I read Ninja’s new book on professional gaming — these are the 6 most important things I learned

By

Ninja Tyler Blevins in StudioRed Bull

The internet and streaming video have created a world where gamers can reach a larger audience than the most popular authors, but the world’s most recognizable professional gamer, Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, has taken the time to write a book and share his tips for improving as a player.

"Get Good: My Ultimate Guide to Gaming" is designed as a reference for all things gaming. Ninja offers advice on how to build your own gaming station, how to improve in your favorite games, and how to turn gaming from a hobby into a career.

Though he became a global phenomenon with the release of "Fortnite" in 2017, Ninja has been competing in video games for more than a decade. His early beginnings as a "Halo 3" player with the now-defunct Major League Gaming grew into a multi-million-dollar career and earned him a place on Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people of 2018. He’s appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," shared play sessions with Drake, and even appeared in a Super Bowl halftime commercial.

Read more: This 28-year-old makes $500,000 every month playing ‘Fortnite’ — here’s how he does it

While his rise to stardom seemed sudden, it’s also the product of hard work, dedication, and a well-managed brand. Blevins streams for a live audience almost every day of the week for eight hours or more, and at his peak his schedule would include 12-hour sessions. That doesn’t include time spent managing equipment or editing videos for his YouTube channel.

The work does come with a pay-off though — Ninja has reportedly earned more than $500,000 per month from streaming and in-person appearances, and gaming companies pay him to help promote their new releases. In March, Electronic Arts reportedly paid Ninja $1 million to stream "Apex Legends" on the day it was released.

As someone with a few years of experience in esports, I read "Get Good" to see what sort of insights Ninja could offer to people who want to start their own career in professional gaming, or just improve at their favorite games.

These were my six biggest takeaways from Ninja’s book:

1. Getting good at a game involves learning strong tactics, developing a long-term strategy, and staying consistent.

YouTube/Ninja

Gaming is a fun pasttime, but there are a few things that separate casual and competitive players. Competitive players are constantly expanding their knowledge of the game and finding new ways to improve how they play. Ninja borrows knowledge from Sin Tzu’s "The Art of War" to define this competitive approach with two main pillars: strategy and tactics.

Tactics are the techniques you use in specific in-game situations. Sometimes that’s knowing how to use a certain weapon, or the best place to stand on the map. Understanding tactics will give you an advantage in the crucial moments that make the difference between winning and losing.

Strategy is a long-term game plan that defines the way you play. Your strategy will impact your decision making, like choosing when to play aggressively or stay on the defensive. An effective strategy takes multiple tactics into account and should be consistent enough to win over and over.

2. Real practice requires more than just playing your favorite game for hours.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Anyone can spend hours playing a game and see some improvement, but setting yourself apart from the average player requires a more thoughtful approach. You should always dedicate some time to practicing specific skills in your game of choice to to ensure that you’re improving every time you sit down to play.

In "Get Good," Ninja makes a basic analogy comparing gaming to a regular sports practice. Sports teams don’t just play against each other during practice, they use specific drills to focus on improving individual skills.

"A good practice session involves playing a match, reviewing it, taking notes, doing a drill, and playing another match to see if you can improve on whatever you think your biggest weakness was," Ninja writes.

Practice means taking time to learn new tactics and develop a strategy that suits your strengths.

3. Just like other careers, teamwork and networking are essential for success as a gamer.

Epic Games

Even the best gamers need help from other people to share their talents with the world. Many of the most popular games in esports are team-oriented, so the top players need to learn how to play well with others.

There are certainly benefits to being a team player. Good teammates can offer advice to help you improve, and developing tactics as a team can let you focus on your strengths while your friends help cover your weaknesses.

"Think of the people you genuinely enjoy playing with. Chances are, they’re good teammates," Ninja writes. "They don’t take their frustration out on others, they know how to take constructive criticism, and they have the same goals as you, whether it’s ‘have fun’ or ‘get better.’"

If you’re hoping to build an audience with your gameplay, you can team up with other streamers on YouTube or Twitch to build a larger fan community too.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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SEE ALSO: Ninja ditching Twitch for Microsoft’s Mixer was a brilliant decision

Source: Business Insider – kwebb@businessinsider.com (Kevin Webb)

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