- Malaysian player Inferni shares his experience in working as an esports athlete
- The player had to take some part-time jobs at first but considers becoming a full-time gamer
- Inferni is a passionate gamer and thinks of working in the industry even after he retires as a player
Muhammad Saiful “Inferni” Aujang talks about working in esports and the benefits and difficulties such a novel job offers.
Inferni – A Passionate Player With A Knack For Gaming
Malaysian player Muhammad Saiful “Inferni” Aujang shared his experience of becoming a professional esports athlete and discussed the choice of being a professional gamer as opposed to working a traditional job. The player gave insight into both the benefits and difficulties he faced.
Inferni rolled out of high school, thinking he was prepared to face life head-on. However, armed only with the Malaysian Certificate of Education, he quickly found himself struggling to land a job. In the end, he settled for a position in a factory where he packed baked goods for about a dollar an hour.
However, the gamer wanted more from life and oriented towards esports. He was a good player since high school and boasted being among the top Dota 2 players in Malaysia. The player shared that his mother was reluctant at first and didn’t want him to pursue professional gaming as she didn’t consider it a real job. Inferni started part-time work to reassure her that everything is going to be okay.
Inferni compared his income from traditional work to his winnings from esports. It turns out working a traditional job only earned him about $290 a month – almost two times less than the $480 a month he started gaining from gaming. At first, he played Dota 2 but quickly reoriented himself toward the mobile MOBA Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
The Malaysian gamer reveals that esports requires raw talent instead of a degree and isn’t as easy as some may think. He revealed that it’s a bit difficult for solo players and that there is a merit of being a part of a team. Inferni joined RED eSports, where he had a $120 salary plus bonuses for performance and a portion of the tournament winnings. Sometimes Inferni would even receive some promotional merchandise as a bonus.
HomeBois Was Born
As a Mobile Legends player, Inferni got to meet the manager of Terengganu – Tuan Azrin Izzuddin Tuan Abu Bakar. The latter was later tasked by entrepreneur Nureddyto to form a new esports team that was eventually named HomeBois. Inferni was recruited to the team along with his younger brothers Muhammad Aizat “Ijat” Aujang and Muhammad Irfan “Sepat” Aujang. This finally led to Inferni’s parents warming up to the idea of their sons working as esports athletes as long as they can stay professional. Together with two other players – former Terengganu member Muhammad Nazhan “Chibii” Mohd Nor and Muhammad Haniff “Anipp” Abdul Rashid.
HomeBois ended up in second place during the online qualifier of MLBB Professional League Season 7 and made it to the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round.
Tuan Azrin Izzuddin has received other offers but has declined them. He feels at home with HomeBois and likes how supportive Nureddy is to players.
The management doesn’t take a share from the players’ prizes – another benefit for the members.
Inferni considers going full-time esports athlete next year. He considers becoming a coach or analyst once he becomes tired of being a player. The Malaysian competitive gamer is happy that society as a whole is more welcoming to esports and gaming.
As esports is becoming a part of the norm, we will see even more people who are interested in a career in the industry. As of now, aspiring players can choose among numerous games to compete in. Competitive games vary in genre and offer something for everyone. There is also a myriad of positions other than an athlete in the ecosystem, and each talented person who doesn’t want the pressure of playing competitive but loves gaming can surely find another suitable position.
