Dota 2: Fear shares the cost of becoming a professional esports player

Dota 2 veteran Clinton “Fear” Loomis has just posted on a blog, discussing the topic of esports players careers. The 30-year-old TI champion talks about the costs of becoming a pro in esports and the pressures of the “illusion of age”.

“Currently, a lot of players, fans, and organizations consider players in their late 30s as players reaching retirement age,” Fear began. “Therefore, becoming a pro in esports, compared to other sports, is a bad investment for your future – even success. I’ve seen a lot of players lose confidence and retire because of the misconceptions set forth by the community.”

That’s why Fear said he was the best person to talk to on the subject. In professional Dota 2, he’s one of the few players to have passed the 30-year mark. We still have Joakim “Akke” Akterhall currently playing for Crescendo or Team Spirit’s ARtur “Goblak” Kostenko. But the vast majority of players of Fear’s age stopped attending tournaments in the middle of their 25s. They turn to cast, analyzer or coach. For some, it’s because such jobs are more lucrative. As for the rest, that’s the price of the cruelty that the game took from them. Because according to Fear, Dota 2 demands a lot.

“To become a professional Dota 2 player in the current era, you have to give up college and other career opportunities. You have to stick to the career you have chosen. Professional Dota takes up most of your time if you include travel and training to become one of the best teams in the world.”

So why are there so few “old” players in esports, compared to traditional sports. While training and moving in esports is a must, it doesn’t wear down fitness and tears like football. According to Fear, it’s not the games itself, it’s the way the game industry works and the way people know about it.

“There are many reasons for this, but the main reason is that traditional sport has not changed much. A lot of esports come and go over time. Obviously the vast majority of players can only be good at a certain game, and when that game dies, their future ends up the same.”

As long as that esports is alive and well, “age” isn’t a reason to retire, Fear thinks. In him, his reflexes are still there. And as long as you’re good at what you do, why quit when you’ve reached a certain age?

“It’s important not to feel limited or pressured by the ‘age illusion’ that people create and don’t know what they’re talking about. I know. I’ve been playing professional Dota 2 longer than anyone.”

According to VPesports