As pro gaming takes off, so do esports careers

Not all of us can make a living as professional gamers in the Overwatch League. But Justin Choy’s gig may be the next best thing. He’s the content marketing manager in charge of videos and social media for Gen.G, the esports organization that operates multiple teams — such as the Seoul Dynasty, one of the franchises in Activision Blizzard’s new Overwatch League.

It’s the kind of job that didn’t exist a generation ago, and the 28-year-old Choy is one of the few people who could do something like this, according to his boss, Arnold Hur, chief growth officer at Gen.G, which was formerly known as KSV eSports. As esports grows from $906 million in 2018 to $1.65 billion by 2021 (according to market researcher Newzoo), new kinds of jobs are being born in its ecosystem.