Dropout makes big bucks playing games

[EPCrew]

Text

Dropout makes big bucks playing games

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

JUPITER, Fla. -- When 18-year-old Tom Taylor dropped out of high school because he wanted to play more video games, most people were skeptical. Now he's known as Tsquared on the gaming circuit. He's earning six figures and has product endorsements and a video game tutoring business.

He's one of about 100 professional gamers associated with Major League Gaming, a video gaming league founded in 2002. When they're playing well, pros might bring home a few grand a month.

"I take risks," he told The Palm Beach Post. "In order to get paid, you have to take risks. I think I took the biggest risk I could take, dropping out of school to play video games, and it paid off."

Six months after he started gaming full time, he signed his $250,000 contract. He also got a publicist, a financial adviser and media training.

"I guess some people are just born with talents in certain things," he says, "like Michael Jordan was born to play basketball. I feel like I was born to play video games."

 

[lokiju]

Grandma's Boy?

 

[wfbberzerker]

he makes a hell of a lot more than grandma's boy

 

[acemcmac]

I have a friend that's doing this. Playing with him now-a-day's is like going out golfing with your buddies when one of them is Tiger Woods 🙁

 

[pontifex]

and whats he going to do when he starts to suck or gets carpal tunnel? stupid kid.

 

[EPCrew]

"New high score? wha-what does that mean? I don't know what that means... Did I break it? "

 

[MisterJackson]

Giving drop outs everywhere a valid excuse!

 

[slayer202]

Originally posted by: EPCrew
"New high score? wha-what does that mean? I don't know what that means... Did I break it? "

😀

very stupid. he can't play video games forever

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: pontifex
and whats he going to do when he starts to suck or gets carpal tunnel? stupid kid.

TF?

Well what happens when a bro baller gets his arm/ leg broken? Well hopefully he would have invested enough of his money to be sensible.

If he can do it fair play to him 🙂

Koing

 

[BrokenVisage]

Originally posted by: lokiju
Grandma's Boy?

 

[pinion9]

How hard would it be to be a professional gamer AND finish high school? Seriously, can this guy only do one thing at a time?

 

[darkswordsman17]

Originally posted by: pontifex
and whats he going to do when he starts to suck or gets carpal tunnel? stupid kid.

He hired a financial adviser, sounds like he's not so stupid. If he got a good one then he probably has plenty of money invested and setup in case something should happen. If I'm not mistaken, its possible for them to get insurance for just such a thing.

He'll be able to play video games a lot longer than a sports star could play sports competitively. Also, since he's basically pioneering a new sport, he stands to become something of a legend. While I personally could never play games as a career/job, I think people who doubt that it is a lucrative profession need to take another look. This is only going to get bigger.

 

[DaWhim]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17

Originally posted by: pontifex
and whats he going to do when he starts to suck or gets carpal tunnel? stupid kid.

He hired a financial adviser, sounds like he's not so stupid. If he got a good one then he probably has plenty of money invested and setup in case something should happen. If I'm not mistaken, its possible for them to get insurance for just such a thing.

He'll be able to play video games a lot longer than a sports star could play sports competitively. Also, since he's basically pioneering a new sport, he stands to become something of a legend. While I personally could never play games as a career/job, I think people who doubt that it is a lucrative profession need to take another look. This is only going to get bigger.

sound like they give him a financial adviser. I don't think he is smart enough to hire one for himeself.

 

[Sphexi]

Originally posted by: DaWhim

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17

Originally posted by: pontifex
and whats he going to do when he starts to suck or gets carpal tunnel? stupid kid.

He hired a financial adviser, sounds like he's not so stupid. If he got a good one then he probably has plenty of money invested and setup in case something should happen. If I'm not mistaken, its possible for them to get insurance for just such a thing.

He'll be able to play video games a lot longer than a sports star could play sports competitively. Also, since he's basically pioneering a new sport, he stands to become something of a legend. While I personally could never play games as a career/job, I think people who doubt that it is a lucrative profession need to take another look. This is only going to get bigger.

Sound(s) like they gave him a financial adviser. I don't think he was smart enough to hire one for himself.

Fixed.

What was that you were saying about how smart someone else is?

 

[DaWhim]

Originally posted by: Sphexi

Originally posted by: DaWhim

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17

Originally posted by: pontifex
and whats he going to do when he starts to suck or gets carpal tunnel? stupid kid.

He hired a financial adviser, sounds like he's not so stupid. If he got a good one then he probably has plenty of money invested and setup in case something should happen. If I'm not mistaken, its possible for them to get insurance for just such a thing.

He'll be able to play video games a lot longer than a sports star could play sports competitively. Also, since he's basically pioneering a new sport, he stands to become something of a legend. While I personally could never play games as a career/job, I think people who doubt that it is a lucrative profession need to take another look. This is only going to get bigger.

Sound(s) like they gave him a financial adviser. I don't think he was smart enough to hire one for himself.

Fixed.

What was that you were saying about how smart someone else is?

yea, I failed english.

 

[wfbberzerker]

oh by the way, YOU'RE A HOOKER!

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
Giving drop outs everywhere a valid excuse!

As if bill gates didnt give them that excuse 10 yrs ago

 

[Mo0o]

Bigget success story is still Fatal1ty, especially since he's gone past just gaming and actually turned himself into a brand. Pretty smart if you ask me

 

[Xyo II]

Originally posted by: slayer202

Originally posted by: EPCrew
"New high score? wha-what does that mean? I don't know what that means... Did I break it? "

😀

very stupid. he can't play video games forever

There are tournaments that professional videogame players compete in for very big bucks throughout the year. Tsquared is very well known among Halo players, and is in one of the strongest teams for the MLG tournaments. He's not pioneering a new sport, there are already dozens of gamers like him. I played a lot of MLG players in Halo2 (ones that played in the tournaments) on XBL (I worked nightshift, for a couple summers, not much to do 😉) and some LANs, and eventually made my way up the circles to play with the well-known players. A lot of fun, but not something I would quit college for 😉

 

[imported_bum]

Originally posted by: pinion9
How hard would it be to be a professional gamer AND finish high school? Seriously, can this guy only do one thing at a time?

Eh, practicing 4, 6, or 8+ hours a day and constant traveling for tournaments makes it hard. Doesn't mean everyone thinks it's the best choice, but this is an up and coming thing in the U.S. (It's already huge in Korea, etc). Yeah, I'm a gamer.