Page 10 - My FlipBook

A Tenuous Position

Although pro gamers make a comfortable living, their status is in-
secure. Players can be and often are dropped from the roster with
little warning. A poor performance in a tournament, a confl ict with
other team members, or simply the availability of a better player
can lead a team to release one of its members. For example,
Schmale spent only six months with Ghost Gaming, from June
2017 to January 2018, before being dropped. He was philosophi-
cal about his release:

This sounds very tragic and could nearly end a player’s ca-
reer, but this is a very common thing in the scene. Players
get released and switched around all the time. My advice
to young gamers that want to play professionally: You gotta
stay patient. You gotta stay dedicated. And understand that
it’s gonna take sacrifi ce, because there’s always another
person out there trying to take that spot. But I don’t have

any plans to give up the gaming career. I’m gonna bounce
back from this and make my mom and dad proud. 16

Bounce back he did, signing with PURE Gaming, another
American esports team, within a month. In all, Schmale played
for thirty-fi ve teams from 2011 to 2020.

Lifestyle Gamers
“My advice to young The lack of security in competitive gaming
gamers that want to is one of the reasons that some pro gamers
play professionally: You leave their teams or never join one in the
gotta stay patient. You fi rst place. Instead, they concentrate their
gotta stay dedicated. And
understand that it’s gonna efforts on building up a following on video
take sacrifi ce, because streaming platforms like YouTube, Twitch,
there’s always another and Mixer. These players are known as life-
person out there trying to style gamers. They are not active competi-
take that spot.” 16 tors; they are entertainers. They do more

— Michael “SpaceLy” Schmale, pro
gamer 30