Esports Players Can Be A Promising Career Choice For The Young Generation?

Illustration of esports players (Freepic)

JAKARTA - The world of esports continues to grow rapidly and proves that this industry is not just a temporary trend. If in the past many doubted its sustainability, now esports is getting more mature and becoming a promising career choice for the younger generation.

Mohammad Refie Fakhreno, Head of Esports Performance at EVOS, revealed that since 2018-2019 many thought the esports players would not last long. However, in reality, until 2024 the esports did not only survive, but instead grew much faster than expected.

"Initially, esports tournaments in Indonesia were only attended by local teams such as EVOS, RRQ, and BTR. However, over time, the esports ecosystem was increasingly professional with the existence of large international standard leagues," said Refie after the One Evos 2025 Parade in Bekasi, recently.

The competition, which used to be only on a national scale, now has a wider reach, attracting the attention of many parties, including sponsors and big brands.

This is also what Refie means when he becomes an esports player, it can be a promising career choice. The reason is, esports players are currently not only limited to competing in competitions.

The majority of them who are commonly called pro players also have many opportunities to gain other "cubes" to develop careers and earn additional sources of income.

"Many esports players later become brand ambassadors, content creators of gaming, to public figures in the digital entertainment industry. With this industry growing mature, the role of an esports player can develop like athletes in conventional sports such as football or basketball," he explained.

Each esports team now also has a talent management team tasked with fostering and developing potential players outside the competitive realm. Grooming and career management are important aspects so that players not only rely on income from tournaments, but also from various other occasions such as endorsement, streaming, and collaboration with brands.

"If you look at career opportunities for the next five to 10 years, not a few esports players are able to build their careers outside of competitive channels and remain relevant in this industry," he said.

Refie also emphasized that esports is not just work, but also passion for many players. Therefore, this industry continues to develop by adapting to new changes and opportunities in Indonesia and the world.

In the next five to ten years, he is optimistic that esports will be bigger and more mature like other sports industries. The increasing professionalism, esports ecosystem offers a stable and promising career path for young players who want to pursue this world seriously.