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  1. Games

Confessions of a professional gamer

Features
By Tyler_ Nagata published 22 August 2008

Find out how they got started and what it's really like to get paid to play

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

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GR: It seems like professional gaming is a young person's sport. What do you think? Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Laurent Keoula: In ten years, I hope to be working in some big company that has me traveling to different places.

Mike Stanowski: That's impossible to plan. But if I had to take an educated guess based on the present, I'll be a part-time professional poker player, which most my riches will come from, a personal trainer (big passion of mine), and I'm sure I'll play games for recreation. Besides that, I'm just gonna roll with the punches and do what I can to control my fate.

Yazan Ammari: In ten years, I see myself either finding a career, which branched off my gaming or a job in marketing.

Moe Assad: Gaming is for all ages, whether you're old or young. As you can see from CGS, the ages vary from 18-50. In ten years, I hope to have gaming as part of my life, but with a more realistic career because I can't be a pro gamer forever.

Garett Bambrough: You can say that if you want. But I know a lot of people who play that are extremely older...In ten years, this profession can go anywhere and I can only hope it goes up because it brings another form of competition to my life, which I so desperately need since I am really competitive. So far, everything has been going great and I only expect great things in the future.

Chad Neil: I definitely think that professional gaming is something that many young people can do. Being a pro gamer at my age is very convenient for me. It lets me go to college and not worry about having to get a job. Plus it's loads of fun. I see myself getting a normal job in a few years. But for now, gaming is what I'm focusing on.

Chris Harris: I would have to agree, seeing that you can't live off of the salary. In ten years though, I'll be done with college, living on my own and will hopefully have a family, because I'll be 34 in ten years.

Vanessa Arteaga: I think it's anyone's sport. Really, last year we had adults in their 40s and 50s competing. I don't have a set plan, but I guess we'll see in ten years.

Alessandro Avallone: I believe gaming opens a lot of doors in life and if you do your best you can end up doing anything you really want. I've traveled the world since I was 14 and have learned so many things. I would never regret any of my decisions... I'm planning to continue playing for a few years more. On the side, I have my business things going on and a lot of other stuff. We'll see what life is holding for me in the future.

Kevin Uribe: I seriously have no clue. One year ago, I had no clue that I was going to become a pro gamer and never even thought about it. Ten years is far away and I will be 33. I'm hoping to use my marketing degree in something related to videogames. It's not necessarily true that pro gaming is a young person's sport, because there are many people out there in their 30s competing.

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Aug 22, 2008


They shouldn't exist, but they do - avoid these gamers at all costs



Real employees tell their real stories - the good, the bad and the unbelievably horrific

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