitions, individual players developed their own grueling training schedules; Australian player Shaun “Insanity” Speary practiced for up to eight hours per day, and Team USA's Waleed “something” Ali put in 120 hours before the bootcamp alone.

Fifteen year old Lucas "forcetolive" Alexandersson had a very strict, self-imposed training schedule

Swedish player Lucas “forcetolive” Alexandersson was even more regimented. On a daily basis, he committed to a minimum of a thousand kills in radar-less deathmatch mode with a variety of different weapons. Many players knew the importance of keeping their skills sharp in spite of the pre-Grand Final pro luxuries. For some, this was business as usual, but for others, this was the first time they had ever put in so much serious training.

Learning to adapt

By competition time, players quickly learned some unexpected lessons. For Aaron “Krazy” Kirkpatrick, the big surprise was adjusting to an unfamiliar mouse and mousepad. A gamer’s mouse may be one of their most personally-tailored items, but technical issues and other unforeseen circumstances can still suddenly leave their preferred gear unusable. If that happens, their gameplay can’t suddenly fall apart.

The first-timers also quickly learned how well they handled pressure. Some surprised themselves with how well they held up, while others were taken aback by how unexpectedly nervous they were. Waleed “something” Ali found the Grand Finals exciting, but too much so — his hands shook and compromised his in-game performance.

First-time pros didn't realize that the gaming booths might inhibit movement

Then there were the completely unforeseen obstacles, like unfamiliarity with professional gaming booths. Several players didn't realize that these could restrict their movement — although the stations were wider than the tournament standard, players using low mouse sensitivity still bumped into the wall. While this might be old news to seasoned pros, for first-time pro players it was a completely unanticipated situation that required quick thinking and adaptation. 

Dignity amidst disappointment

There are hard letdowns at any competition, but being in a Grand Final exposed everyone to the extreme highs and lows of victory and defeat. Immediately after Team USA’s loss to France, Waleed “something” Ali had trouble envisioning any kind of a future in pro gaming. “I honestly don’t want anything to do with CS:GO right now,” he said, pain from the defeat clearly still fresh. However, his stance has softened since then — he’s had time to remember how much he loves the game and wants to be a part of the industry.

Waleed "something" Ali took Team USA's loss hard at first

For others, losing simply galvanized their ambition. Team Sweden’s lolz1e and forcetolive know they're just barely at the beginning of their careers. Although the sting of defeat might hurt temporarily, they know if they stick with it there will be other opportunities to pursue their passion.

Proving it’s possible

Some doubted whether even the pros could take diamond-in-the-rough amateurs and polish them into the next CS:GO superstars; however, after seeing the finalists compete in Stockholm, it’s easy to forget that most were everyday gamers who qualified at conventions just a few months prior.

In spite of all the curveballs the competition threw their way, they handled it with incredible poise and perseverance, proving beyond a doubt that any aspiring pro can take their career to the next level. And, although only one team walked away victorious, all of the Grand Finalists were forever changed: they became stronger players, better teammates, and more inspired than ever to pursue the pro dream.

 

By Kimberly Koenig