The days are gone when we used to play physical sports in the name of tournaments. Ever since the evolution of the internet and competitive gaming, we have been introduced to the wonderful idea of esports, short for electronic sports.
Unlike physical sports, esports are played in the digital world. Players compete against one another in popular gaming titles such as Dota 2, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and Valorant. Plus, esports gaming tests skills like reflexes and strategic moves, which makes them just as exciting as physical games.
The best part about esports is that you can practice right from the comfort of your home. All you need is either a console, such as a PS5, or a PC, and a reliable internet connection to get yourself started.
If you wish to practice for esports tournaments at home, here is a culmination of what you can do:
Always remember: your gaming skills will always be as good as your gaming setup, which is why you need to pay a lot of attention to it.
Firstly, as I mentioned earlier, you must ensure that you have a high-speed internet connection at home because esports tournaments are always online. It’s also important that the internet connection is lag-free so you don’t experience a high ping rate/latency during your gaming sessions. A good rule of thumb is at least 100 Mbps internet for your online gaming sessions at home. Most internet plans in the US, such as Comcast internet packages, include this speed in their basic tiers, making it reliable and budget-friendly.
Secondly, test your gaming equipment to see if it is well-suited to your gaming needs. You need a high-performing CPU, a competitive GPU, and an ample amount of RAM to ensure that your games run smoothly.
You can only take part in a tournament if you have mastered your favorite game. For instance, if you have grown up playing Tekken just like me, then you can put all that experience to good use and enroll in a tournament.
Keep in mind that you need to practice regularly at home to make sure that you are ready to compete. You can head to the online mode to play with people from all over the world.
You can also stream at professional esports tournaments to learn from them. Be observant of player strategies that you can implement in your gaming. For instance, Tekken fans can watch all EVO tournaments and take inspiration from Arslan Ash, a Tekken player from Pakistan, who reached where he is today. There’s a lot to learn and a lot of patterns to analyze from watching professional tournaments.
Also, don’t forget to familiarize yourself with all the rules. This way, you can avoid making mistakes if you ever do make it to the real deal, and you can win a nice, clean game.
There’s no tournament without teamwork and spirit, right? This is why good idea to make a team to start with some serious esports practice. Look for teammates with whom you can build trust and collaborate. Maintain constant communication with them, something that you can easily practice on while you are at home or in an online campaign.
Encourage teamwork to create a positive atmosphere for your team to thrive. It also helps to build confidence among each other and stay united as one unit.
Preparation doesn’t only mean to work on your resources to ensure victory, but also to have a champion’s mindset. Set clear goals for the entire team to achieve, and work proactively on achieving those goals. Make sure you track progress to see who is lacking where.
Organize mock tournaments with your teammates to simulate a competitive vibe and pressure. It can help you and your team cope with the anticipation and pressure that usually arise during a real esports tournament.
Do keep in mind to maintain your physical health, but in esports tournament, mental strength and decision-making are what matter the most.
That’s everything you need to know about practicing for esports tournaments at home. Just be sure to put all these points into action, and you’ll see the difference in yourself and your team’s performance!
