We all dream of one day making millions off of what we love, or even just making a living! To play video games that will feed us, clothe us, and give us any material thing we could ask for seems impossible. Now it may not be impossible but living the life of a pro-gamer is no level 1 cakewalk. There are currently about fifty eSports games that hold official tournaments each season, and thousands of players in those tournaments. Do you think every one of them is a millionaire? Do you think every one of them is living the high life? Absolutely not! As a pro gamer of any kind, there are a certain set of rules that you must follow. It is a sport after all, and with every sport comes guidelines.

What we call eSports is a “form of competition using video games. Most commonly, eSports take the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players. The most common video game genres associated with eSports are real-time strategy, fighting, first-person shooter (FPS), and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA).” Participants compete in these game types in order to win championship titles and often…prize money.

To be honest, not all rules are that crazy or hard to follow, but there are quite a few that make the industry rather trying. Before you even think about becoming a pro gamer, or start beleiveing that their life is easy, just listen to these rules that eSports players have to follow.

25 What’s Your IP? Oh Yeah, There Is None!

No internet is to be used by players in any eSports event during a certain time frame. Oftentimes, you aren’t allowed to use your phone and you most definitely can’t use your PC for anything except playing the game. Everything is done over LAN in order to prevent online cheating. If you are found with a flash drive, not checked by an official, it’s means for disqualification. No outer interference or changes not approved by admins prevents multihacks, wallhacks, aimbots, triggerbots, colored models, no-recoil, lag switching, or sound changes.

For a very good reason, you won’t find anyone online at most eSports events.

It’s safe to say that during any event, you aren’t allowed to go to the restroom without being monitored by an admin or another official. During this time, you are a show dog.

24 Be Nice! You Are Reformed!

Who would have thought that being mean was a bannable offense? Pro gamers. This is the most enforced rule of all in most matches and games. While FPS venues have a harder time enforcing this, it seems that MOBA games are incredibly harsh when it comes to…well, being nice. They want such a strong team reinforcement that they often tell players that if anyone is caught harassing, trolling, or purposely offending another player, their entire team will be disqualified. This encourages teams to keep each other in check.

There are a couple of reasons to enforce this.

For one, being mean is often used to tilt other players, which is unfair. And another reason? Because it’s not nice! Anything that isn’t okay on the streets, isn’t okay in an eSports match, thug.

23 No Tube Tops

No matter what sporting event you go to, there is always a dress code. For smaller LAN competitions for entry-level kids, participants don’t have to wear team or club attire, but it is highly recommended. In both small events and the big eSports events, headwear is forbidden. At smaller competitions, anything vulgar, insinuative, offensive, or substance-related is forbidden on t-shirts. You aren’t even allowed to wear anything that supports or mentions any other sports team in existence (even if it’s not eSports).

When participating in the bigger eSports competitions, players must wear official Team uniforms during all on-site Matches and pre/post-match interviews. The logos must be shown at all times and hoodies are illegal. They also are not allowed to wear headwear (aside from designated headsets) or face masks.

22 Must...Know...Englisho

This isn’t true 100% of the time, but when it comes to regional matches, all members must know English. Fluency isn’t necessary, but the ability to communicate with admins and opponents is. The ESL (or Electronic Sports League) states that “the official language of this national section is English. All players should be able to communicate in English and to do so.” By this national section, they mean NA. Which means, anyone entering in an NA region must speak English. Surely when having tourneys in South Korea, players must speak Korean and when in Germany, they must speak German.

It may sound rather bias, but in order to decrease chaos, it’s important the tournaments are done in the same language all around. Wanna run with NA eSports players? Learn English. Wanna compete in Germany? Learn German!

21 Beat By A 6-Year Old

The ESL stated that for the game CS: GO, “an ESL Account can only be created if the user is at least six years old.” As for most major eSports events, such as LCS, the players must be 17-years-old. But for EU tourneys, it is stated that, “this shall not prevent Teams from signing Free Agents who have lived 16 full years, granted that they may not participate in an LCS Match until they have lived 17 full years.”

This means that you can participate as part of your team, but as far as promotions and finals go, you aren’t allowed to play until you are 17. This is very difficult for players because the ones with the most time on their hands for this type of endeavor are under 17. The ones who have become adults most likely have full jobs and can’t afford to get started in the industry.

20 No Girls Allowed

Yes, it would definitely be known if no girls were allowed in eSports. But would the world be told if no girls were brave enough to participate? Let’s see, in LCS, there has only been one girl in the history of successful teams. Her name was Remi, and she left for personal reasons. It’s not because the women aren’t as skilled, but because they can’t handle the discrimination.

