Turning passion into profession: Inside the life of a rising eSports star

At age 23, Saafwan Noor Walid has transformed his childhood love for gaming into a promising career in the world of eSports. Starting out with consoles gifted by his family, Walid honed his skills in FIFA, eventually competing in major tournaments and gaining recognition from top eSports teams. 

Now a student of eSports at Nottingham Trent University's London campus, Walid is not only a course representative but also the president of the eSports society, aiming to merge his passion for gaming with a professional future in the industry.

Growing up in Bangladesh, Saafwan recalls he owned consoles ranging from PlayStation 2 to PlayStation 5, including a PSP. His aunt and father gifted him these consoles, and his early gaming years were spent diving into story-driven games. Competitive gaming wasn't on his radar until 2018, when a shift in mindset began.

Walid's journey with FIFA started by watching his brother, who frequently played career mode and 1v1 matches. In the beginning, Walid would lose consistently, which fueled his determination to improve and become more skilled. The desire to succeed and turn these losses into victories became his driving force.

As he grew more serious about gaming, it was his brother who pushed him to participate in tournaments. 

The biggest challenge that I faced during my eSports career was breaking the social norm by thinking outside the box, to be someone who is different from the rest.

"You need to prove yourself," his brother would insist, encouraging Walid to compete in weekend leagues and division rivals. 

In a unique twist, while most families push their children toward academics, Walid's brother was fully invested in helping him realise his eSports dreams. Acting as his manager, his brother took charge of Walid's FUT account and other game-related tasks. Even Walid's brothers' friends encouraged him to enter tournaments, acknowledging his growing skill.

With increasing confidence, Walid entered his first tournament at the BASIS Expo. 

Before the event, he casually asked his family if they'd like to join him. To his surprise, they eagerly supported him, with his father even offering to drive him. His family spent the entire day at the tournament, witnessing the competitive world of eSports firsthand.

In the second round, Walid faced Oitijjo Mojumder from Red Vipers, winning 3-1. As the day progressed, he heard chatter about his name circulating among the competition. Despite losing 2-3 in his next match against Ador from Mercenaries, Walid's brother continued coaching him from the sidelines, offering advice on timeouts and strategy.

It was a pivotal moment for his family. No longer dismissing gaming as a waste of time, they saw the dedication, stress, and effort that went into each match. They realised Walid wasn't just playing — he was building a future. His aunt remarked, "Gaming is not just about gaming," and his parents felt pride in his hard work.

Walid's story took a significant turn when his brother posed a question: "If eSports were a subject, would you study it?" Without hesitation, Walid answered, "I'm ready for it." 

His passion for gaming, coupled with his professional mindset, made it a natural step forward.

His content creation career also gained traction. One of his FIFA reels, where he scored a goal with a goalkeeper, went viral with 45,000 views, catching the attention of notable content creators. He even received an offer from FCBloodlines, a top UK pro club, to join their ranks. 

Walid's growing reputation in the eSports community led to interactions with prominent figures like Ozilla and an invitation to FIFA headquarters.

Pursuing eSports studies

When it came to choosing a university to pursue eSports studies, Walid and his brother carefully evaluated the options, seeking institutions with strong industry affiliations. 

Eventually, Walid began his academic journey on 10 September 2023, at Nottingham Trent University's London campus. Starting with a class of just ten students, Walid quickly rose to leadership roles, being elected as both a course representative and student ambassador.

In his role, Walid advocates for improvements and new facilities, suggesting additions like a screen room or gaming hub for practice, streaming, and content creation. He also serves as the president of the eSports society at Confetti London, part of the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies. Confetti specialises in content creation across various industries, from music and TV to gaming and eSports, and is affiliated with major industry leaders such as Epic Games, Twitch, and Apple.

Walid's curriculum covers a wide range of subjects, including gaming analysis, production, and broadcasting. Students learn the technical aspects of event management, such as being directors, producers, audio mixers, and stage managers. Their studies also involve organising FIFA tournaments, adhering to a strict calendar to ensure events run smoothly year after year.

The journey after

Beyond gaming, Walid has been working towards certifications that will demonstrate his expertise in the broader field of eSports, including roles like analyst and caster. In the first year, students manage multiple shows, acting as hosts, camera operators, and planners. 

