Violinist and music teacher Trevor Andrews lost his job at the end of March as his orchestral performances were resigned and his students also canceled private lessons due to the coronavirus. At the same time, Andrews claims to be an expert in the online video game Apex Legends, so he started educating players over the Internet, CNN concludes.
Plenty have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, but at the same time, fans who are familiar with video games can easily become full-time coaches. While it seems unusual to teach video game skills development, this trend has been observed for years and is becoming more popular as people spend even more time in their homes and playing.
“I can explain things well, just like when playing the violin, here you have to figure out what you’re doing wrong and how you could be better,” Andrews said.
Like any coach, video game coaches teach players how to apply better strategy and how to work in a team – the latter being especially important in online games like League of Legends and Overwatch, where players form a team.
Andrews estimates he earned $ 500 in March, which isn’t enough to make a living, but he estimates his earnings will continue to grow as he continues to advertise in online communities like Microsoft Mixer. The coach charges $ 25 per hour, while the three-hour one asks for $ 60.
Of course, video game consulting has existed before, but the current pandemic has created the right conditions to become better known, ”said Joost van Dreunen, founder of video game consulting and investment firm New Breukelen.
Rio Spersch, Canada, runs a company that teaches robotics and animation programs to children in community centers near schools. The founder said the loss of customers was a blow to his business, prompting him to look for alternatives, so he expanded his previous coaching activities in March and earned $ 1,300 in three weeks, he said.
Video game coaches can advertise their services on multiple platforms, the two most popular being Fiverr and ProGuides. ProGuides said the number of coaching sessions purchased rose 25 percent in March, while Fiverr saw a 43 percent increase. GamerCoach, the European gaming platform, said sales rose 60 percent in March.
