Gamers Make Money Playing Video Game Tournaments

The world of video game tournaments is chock full of tales of conquest. Computer experts who got one over on us all by going in nerds and coming away with plump bank accounts. Traditionally these "nerds" are young people, teenagers and young adults. People too young to purchase alcohol or even cigarettes have led the video gaming industry. But the industry has matured, and so has its players. Never fear, video games are still all the rage - someone in more than 65 percent of all households plays, according to the Entertainment Software Association.

Video games considered to be Real Time Strategy, First Person Shooter games, and Racing games, are call Electronic Sports. Initially played individually or in pairs at home on a gaming console, these games can now be played online with other people in neighboring communities, or in other countries. Tournaments have been organized and played online by Massively Multiple player Online Role Playing Games Massively Multiple-player Online Role Playing Games and can be played for cash. World of War-craft Global Arena, one of the most popular games, brought a sizable first prize of ,000 in 2010. Not a bad payout for participating in a game you can play from your basement. Professional level skills were, in the beginning, sharpened in places such as dorm rooms, basements and Electronics stores. When corporations began to realize the immense potential for marketing products directly to this rapidly growing segment of society, video gaming became a sport. Massively Multiple-player Online Role Playing Games utilize Avatars, or personalized characters, to allow the game player to move through the gaming environment interacting with other players and the virtual ecosystem itself. The object is for the gamer to control his or her Avatar as it combats various monsters, assassins, and terrorists, usually with the theme of good vs. Evil. The Avatar usually must also collect hidden objects for experience and points throughout the game. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to be an "expert" to play in these tournaments - there is room for all to enjoy the fun of online gaming. Some people have wondered whether the currency played for in these video games is genuine. It is indeed - players deposit real money into a trust fund on the gaming site using their bank cards, and e-check, or Pay Pal. Because these games require actual skill to win, and aren't games of chance, they are perfectly legal in most places. In 2008 the video game industry earned more than million in sales. A large number of expert gamers brought home sizable sums of money, having quit their full time jobs to play video game tournaments full time. In such a vast industry there are opportunities a plenty for those with nimble fingers and lightning reflexes.

Another area in which there is growing demand is Video Game Testers. Because video game popularity is at an all time high, video game companies are under a lot of pressure to thrust new games out to the public in record times. This means they do not have enough time to thoroughly test them. This is where Video Game Testers come in. Gaming Geeks volunteer to play and test the newest games before they are released to the general public and report to the publisher any glitches in the games. They get to play new games before anybody else, and the publishers get their games tested - it's a win-win situation. As video game tournaments are massively popular, the International Olympic Committee has evaluated Electronic Sports for inclusion as an Olympic sport.