What it takes to go pro at CS:GO
What does it take to go pro at Counter-Strike: Global Offensive? Beyond skill, there's dedication, sacrifice, and lots of hard work. But it's not merely about having the best aim or the most frags: those won't guarantee you a spot on a pro team. At PAX Australia just a few weeks ago, the Republic of Gamers "Join the Republic" community challenge finalists weighed in on what they believe it takes to go pro, and Captain SPUNJ elaborated on what he looks for in a team. Here's what they had to say.
Show your strats
Liam and Kat show their CS:GO strategies during the 1v1 qualifiers
Beyond good aim, crosshair placement, and playing corners, a CS:GO pro needs to devise great strategies. When should you keep your distance from an enemy? When should you play aggressively and rush in?
Adaptability is also key – as Focus mentioned during his interview, it’s critical to adjust your play style to your enemies; it’s not “one size fits all”. If you’re facing a slow opponent, you might want to play even slower; if they’re playing super-aggressively, you may want to set traps and make them fall into your snare.
You also need to be able to coordinate with your team members. Silence is a surefire way to get yourself – and others – killed. Communicating intel is crucial to the success of the entire group. And because there’s a shared economy, discussing purchases with teammates ensures there’s a coordinated plan for who’s using what items, which helps preserve money for later purchases.
Be knowledgeable
Tony "t0niac" warms up during the finals
SPUNJ noted that he was specifically looking for players with 5v5 map familiarity – they needed to have prior team experience. He also liked players who knew their config settings off the top of their heads. If you’re one of the many who rely upon custom configs, it’s easy to be hamstrung as soon as you switch to an unfamiliar computer. During the 1v1 qualifiers, many defeated players blamed their loss on different or missing game configs. That's one of the many reasons why it’s so important to know them well – you never know what machine you might be asked to play on.
Knowing the various roles in the game is also important, though there are benefits to both broad versatility and narrow specialization. A generalist, or a “fill”, who plays many different positions can help their team whenever there’s a skills gap among other players. But, as seen during the finalist recruitment at PAX Australia, sometimes a specific role is what’s needed: SPUNJ chose Liam “HPR” Miller as his fourth team member because he needed an AWPer – a sniper. But regardless of whether you choose to specialize in a particular role or spread your knowledge across many, having more than a passing familiarity with them is what distinguishes the pros from the rest.
Keep your cool
SPUNJ gestures in frustration during the 1v1s
As a pro, you need to keep your cool in a variety of situations: as SPUNJ noted, the pressure of being onstage or in a pro arena makes many players crack. "Toxicity” was also a recurrent theme from SPUNJ, Karath, and others – whether it’s rage-quitters, a bad attitude, or gamers who actually smash their equipment after a particularly frustrating battle, negativity is a huge issue among players of all stripes. “We’re looking for happy people,” SPUNJ said, and Karath echoed this sentiment in his interview. He talked about his enjoyment of being a team leader who keeps the mood up, encourages his players, and ensures everyone is having fun. After all, it's a game: what's the point of playing for hours on end if you're not having fun with good company?
Pro teams also spend lots of time together, so personality fit is especially critical. As one of the Republic of Gamers staff mentioned, the teams spend multiple days training, traveling, and battling as a group, first at a boot camp and then at the finals in Sweden. If they don’t mesh well, it can be a recipe for disaster. Not only does a poor team dynamic cause strife, but it can seriously impact morale and in-game performance as players begin to butt heads and oppose each other rather than working together.
Confidence is another interesting balance: some confidence is important, but one player can't be the biggest ego on the team. An egotistical player is a surefire way to destroy a healthy team dynamic, as they'll prioritize their success over the group's. Ultimately, being an amazing CS:GO player isn’t enough: you also have to be an exceptional teammate – willing to set your ego aside to help others succeed, even if it means getting a lower score yourself. In a 1v1 it may be all about your individual frags, but, as part of a team, you're working for the greater good.
Be in it for the long haul
A 1v1 challenger squints at his monitor in concentration
The pro gaming lifestyle is not for the faint of heart. Making the switch from amateur to pro requires consistency and incredible levels of endurance – a player can’t start faltering simply because they’re getting tired. Several of the 1v1 qualifier players quickly lost steam after just a couple battles – a sign that they might need a little more practice before going pro.
Contrary to popular belief that pro gaming is, well, all fun and games, the demands of the job are grueling: 10, 12, and even 14 hours a day must be spent training to stay sharp and improve your skills. As Karath mentioned, that level of dedication can be difficult for many aspiring pros: it's often financially unsustainable without outside support or sponsorship. This is perhaps the greatest shock for amateurs-turned-pro – they think that dedicating every waking hour to playing games is a dream come true, but then reality, fatigue, and burnout sets in. For many, pro gaming is fantasy job, but it's important to remember that it's also a serious commitment and a career, full of ups and downs like any other.
Do you have what it takes?
Marlin "VoXXer" gets in the zone during the final battle
Despite the often-touted belief that pro gamers are an elite and untouchable few, any gamer with a commitment to self-improvement, sportsmanship, teamwork, and the demands of the pro lifestyle has the ability to transcend the amateur bracket – and that's exactly why Republic of Gamers has been hosting "Join the Republic" community challenges at conventions all around the globe. Teams from the USA, Australia, Sweden, Germany, and online will be assembling at Dreamhack Sweden this January for the final, epic CS:GO battle. But the "Join the Republic" campaign is just the start: Republic of Gamers believes that any gamer, empowered with the right tools and resources, can become a pro. So if you have your sights set on pro glory, never fear: ROG's foray into the eSports arena has just begun.
By Kimberly Koenig
