5 things I wish someone had told me when I got my first job in esports
This is what I’ve learned after two years in the industry.
I’ve been working as an esports talent in the Philippines for two years now.
I started out as an esports correspondent and courtside reporter forThe Nationals,a franchise esports league in the Philippines. Then I went on to host several esports events and digital content for gaming. Most recently, I was the panel host forthe Philippines leg of Riot’s Valorant First Striketournament, and I hosted theEsports and Gaming Summit in 2020.
When I first started out as a talent, I assumed that my background in theater and commercial work would make transitioning to esports pretty easy. I assumed I’d read a script, memorize lines, and I did have some game knowledge and consider myself a huge geek – how hard could this be?
But like many fans, I didn’t realize the sheer amount of work shoutcasters and analysts have to put into their craft. Even esports hosting is quite a specialized skill, as esports fans are among the most dedicated, astute, and volatile fans you’ll ever meet.
Two years on, I’m still learning, but I feel like I have a pretty good handle on what it takes to be a good esports talent.
Here’s what I’ve learned over the past two years:
5. You don’t know enough about the game
You might think you know everything there is to know about the game, but there’s always more to learn. Knowing all the characters, weapons, builds, skills, and game mechanics is a given, but you also need an in-depth knowledge of past and present metas, and the ability to speculate on future ones.
Casters often have sheets of paper with various notes on player selections, character picks, equipment and builds, and so much more scattered around the desk in front of them. (And are pretty good at hiding it too!)It’s also the responsibility of the casters and analysts to keep up to date the game itself. This is quite important for games that frequently have new patches and release new characters, or for games with updates that almost completely change everything you already know about them. Game knowledge is the very core of a tournament broadcast.
Here’s a couple of things I do to improve game knowledge:
And yes, I do take notes! Lots of it. (And it’s a mess.) I often have notes for each character, their skills, when they’re used, when they’re not, and win conditions as the match progresses. All this information can be overwhelming, so I find that it’s helpful to take it in chunks. I usually go through the characters and skills first, then expand to items or weapons. From there, it’ll be easier to zoom out into combos and team lineups, and then add in the factor of time (early, mid, late game). But wait, we’ve only just started!
4. You don’t know enough about the players
Sure, you probably know your tanks from your marksmen, but you also need to know everything you may about the players themselves. You never know when an interesting piece of trivia like their favorite food could come in useful during an on-air interview.
It’s not just about knowing interesting facts about them either. Knowing the players allows you to create a narrative around them. Have they been in the scene for a while, struggling to make their big break? Are they a superstar addition to a team that’s had a lackluster season? Knowing the answers to questions like these helps shape the story around the players, the teams, and as a result, the overall match.
It only follows that you need knowledge about the teams as well. Things like roster shuffles affect in-game performance and team chemistry greatly. It also helps to know the team’s record and history, like whether they’re the underdogs or the dark horses in a competition.
Other than gathering all the in-game information about these players, it also helps to humanize the players themselves. Their personal journeys help drive the excitement around seeing these athletes play. Maybe they’re balancing their studies while being a professional player, or maybe they went through an interesting life experience that pushed them into esports? Viewers will most likely be able to tell what’s going on in the match, but it adds another layer to the overall broadcast to tell the stories outside of the game.
Here’s a couple of things I do if I’m talking about players I’m not familiar with:
Small talk came in handy during one broadcast, when I happened to chat up the management staff for a Mobile Legends team. Since they had already warmed up to this unknown reporter, they invited me to sit next to them while the first game was ongoing and I got their official comments on how the team was playing as it was happening live. Made for an excellent halftime report!
3. Story is king
Story is king, as the saying goes, and that rings true for esports too. Combine everything I said about getting to know the players, teams, and game together, and now it’s your job to tie it all together to tell the most compelling story for the match, series, tournament, or league. Casters or analysts need to find effective ways to tell the match’s story, even if nothing special happens in the match!
Esports broadcasters are writers too, as they get to dictate who gets the spotlight, who gets to be named hero, and who ends up being named villain. With this storytelling power comes great responsibility. Using the right words and tone is also important, as most organizers would want to remain neutral and take care of not offending anyone.
Here are a couple of things I do to get creative:
A lot of esports athletes can be quite shy and nervous around the camera, so it also falls to the talent to help them find their words. In one live interview, I asked a player to tell us how they managed to win a series with an unexpected lineup. Was it a secret weapon? Were they playing trying to confuse their opponent? “Well, that’s happened,” answered the player sheepishly, which I then turned into their action on pure instinct and gut feeling that an off-meta hero would work, and fate being on their side that day. It’s also our job to make them look good! And speaking of looking good…
2. How to look good and sound good on-air
An esports tournament is still a show, and to give a good show, you need good performers. This means looking good and sounding good when the broadcast goes live. Panelists and casters need to have stage presence and be comfortable on stage and on camera, especially when working on a live event. Effective vocal delivery is crucial in particular for casters, whose tone often needs to match the pace of the game.
Talents also need the ability to improvise well, as an event can be very unpredictable. Should something unforeseen happen, such as disqualification or an unexpected outcome, esports talents need to be quick on their feet with talking points and the right segues. On the technical side, you’ll probably also have a little voice in your ear letting you know when to stretch a segment or cut it short.
Here are a couple of things I do to improve stage performance:
Looking back at my earlier works makes me cringe so much. I notice that I tend to talk a lot faster when I’m nervous, so I like to take my spot a lot earlier than usual and have little dry runs, just to let go of some of the nerves. And if you’re uncomfortable, it’ll definitely show. So if your feet aren’t seen on camera anyway, I’d recommend wearing comfortable shoes!
1. The work doesn’t stop when the cameras do
Other than lots of research and lots of game time, a large part of the work as an esports talent is, well, work. And being professional is sometimes taken for granted in the exciting and rapidly growing industry of esports and gaming.
Here’s what I do to get into that work mindset:
The best esports hosts, analysts, and casters know how to combine all of the above advice together. There’s a lot of work that goes into the craft, but it’s powered by a lot of love for esports and for the game.
Oh, and the next time you check out a tournament, do give some love to the talent – we do see, read, and appreciate your comments!
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