Esports jobs in 2025: Here’s how to make gaming your career

Love gaming? You’re not the only one thinking about making it your job. In 2025, esports jobs are more popular than ever, and the industry is packed with exciting roles. 

But getting hired takes more than just skill in your favourite esports games. With thousands chasing roles in coaching, marketing, events, and live broadcasts, the competition is real. 

So what kind of careers are out there, and how do you stand out? 

We break down what the esports job market looks like right now.

A career in esports in 2025 can take many forms. While pro players are the most visible, the industry is supported by thousands of professionals working behind the scenes. 

Here’s a closer look at some of the most common jobs in the esports industry right now.

These are the full-time competitors signed to teams for games like League of Legends, Dota 2, and Counter-Strike. They practice daily, take part in global tournaments, and often have streaming or sponsorship deals. 

Esports coaches work directly with teams to improve performance. They review gameplay, build strategies, run scrims, and give player feedback. For example, a League of Legends coach might study opponent tactics and create new training routines. 

Coaches are employed at both the pro and collegiate level, and these roles often suit people with a strong background in competitive gaming.

Managers handle the day-to-day running of a team: travel plans, scrim schedules, contracts, and tournament logistics. 

Esports directors, on the other hand, oversee entire programs. They work with coaches, manage staff, and handle business partnerships. 

Live esports events need production crews, broadcast engineers, stage managers, referees, and event coordinators. Companies like Riot Games and ESL employ full teams to set up venues, run livestreams, and manage logistics at major tournaments. 

As more permanent esports arenas open around the world, these jobs are becoming year-round career opportunities.

Marketing teams promote esports games, events, and teams to fans and sponsors. Roles include:

These jobs suit people with creative flair, social media skills, and a strong understanding of gaming culture.

Not all jobs in esports are behind the scenes. Casters, hosts, and analysts appear on-screen to explain the action during tournaments. Other creators produce highlight videos, write match reports, or stream gameplay. 

Many of them start on platforms like Twitch or YouTube and later get hired by teams or leagues.

Admins and referees enforce rules during esports tournaments. Some roles are on-site, while others are remote esports jobs. They manage match timings, review reports, and step in if disputes arise. 

These roles are essential for fair play, especially in large international competitions.

Esports organisations have expanded, creating more business and operations jobs. These include:

These roles mirror those found in traditional companies but are tailored to the fast-paced world of competitive gaming.

Many high schools and universities now have varsity esports teams. This creates jobs like collegiate esports directors, high school coaches, and campus esports coordinators. Some also teach courses in areas like esports management or production. 

These esports career opportunities are growing as more schools invest in competitive gaming programs.

Esports salaries in 2025 vary by game, region, and level, but the figures show a clear trend: top players are earning serious money.

In League of Legends, players in the LEC are doing well. The average salary is €240,000 per year (or $259,000), while the median is closer to €165,000. New players typically earn around €115,000 annually (Sheep Esports, 2025). 

VALORANT salaries are some of the highest in the scene. In North America, top players earn between $35,000 and $40,000 a month, which adds up to $420,000–$480,000 a year. In Europe, top salaries reach around $25,000 per month, with average monthly pay ranging from $10,000 to $12,000 (Dr. Rushindra Sinha, 2023). 

In Counter-Strike, things work a bit differently. Instead of listing individual salaries, Mauisnake (2024) revealed their total spending. Tier-one organisations are paying between $100,000 and $240,000 a month on their player rosters. That means individual players can earn $20,000–$50,000 a month, depending on their role and team structure. 

Esports jobs aren’t vanishing, but the market is shifting. There’s still a strong interest in making a career in esports, yet recent numbers show a slight dip in total roles.

Based on the latest games industry statistics, total positions in the industry dropped to 12,498 in March 2025, from 14,162 in August 2024 (Amir Satvat, 2025). 

That change points to a temporary slowdown in the esports job market, not a collapse. While esports career opportunities remain wide-ranging, some areas have taken a hit, particularly remote esports jobs. These fell by nearly 30%, hinting that companies may be focusing more on in-person or hybrid roles again.

Still, plenty of jobs in the gaming industry are holding strong. Asia continued to lead in esports industry employment, with more than 4,300 roles this year. Europe came in second, with over 3,200 roles, and North America came in third with over 3,100 roles. 

Some cities have even seen surprising growth. San Mateo, California, is one of the standout locations, with gaming jobs jumping from 115 to 299. Warsaw and Seongnam are also growing hubs. 

On the other hand, areas like Guildford and Leamington Spa saw noticeable drops, suggesting a shift in hiring patterns rather than a shrinking sector.

Yes, esports jobs are still very competitive. There are more roles now than in the past, but even more people want in. That makes the esports job market crowded, especially in popular areas like esports teams, content creation, and marketing.

Even if you’re open to moving anywhere in the world, the odds of landing a role as a new graduate or someone early in their gaming career sit at around 7% over a full year (Amir Satvat, 2025b). 

If you’re staying within North America, the chance drops to about 2%, and if you’re based outside of major esports hubs like Los Angeles or Toronto, it falls even further, down to just 0.3%.

Several things make jobs in esports hard to land:

The latest projections indicate that the esports job market is beginning to stabilise. After a few difficult years, things seem to be moving in a more stable direction.

Between 2022 and 2024, the gaming industry went through a period of heavy cuts. There were 8,500 layoffs in 2022, then 10,500 in 2023, and 15,631 in 2024, affecting a wide range of roles, especially in operations, publishing, and remote esports jobs (Amir Satvat, 2025c). 

In 2025, though, the numbers are looking better. Forecasts now suggest the total layoffs for the year could stay just above 7,000, which is a big improvement compared to last year. 

Earlier in 2025, monthly projections were still close to 10,000, but as new data comes in, that number keeps falling.

This change suggests that most of the major downsizing is already behind us. Companies seem to be adjusting to smaller teams, tighter budgets, and more focused planning. For people exploring esports career opportunities, this could mean more consistent hiring later in the year.

Some locations are also showing early signs of growth. San Mateo and Seongnam both increased their hiring, even during the slowdown. These cities could lead future job trends. Education is also playing a part, with more schools offering esports scholarships and academic roles.

There are more esports jobs out there now, but getting hired still takes real work. The competition is high, so it helps to build hands-on experience, grow a mix of useful skills, and stay active in the community. 

If you’re serious about working in gaming, staying flexible and focused will give you the best chance.