Gaming
esports
Dota 101: Jimmy “DeMoN” Ho's Guide to Pro Gaming
The Dota 2 all-star speaks on how to get started on a career in professional gaming.
Jimmy "DeMoN" Ho speaking to students at UNLV
© Tom Nguyen
Just off the strip, where the bright lights of Las Vegas served as the backdrop, members of University of Nevada-Las Vegas’ 8-Bit eSports club stayed after class to earn some extra credit towards Dota 2. As part of the Red Bull Undeclared program, college students received a first-hand look at a career in esports competition.
On syllabus day, Dota 2 pro Jimmy “DeMoN” Ho provided students with an introductory lecture on what it takes to be a pro gamer. We’ve provided the lesson notes below for those of you who might’ve skipped the first day.
1. Get Noticed
"I was a pubstar before I got on my first pro team.” After climbing the ranks of pub matches Jimmy was asked to try out for a team, which would lead to his eventual stint as an original member of EG's Dota squad.
2. MMR Means Nothing
“If you take the top 5 ranked MMR players and put them on a team they would not be able to win a tournament.” A high MMR doesn’t necessarily mean you play well with others. Communication, intuition, and coordination (among other things) should all take precedence as opposed to focusing on your elo.
3. Don’t Get Cocky, Kid
“At the end of the day it didn't matter. I still got paid, I didn’t have to do anything.” As a result of his successful run with EG, Jimmy was receiving a steady paycheck and became complacent with his level of play. Never underestimate the fact that the person on the other end of the computer screen is working just as hard (if not harder) as you are. Lose your focus and you run the risk of being de-throned.
Jimmy "DeMoN" Ho Signing the 8-Bit Club Banner
© Tom Nguyen
4. The Strength of the Wolf is the Pack
Meshing well with your team is the only way to succeed, and it wasn’t until having played with multiple squads that Jimmy learned the true value of being a team player, “I wasn’t just wasting my time, it was wasting the time of my four teammates.”
5. Practice, Practice, Practice
Greatness isn’t achieved over night; Jimmy has logged over 4,000 hours playing Dota 2. As with any craft, if you want to be truly great, you have to be disciplined enough to put in the effort. On a long enough timeline, the dedicated will eventually best the natural.
Now that's tuition money well spent, right? Stay tuned into Red Bull eSports on Twitter for news on the next installment of Red Bull Undeclared.
