With Halo 5 out and lots of competitions going on with millions of dollars at stake, there has never been a better time to get into professional gaming. We set some time to discuss becoming a professional gamer with Tom Taylor AKA Tsquared AKA Str8 Rippin as he’s referred to in MLG and online. Tom is an all-around cool person to talk to with years of experience in the professional gaming world.
At the height of your career how much practice did you have per day, how many hours a day did you dedicate to the game?
I would typically play anywhere from 8-14 hours a day and sometimes more during boot camps. 6-7 days a week.
Are there any exercises to help your agility or to keep up your reflexes good for gaming?
There aren’t any actual physical exercises I know of to improve your reflexes. It comes from playing the game and reacting to certain situations. However, I found physical exercise improved my overall confidence and energy which carried over into the game.
What is the best path to become a professional?
The best path to becoming a professional is start by becoming an active member in the community. Engaging with others around your same skill level or better is key because in a lot of titles you need to build a team. You only build a team by networking with others online in chat rooms, in game, or at tournaments.
What is the top gear used by the top teams in ESL?
When it comes to gear, you can see each team is sponsored by a certain peripheral brands or a company selling components/monitors. Typically the actual gear is provided by the organization (ESL/MLG) which also have sponsorship deals for their set ups. It’s up to players to bring their own peripherals, but for the most part you’re using what’s provided.
What are some tips to improve your game?
There are a number of ways to improve your game. Watching live streams is a great way to improve, especially if you’re watching someone who takes pride in teaching people as the stream is going on. Besides, it’s more about the quality of your practice compared to your quantity. Gaming should be fun. So if your take on fun is improving as much as possible, I’d stick to the competitive playlists and networking with others to make your gaming grind much more enjoyable.
