He earns like a football player, and he doesn't even have to get up", sounds like a Montenegrin dream job, many would joke, but thanks to gaming, this sentence is very realistic.
Although so far our gamers who play PES have not reached that level, the results are getting better every year, so it is very certain that one day playing games that are a simulation of football, basketball, tennis or some other sport will be able to earn salaries that are far from that of the average citizen of Montenegro.
Until then, our gamers get into this mostly for the love of playing games, and one of them is an ambassador in PES Rade Pavićević.
Rade has been participating in numerous European and world competitions for years. Prize funds in PES are like those for Tekken7 and DOTa2, both at an enviable level, and for UEFU it was 100.000 euros twice, and Montenegro was a participant both times and won ninth place.
Our competitors were also at the IESF (International e sport ls federation) competition organized by the federation of the same name, which has 120 members, where they achieved 13th place. They were ninth in the GEF, and fifth in the EEF European Sports Federation, while excellent results were also achieved in the Sinalco League - third and fifth place. Gamers from Montenegro who play PES are the champions of the Adria region, so the year behind us was very successful for them.
"It was really a long year and a lot of competitions were held at national, regional, European and world level. I can say that I am and I am not satisfied. I am satisfied because this is only my second year to compete at a high level, and I am not satisfied because I think that in some situations I could have done much more, but I lacked luck so that everything would be as I expected," Pavićević points out.
It's a different experience when he plays with the team
Rade is a representative of Montenegro in the game PES 11 vs 11, but also in 1 vs 1 mode. When asked which mode he prefers and whether you are more happy when the team wins, or it is easier when you play alone, he answers:
"That's right, I am a member of the national team of Montenegro in 1 vs 1 and 11 vs 11 mode. I have been in 1 vs 1 mode for much longer and I can say that I prefer it, but 11 vs 11 mode brings a different experience, because there are 11 of us. guys who know each other and hang out and at the same time play and fight for the colors of the club and the national team," explains Pavićević, who is also a member of the Budućnost PES club, where he and the rest of the team managed to win third place in the tournament. He says about how the tournaments where Buducnosti plays and what are its ranges when it comes to gaming take place:
"I am a member of the Buducnost club, my favorite club. As you said last year we won third place. So far we are doing great, we are first in the table and I am sure that we have a team that will win all the tournaments that will be ahead of us this year", he is sure.
Bayern Munich is a compact team
When he practices for competitions in PES, he does not play exclusively with the national team of Montenegro or the team of Budućnosti. Sometimes, as he says, other clubs are also in circulation.
"It mostly depends on the tournament. For example, when we played the European Championship, we had to play with Montenegro. When it comes to other tournaments, clubs are chosen. I mostly played with Bayern Munich because somehow the team is compact and it just suits me to play with them. In the 11 vs 11 mode, I always choose Budućnost, except when playing with the national teams, then of course we choose Montenegro", said Pavićević and reveals who his sparring partners are when he practices:
"I mostly spar online. But for strong tournaments, the preparation phase is the best (when the person I'm competing with is next to me) and then the players from the national team spar with me. Still, it's the closest thing to what a competition looks like. Because the online game is different to play," claims Pavićević.
He also revealed why he chose PES and not FIFA, which is also popular among gamers, from the games dedicated to football:
"I have been playing PES for a long time. A long time ago, I opted for PES instead of FIFA. Simply, PES is closer to football, it is a real simulation of football, while FIFA is made more like a game without some reality with real football", believes Pavićević.
Free limited version
A new chapter of the PES franchise began in September last year. Namely, the company "Konami" last year's PES edition, renamed eFootball to switch to the free2play model.
This edition has limited content that will grow from season to season, that is, through updates. The first version of eFootball brings with it nine teams that will be available for the game through friendly matches in local and online format, and six stadiums are available to players - Emirates, Camp Nou, Old Trafford, Allianz Arena, Allianz, as well as eFootball Stadium. Cross-generational matchmaking will be available right from the start, meaning players on older consoles can play against those on next-gen hardware.
The interlocutor of the Magazine believes that the fact that this game will be free will affect its even greater popularity among gamers.
