From Professional Gamer to Rookie Developer

It's no secret that almost all individuals love games to varying degrees. For some gamers, such as myself, we love games so much that we find ourselves competing in them. As a competitive Super Smash Bros player since 2012, I have found myself with quite a list of unique and interesting experiences.

First, professional players like myself devote a significant portion of our time crafting and refining our skills. When I first started, I would practice for about 10 - 15 hours a week and then enter 2 or 3 tournaments a week. A typical tournament would last about 4 - 5 hours and would usually be anywhere from 10-45 miles away. As a newer player, I didn't expect to get far enough in bracket to make a profit and for the first year I never did. As time passed and I got better, I started making (minimal) profits. I also spent less time training because I started optimizing my training. Instead of spending 15 hours learning various tech skill and studying other characters, I would spend 3 - 4 hours practicing one NECESSARY tech skill and familiarizing myself with distinct play styles.

Once I received proper training from other professional smashers, I ventured out on my own and started playing against some of the best of my region. As I gained more experience, I learned the needed fundamentals to keep up with the best as well as learning how to keep calm in high pressure situations. Naturally, the better I got the more resources and better practice I earned since now more (and better) players would want to train with me. My passion had finally paid off when I was ranked as a top Smash Bros player in the Northern California Division on three separate occasions. After spending years competing in this series, I have reached a point where I can naturally compete at a certain high level and the rest falls on how often I practice to refine my skills.

Now as I enter into my profession, I will be devoting less time to the game but It will always have a special place in my memories. Being a professional gamer has intensified both my passion for gaming and my determination to someday create my own successful day. More importantly, I hope someday to develop a game that will also create its own community. A community full of passionate gamers whom come together to both play and form everlasting bonds.

Picture of me at a tournament. I'm the one on the right.

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