10 Video Game Developer Roles You Didn't Know Exist
2. Competitive ESports Psychologist/Trainer
My dad used to say "the mind is a muscle, you need to train it as much as any other." Well, the brain isn't a muscle at all, showing how much he knows. Thanks for the misinformation, dad. We lost that pub quiz.
And he didn't specify it was a metaphor, otherwise I would have thanked him for the useful metaphor... because it is a useful metaphor. You need to train your brain to keep it sharp, but not literally. You'd scratch your skull.
There are three main facets to being a great eSports player. Number one is twitch skill - reactivity. Number two is mental acuteness - perception of stimulus. The last part? Psychological prowess. You need to know what your opponent is going to do, and proactively beat them to the punch. These three in unison are often called "The Ethos, Pathos, and Logos of Gaming."
Wouldn't you believe it, then, that a psychological trainer for eSports competitors is a position you can take professionally, teaching your disciples how to read not only the mechanics and objective elements of the game, but also to ask them to read their individual opponents and react accordingly.
If you know your opponent is typically aggressive and foolhardy, maybe invite them to rush into a trap. If you know they're careful and logical, do something completely mental. And if you know your opponent is my dad, maybe just trick him into another nonsensical semi-metaphor.
No, dad. A bird in the hand is worth exactly the same inside a bush, you nutcase.