How to Be a Better Gamer

With around half of the world’s population playing games, there is a lot of competition. Thanks to online multiplayer modes, we can easily compare our performance to that of others. This is something that can be incredibly humbling, especially if you quickly discover that you aren’t as talented as you thought you were when playing single-player games.

Don’t let that discourage you though. Most of us have to start somewhere and it’s likely that the people who are beating you online have spent significantly longer honing their craft. The good news is that you can also level up your gaming skills. Just follow these steps and you’ll be competing with the best in no time at all.

What makes a person a gamer?

A gamer is someone who engages in interactive games, most notably video games, tabletop role-playing games, and skill-based card games, for extended periods of time. Certain gamers are competitive, which means they participate in certain games for monetary gain. In certain jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word “gaming” refers to legalized gambling, which may take conventional or digital forms, such as online gambling. There are several gaming communities worldwide. Since the Internet’s inception, numerous communities have taken the shape of Internet forums, virtual communities on YouTube or Twitch, as well as in-person social organizations. Initially a recreational activity, it has developed into a job for some. Globally, there were an expected 3.24 billion players in 2021.

Here Are Some Ways on How to Be a Better Gamer

Almost everyone has dreamed of being a professional gamer at some point. Consider the following four tips for enhancing your game.

1. Read Up on Anatomy, Strategies, and Rules

Becoming a better gamer actually starts outside of whatever game you want to play. You should spend some time building a better understanding of its rules, mechanics, and different strategies. There are plenty of resources available for just about every game in existence, from ancient board games like chess to the latest video games.

You will find almost all the content you need online, with video walkthroughs, strategy guides, and other helpful advice. However, for older games, you can also turn to a huge library of books that have been written over the years. For instance, blackjack has been around for several centuries, so you’ll find hundreds of books written about different strategies, card counting techniques, and systems for reducing the house edge.

In comparison, for games like Fortnite, you’ll find more valuable information on the internet than you will in your local bookstore.

2. Watch Others

The next step is also one that involves research rather than playing. After you’ve learned more about the different strategies, you can go online to watch others play. Sites like Twitch and YouTube are crammed with people who make a living from gaming by live-streaming their gaming sessions, interacting with the audience, and commentating on their actions as they do.

This gives you an opportunity to watch how a talented gamer puts the theory you have learned into practice. You may also pick up new skills and techniques that you haven’t read about.

3. Practice

Next, it’s time to practice. There is no substitute for this, so you’ll need to be patient and stay committed. Professional esports players practice for several hours a day, just like athletes train ahead of each game.

Since you likely enjoy the game you want to get better at, practicing shouldn’t be too laborious for you. That said, you’ll likely go through periods where you struggle to make progress and this can be off-putting, but it’s important that you persevere.

Try to be structured in your practice. Set aside some time for it regularly so that you can be consistent.

It’s also important to remember that you won’t get better without stepping out of your comfort zone. So while it might be great to dominate in a game full of beginners, you’ll learn far more by competing against more talented players.

In games like Call of Duty, where the KillCam shows you how your opponent was able to attack you, you’ll be able to spot the mistakes you made that were exploited by a skilled player. Often, you’ll think that an object, like a wall or a vehicle, provides more cover than it actually does, leaving you far more exposed to attack than you believed you were. The KillCam, therefore, provides you with many learning opportunities.

4. Review Your Playing

As part of their regular training, esports players will view recordings of their games, just as a football coach would watch game tapes to find areas of improvement.

You can also adopt this technique to find what you could do better in the future. It’s difficult to do this while you’re in the middle of a game as you have too many things to focus on at once. Instead, recording your playing sessions and reviewing them at a later date gives you time to reflect on them in a calmer environment and at a more leisurely pace.