As the video game industry blossoms and expands, competitive gaming has become a more visible and more lucrative enterprise, even moving into mainstream media and television. The First Person Shooter genre alone has bred thousands of would-be "professional" gamers who's dreams of fame and fortune drive them to be the best in the world. Sports, strategy, and fighting games also have their own "cyber athletes." What was once thought of as just a hobby or fad has become a billion dollar industry.

Since it's inception, the World Cyber Games has featured the best players in the world competing in front of millions for their share of the substantial price money. WCG is now entering its seventh year, and the purse has more than doubled in that time, from $200,000 (US) in 2000 to $462,000 (US) in 2006 (WCG wiki). The Cyberathlete Professional League has already given out over three million dollars in prize money. Companies such as Major League Gaming sponsor young players with lucrative contracts and market them to the masses. Some professional players, such as Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel, even have their own brand of custom video game products, ranging from mouse pads and ID tags to video cards and mother boards. Now more than ever, gaming can truly become one's career, but can anyone be "pro"?

First of all, what makes a gamer "pro"? Is it winning highly publicised tournaments? Is it topping the online leaderboards? Is it literally making a living on your winnings? Many will beg to differ on this definition, but I think what makes a "pro" gamer is not their paycheck, but their skill. I might be wrong, but I'm sure there are many, many amazing video game players out there that don't make a dime off of their "abilities". They simply go about their day, owning the masses in between nine-to-fivers.

For a gamer to make a serious paycheck, he or she first of all has to play a popular, recently released multiplayer game. You can't get paid dominating a ten year old game, unless you live in Korea and play Starcraft. You can't make money playing with yourself either, at least not gaming. The most lucrative games are usually from established franchises. Halo, Unreal Tournament, Madden, and FIFA consistently have high dollar tournaments hosted in their names because they are played by the masses and support high octane, high skilled competition. Well what about the other games?

There are plenty of other exciting, highly competitive games that don't get the financial support and media coverage they deserve; either due to their lack of fanbase, or because the marketers don't believe it to be a "watchable" game. Despite popular belief, gaming can be an exciting spectator sport given the right audience. Even video games less popular than the Halo's and Madden's of the world can produce incredible drama. Watch and listen as the crowd erupts at Evolution 2004 after this amazing comeback during a Street Fighter match. It's akin to what one might here in a professional sports arena, albeit on a smaller scale. The prize money in this competition was substantially less than a Madden or Halo tournament, but are the players any less skilled? What about the players who don't compete in tournaments but still top the online leaderboards? A player reaching the pinnacle of their respective game shouldn't require a paycheck to validate the achievement.

So now that I've clarified my position on what makes a gamer "pro", I'll return to my original question. Can anyone be "pro"? How does one become the best is the world at a video game? Is it talent or is it simply shear practice and willpower? Some will say it comes from the right hardware and too much free time, while others might believe that true gaming talent can't be learned. I tend to be in the latter group. Sure with a top of the line computer or console and eight hours of practice a day, you could probably get pretty good at any game, but would you be the best in the world? Probably not. Something separates these select few from the rest of us average gamers. Maybe it's as simple as having more accurate hand-eye coordination. Perhaps it's their intelligence...or lack there-of. (I keed! I keed!) Whatever it is that makes a gamer "pro", not everyone has it. They are the best in the world for reason, but you know what I always say...better lucky than good.