"It will have a big impact, because all free-to-play game franchises also have a larger audience, given that everyone is given the opportunity to improve their skill and stay playing it. And there is an increasing trend of free games that make money from skins and other accessories that go with them," Pavićević points out.
"For now, the beta version of e-football is in circulation, and an update will be released in March, and from next season we expect a stable version and a total transition of all PES21 modes to eFootball," adds the gamer.
As someone who had the opportunity to play both the old and new version of PES, but also FIFU explains the difference:
"PES and FIFA are totally different games because, as I already pointed out, PES is a real simulation and FIFA is a game made for the audience and is much easier to play. The transition of PES to eFootball made the game even more difficult and brought the mechanics closer to real football. Especially with the possibilities offered by Playstation 5", believes Pavićević.
It is important to train with world-class gamers
Success in competitions requires daily practice, so the gamer reflected on how much he himself spends playing PES:
"I play two or three hours a day outside of some preparation for tournaments, and when it comes to preparations for a stronger tournament, it's more hours with PES. Of course, as in everything, practice is important here, training is important, and training with gamers who are world-class, because that's the only way to progress", advises Pavićević.
In tournaments, a lot depends on the current concentration, but also on luck, and the gamer sometimes spends hours and hours in one position, in front of the screen with a joystick. However, our ambassadors do not find it difficult, on the contrary.
"True, sometimes performance in a competition depends a lot on concentration and luck. Luck was lacking at the last world tournament in Singapore. I can freely say that I was much better than the opponent from Vietnam, however, the ball simply did not want to go into the goal, luck was lacking in those moments. And it's not difficult at all, it's simple, I love that game, I love to play, so it's more fun than difficult for me", Pavićević admits.
Gaming still faces prejudice
In the world of gaming, there have long been professionals who are often treated like real athletes before competitions. About how far we lag behind the world in this matter, he admits:
"We are lagging behind a lot, but things are improving year by year. People here still think that playing games is a waste of time, but they don't know the real truth. "Many gamers in the world, and a few guys here, have professional contracts and have huge salaries compared to our standard," says Pavićević.
As he himself states, those who spent hours playing games were considered dangoobs, so gamers still struggle with these prejudices today.
"Unfortunately, there are still people who think it's a waste of time, but somehow they are more and more aware of the possibilities offered by gaming, whether through playing the game itself, programming or some other type of activity related to gaming," he adds.
In Montenegro, we also have professional gamers, but in some other games, while the situation with PES is not at that level for now.
"As far as PES is concerned, it is not very easy to reach a professional contract, but of course it is possible and I, as well as the other guys who play PES in Montenegro, will try to reach a contract with some of the world's clubs", promises Pavićević.
He, like other gamers, became interested in this branch of sports a long time ago.
"Like most children, I started early with games. There were various games, of course, but somehow PES became my favorite and I dedicated myself to it the most", he admits and reveals what other games he likes to play:
"Apart from PES, I would perhaps single out the game PUBG. She somehow became my favorite after PES".
SESCG enabled participation in numerous competitions
At the end of last year, Rade was announced as one of the ambassadors of the Electronic Sports Association of Montenegro, and the fact that they have support means a lot.
"I have recently become an ambassador of PES and I am very glad that my results so far have been recognized and of course I am grateful for that. The support of SESCG honestly means a lot. President Filip Šoć has done a lot of good things for us gamers and enabled us to participate in many regional European and world tournaments", praised the work of the SESCG magazine's interlocutor.
The association was founded in 2013, and Pavićević points out that the situation in gaming has changed for the better since then.
"As I already said, from some anonymous people we became recognized in the world as very strong players, regardless of the game in question and of course all this with the huge support of the Association, without which all this would not be possible", explains the role of SESCG Pavićević and reveals how engages in other than gaming:
"Apart from gaming, I'm graduating from the Faculty of Medicine," concludes the future doctor.
When we played the European Championship, we had to play with Montenegro. When it comes to other tournaments, clubs are chosen. I mostly played with Bayern Munich because somehow the team is compact and it just suits me to play with them
Free-to-play game franchises also have a larger audience, given that everyone is given the opportunity to improve their skills and stay playing. And there is an increasing trend of free games that make money from skins and other accessories that go with them
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