When we play a game, especially an online game, we first start by understanding the rules, the mechanics, the dynamics, the interactions, and the goals of the game.
But we are all aware that some people are just better than most at doing this. In fact, some people are so much better than most, that they are always at the top of the leaderboards. They seem to always be winning and the only way to face them in a battle is if you were just as good as they are.
This is exactly what is happening with Momo. Momo is a professional Clash of Clans player and in his country of origin, Romania, he has been at the top spot a number of times in the past year, with his most recent placement being number 3 in the country.

When asked about what does it take to be at the top constantly, he said: “Believe it or not, I don’t play the game as much as other professionals in our country, but the time that I spend online I spend fighting in the online pool of players at my level and try to get my points up.”
When asked what are the benefits of being a top player are, he answered: “It’s primarily national recognition, as many players understand how hard it is in the first place to get at the top 10 in any country, and to do it constantly will definitely earn you some fans. There are also monetary benefits, as in you can participate in online competitions to win money. Of course, in order to do this, you have to be skilled yourself, as your opponents are also at the top of their countries. I can safely say that you can treat this game at the top level as a hobby job, for me at least.”
However, not only Clash of Clans has professional players and rewards for their fans. For example, in League of Legends there is an annual World Championship Competition, where the best teams around the world compete for the chance of winning millions of dollars:


As you can clearly see from the pictures above which showcase the first three teams of the 2018 World Championship in League of Legends, professional players can make a lot of money. And not just money, but also social recognition, which can boost their reputation and overall earnings.
Another game where being a very competitive player can earn you many benefits is Counter-Strike. Counter-Strike has given their professional players over 100.000.000$ in over 5000 online tournaments (esportsearnings, 2021).

However, Valve had been criticized about the lack of prize money in the majors they sponsored in the past, with the CS:GO prizes capped at $250,000. The criticism is due to Valve’s support of their other competitive game, Dota2, with their annual multi-million-dollar cash prize tournament “The International” able to grow the prize pool via crowdfunding. On March 29, 2016, CS: GO had their first $1 million tournament at the MLG Major Championship in Columbus, Ohio. At the 2016 eSports Industry Awards, CS: GO was named “eSports Game of the Year” (esportsearnings, 2021).
As you can see, being a professional player has benefits that come with it. The most noticeable benefit is that of prize money, which you can attempt to grab if you have the necessary skills to get it. But it is not just about the money: other benefits include popularity, respect amongst fellow players and in the respective communities of the games, and fans.
Article photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels
Sources:
Copyright © 2012-2020 Esports Earnings. All Rights Reserved.. “Counter-strike Global Offensive Player Earnings.” www.esportsearnings.com. www.esportsearnings.com/games/245-counter-strike-global-offensive. Accessed 15 May 2021.
Copyright © 2012-2020 Esports Earnings. All Rights Reserved.. “League of Legends 2018 World Championship.” www.esportsearnings.com. www.esportsearnings.com/tournaments/30411-lol-2018-world-championship. Accessed 16 May 2021.