Counter-Strike veteran Heather ‘sapphiRe’ Mumm refuses to use voice chat because of the snide remarks thrown at her, “…immediately I'm called a hacker. Because there's no way a girl could be that good.” Kaitlyn Richelle, a professional StarCraft 2 player says, “I'm starting on Gold Nova, people are insanely toxic if I ever say anything, or they're very patronizing. I stopped playing CS:GO. I do not play that game alone. I will not play that game alone, even though it was my second favorite game after StarCraft."

19 Lord, I Was Born A Gambling Man

This is one that could easily result in immediate disqualification. While many legal outsiders are allowed to bet on eSports events via third-party companies, 99% of the time, it’s out of the question for anyone who is participating to bet. Although, it’s becoming more and more common for events to illegalize it entirely. The major reason for this is because most viewers are underage. But the reason that participants have been sworn against it is primarily because it could result in throwing games. Why wouldn’t you if you could win more money in a bet than the actual competition?

If someone who isn’t participating wishes to bet, they must make sure that it isn’t against the rules or they’ll be out more money than they put in.

18 The Second Great War Commences

An entirely new set of rules was released for CoD: WWII just a few months ago. This kind of lets you know the type of restrictions that are set on games that the players spend hours practicing on. They must learn to play the games an entirely different way for tourneys. For example, for WWII, turrets are outlawed when used on other players. Why? According to the World League, “Turrets provide players the ability to disregard their weapon choice and earn kills in engagements they may not have otherwise been prepared for.”

Other things that are also outlawed are incendiary shells because they make shotguns unfair.

Worlds believes that shotgun classes should be for close-combat alone. These two are the major no-nos for CoD: WWII, but there are over 20 more weapons and class features that are illegalized in competitive play. Just goes to show you how playing at home is a hundred times different than playing in a tourney.

17 Fan Service Or Starve

So how do they make it if they can hardly make a living in tournaments? Turns out, most of their cash comes from fans. Donations on Twitch or Patreon is what keeps them going. But in order to get donations, they need fans. It takes more than skill to do get them too. They often do giveaways online as a marketing tool. Again, Jesse "RuFF" Hall has a little tip, "I've seen people who have T-shirts, they do giveaways. I think some of the most famous streamers are the ones who sit back and give away most of the stuff the sponsors give them. There are a lot of ways to market; it's just about being creative."

In short, if you want to be an eSports player and you get tired of ten cent ramen, then you have to gain a fanbase and become an internet personality.

16 Gamerz Doo Nut Kno De Wey

This is the biggest letdown to those who want to get involved in eSports! The truth is, making money via tournaments is not something that occurs too often. Take it from Jesse "RuFF" Hall, StarCraft II player, "A lot of fans think we make a lot. But really, the pro-gamers don't make that much. Tournaments are where you can make a lot of money, but if you see a pro-gamer streaming almost all the time that usually means they're not making much. E-sports isn't as big as a lot of people think it is when it comes to that aspect."

If you don’t believe him, listen to this: in his career, he’s only earned $3,571. We’ve heard of waitresses making more than that during the month of December.

15 Oldies Not Allowed

Remember RuFF that we keep talking about? Well, he turned 32 in September of 2017, and this is what he has to say, "Technically, for my age, I should have retired already. A lot of pro players will retire probably around 25 and start actually living a normal life. Players that are a lot older kind of think outside the box; they make new strategies because younger players mechanically are so much faster. But the thing is, they always catch on. Older players get dethroned by younger players because they take the stuff they do and then do it better."

If you haven’t reached 20…25…30…35…then you have no idea what it’s like to be someone that age. Did you know that at age twenty, your brain literally starts deteriorating and you lose brain cells every single day? Think it’s all in our heads? Truth is, your lungs also start to go downhill shortly after teenhood. So, no it isn’t against the rules for 30-year-olds to play, they just won’t make it. People want “fresh”.

14 Get In Shape, Maggot

Speaking of that age thing, did you know that in order to really become your best in eSports, you have to train that body? But will getting abs help you out? Nah, what players prefer to focus on is those hands. Doctors recommend doing hand and wrist exercises every day if you plan on gaming for long. If you are playing for more than thirty minutes, you should exercise between every single game to prevent carpal tunnel.

Most successful competitive teens have their own exercise regimens and menu plans involving balanced diets arranged by their captain.

An eSports health professional named Taylor Johnson says, “First and foremost, the primary objectives are to enhance your overall performance, health, and wellness, reducing the risk of injury and extending game longevity.”

13 Topped With Empty Promises

Back to RuFF, who seems to have had a rough (pun unintended) career as a gamer, "You never know who is out there and what their objectives are. If you look at Quantic Gaming, for example; The owner promised quite a bit to his players, capitalized on it, they got extremely famous, he didn't pay out, and then they just kind of disappeared. But over time, as more and more of that happens, the players are more inclined to recognize it. The first thing I'd do is make sure I get paid on the first of the month."

What does this mean for gamers? That those who go pro must put their trust in a small pocket of people who will promise them the world. If they let you down, it will feel like years have rushed down the drain and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.

