As the esports industry continues to mature, certain age-old debates around pro players continue to crop up. This time around, esports pros debated on Twitter about their relationship to content creation and how much they should do.
Cloud9 social media manager Mateus Portilho put out a “Take” Tweet about how much pro esports players should work on their social media presence and content creation. The post, which was later co-opted and amplified by Jake Lucky, caused many pros to give their own opinions on content creation while competing.
TSM’s Phillip ‘ImperialHal’ Dosen agreed with Portilho’s opinion, saying that it wasn’t even a hot take and “just facts.” The Apex Legend player is one of the most recognizable figures in his esport and has a track record of competitive success as well.
Take:Pro Players shouldn't be paid loads of money if they don't put effort on taking care about their image. Playing the game, practicing, and winning are not the only job of a Pro Player.Pros also have to work on their Social numbers, personal brand, and content creation.
— C9 porti (@portilho) March 9, 2023
CS:GO pro Robin ‘ropz’ Kool also weighed in on the debate, saying that some people at the highest level of esports don’t care enough to create content or engage with people on social media. He also added that social media plays a big part in signing a professional contract.
Agree & I'm sure everyone knows this but I think some people at a high level just don't care though. As long as you be yourself on socials and fans have a personality to follow, then that's the minimum you need to do. Especially if you know there's longevity to your career.
— ropz (@ropz) March 9, 2023
“You obviously get paid accordingly as in how big your brand is and how many people you can attract. A guy with 10k followers ain’t gonna get paid the same as a guy with 1M followers if they have the same skill level. That’s all part of negotiations,” ropz said.
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Should esports pros make more content debate continues?
Many people responding to the threads shared a similar sentiment that esports pros should be working on creating content and crafting a social media presence. But Kyrylo ‘ANGE1’ Karasov, a 33-year-old pro who has competed in Counter-Strike and Valorant, said that he has never focused on content and is in a good spot in his career despite it.
Never did this and im happy where I am now. To be honest I think its even make players worse in some cases.
— NAVI ANGE1 (@OfficialANGE1) March 9, 2023
A few pros also focused on the time commitment element to creating content after hours of practicing the game.
“Pretty unlucky that you have to be good at the game (which requires lots of hours and dedication and can also go unrecognized) and STILL have to build a brand/stream/community,” Disguised Valorant player Amgalan ‘Genghsta’ Nemekhbayar said.
With the changing landscape of the esports industry, content creation and its connection to gaming and esports is something that is still being revisited and debated even in its current state.