12 Training Harder Than A Navy Seal

For eSports players, gaming is literally their life. But not only that, as it’s their job, their livelihood. So, of course, they will spend over 40 hours a week playing. But many teams get so intense that they will spend over 100 hours a week training. “Being pro is time-restrictive,” Team Liquid player Diego “Quas” Ruiz says. "To stay competitive with other pro teams, you can’t stop playing.”

Members of SK Telecom T1, reigning champs of League of Legends, admit that they spend anywhere between 12 to 16 hours each day playing. As you can imagine, this leaves little time to sleep. The health risks alone, paired with a sedentary lifestyle, are incredible. However, it is said that your region actually effects how much you play, “If someone [in the US] plays 30 games a week — that's just a random number — a Korean would play 70-80 games,” Korean Chae “Piglet” Gwan-jin of SKT says.

11 Fine Dining And Breathing

You may have already gathered this, but as an eSports player, the game must be your number one priority. This is the reason all of those Korean champions spend all day long playing. The downfalls of this mindset is more than simple health risks. Not having time for family, non-eSports friends, or lovers, can take its toll. Did you know that people who have loved ones and spend time with them actually live longer?

One proven fact is that people in a relationship have a better chance of recovering from heart surgery.

But in general, people who feel emotionally valued will have a lower chance of getting sick! This is especially true for young men (the majority of participants). The number one repercussion of not having close relationships is “depression and rapid mental decline” at a young age.

10 Learn, Relearn, Flame

Online games are forever changing, that’s why it’s the pro player’s job to constantly learn and relearn the game. Ask any eSports pro and they will tell you that’s one of the most frustrating things they’ve encountered. It seems that every couple of weeks, there’s something new to learn about your favorite game. Just imagine you’ve spent hours upon hours perfecting a certain element of the game. Then, suddenly, you must relearn all that you’ve accomplished because a big change is headed your way right before the competition begins. Now, what if that million-dollar prize pool were at stake? Talk about self-harm.

As one writer named Eric Van Allen puts it, “The NFL might bump the PAT line back to encourage more two-point conversions, but they’re not altering the geography of the field to make kickers obsolete in favor of an entirely new position.”

9 Sponsor Work Is Your New Favorite

I kid you not, the thing that takes up the most time besides training is sponsor work. This is one you don’t often hear about, but Diego "Quas" Ruiz od Team Liquid admits that they spend up to 20-hours a week solely on sponsor work. This includes promoting products from Red Bull, HTC, and Alienware.

He expected most of what was thrown at him when he joined the team, but he says, “To be honest, I didn’t expect how much sponsorship work that I would have to do.” The reason for this is because all broadcasting rights go to Riot Games, unlike other sports where players will receive shares. Sponsor work is usually what pays the bills and keeps them alive. They may live off of Totino’s Pizza Rolls and Red Bull for weeks due to their sponsors. They may use nothing but Razer ware in order to have new equipment, as long as they advertise."

8 Find A Solid Team

This may seem like a given, but the point is, no one really makes it as a Free Agent. If you don’t have a team, you can hardly get sponsors and you won’t be able to efficiently collaborate. Now that you already know how they make money, it’s easy to see why it would be nearly impossible to become a successful eSports player without a team.

The way to find a team is to make yourself known and available.

It’s kind of like that day in college where all of the Sorority girls walk around campus and scout potential members depending on who has signed up. In order to get picked, you have to “fit” into the mold. Most of the time, the eSports teams will find someone who has dropped out of another successful team rather than taking a chance on newbies.

7 Live With The Team

Though not all teams have houses, at least 90% of them do. Most of the time, they spend a good majority of the year and definitely the entire season in the same room. This has caused countless arguments, and why wouldn’t it? You spend 24-hours a day with someone, you’re going to get into fights that nearly tear you apart. I don’t remember who it was that got into a huge argument that caused someone to leave the team, but I believe it involved either Aphromoo or DoubleLift off LCS.

Anyway, they had been locked up in-house eating takeout and never getting any exercise for weeks when someone broke. It all came down to one person who refused to take breaks and another who needed some fresh air. In the end, one member was kicked from the team over the ordeal. Guess if you want to make it, you’re going to have to endure the stress of your own team.

6 Be Like Mike: Be Likable...Pretty Simple

Since we’ve confirmed that to make it big you have to get sponsors, it’s easy to figure out that you also need to be likable. It seems like skill is what is needed, but in actuality, being friendly and easy to connect with comes first. When out of season, the only way for players to make money is through their fans, as stated. When you’re boring or cruel on Twitch, no one is going to want to donate! So you have to step up your game and make yourself presentable.

If you’ll notice, the more popular teams make it to the finals of championships.

That may be because of their skill, but if you go further back than that (more entry level stuff), those who set up the brackets will first and foremost accept teams that have a large fanbase.