Walid has developed skills in creating workflows, floor plans, and event rundowns.
Looking ahead, Walid understands that eSports is a rapidly growing industry with opportunities beyond just playing games. His university offers job placements in roles like coaching, ensuring that graduates have a clear path forward. The university continues to guide its alumni long after they've completed their studies.

In the global arena, the eSports industry is booming. Dubai has recently introduced gaming visas and hosts one of the world's largest eSports tournaments. Saudi Arabia is also building an eSports city, with plans to participate in the eSports World Cup next year. For Walid, the future in eSports looks brighter than ever.

In an interview with The Business Standard, Saafwan tells all about how being an eSports player has shaped his life. Below is the Q/A.

What advice do you have for a student who wants to study eSports as a subject? What is the process? 

When people want to study this as a subject, what they need the most is family support. When a family understands the passion, their support becomes definitive. If the family understands your hobby and you want it to become a passion and then your profession, then there could be possibilities. You must participate in tournaments so that your family can see that you are winning and earning money and many other accolades. Then they won't hesitate to let you study eSports. If you just ask your parents for permission to study eSports just because you know someone who does, it won't work. 

Another thing is that people must know what game they are planning to play and which region has the server for the game. You must have an interest in the industry. You also must find out what the university is offering and what their results are and what the alumni are doing right now. I chose this university because they are based on FIFA. So, if you are playing a different game, you must make sure you are playing tournaments, games constantly besides studying. 

The prize pool is higher than FIFA and ICC combined. So, if you think you don't have a chance then you are wrong. If one can graduate, the possibilities for opportunities are limitless. 

What would be the overall costs?

It's around £16,250 per year. If you get a 50% scholarship, then that's £8,125 per year, which is approximately Tk12 lakh per year.

As an international student, I got a 50% scholarship after submitting the SOP. It was awarded based on my achievements. The minimum scholarship is 25%, but I received the highest.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced during your eSports career? 

I was focused on what I wanted. Then I told my elder brother about my goals and he guided me on a vision for the long run. The biggest challenge that I faced during my eSports career was breaking the social norm by thinking outside the box, to be someone who is different from the rest. Here in Bangladesh, we tend to follow the same lines which I never wanted to do. In Bangladesh, we have enormously talented people who are not only passionate about eSports but hold the potential to be the very best in the world. But the lack of proper infrastructure, guidance and social pressure tend to sway most of us from reaching our goal: to be a professional in this sector. In games the challenges were always to be better than the opponents. Solution was to practise as much as you can. 

What's next for you?

I haven't yet retired from professional gaming, in fact my journey has just begun internationally after coming to the UK. The global eSports market is estimated to be worth $1.22 billion. Here the opportunities are endless with all the biggest industries like Electronic Arts (EA), Riot Games, Ubisoft all located here. My vision after getting retired as an eSports player is to get involved in the eSports production sector of things. eSports is not only just gaming, but also about the whole industry – how to run a whole business, producing events is where I want to be after I retire from professional gaming. My degree at Nottingham Trent University is helping me achieve not only be better at gaming but to give me a career path in this sector after I retire as a professional gaming player.

How has being an eSports player shaped your life, both professionally and personally?

My passion for eSports has led me to places. From Bangladesh to the United Kingdom the journey wasn't easy, but it has shaped my life to achieve the unthinkable! I applied to one of the UK's best technological universities that deals with eSports: Nottingham Trent University. Got the highest level of scholarship which is the 'Excellence Award' Became the course representative of eSports in the first semester. Now the president of eSports society I am also the student mentor for the freshers. I have also been invited to the EA Headquarters in London as a play-tester. I visited the Champions League final where I met with the legendary football player Ruud Gullit as well. So, I am fully active in mentoring the new ones and content creation is one of the most crucial parts of our course.

What inspired you to pursue a career in FIFA eSports, and what were some of your proudest achievements during your career?

Getting introduced to gaming from a very early age and my passion for football, then FIFA, has led me here. The proudest moment in my career is to be the first eSports player from Bangladesh to go international. Becoming the president of the eSports Society. Participate in the NSPCC tournament. Get acknowledged by FIFA's main site and get registered there as a Bangladeshi gamer! Being the finalist of the BASIS expo tournament and getting featured on BKASH gameroo event.

What motivated you to study eSports academically, and how does your experience as a professional player influence your studies?

I have chosen this path so that I can carry on my passion professionally and do what I love the most. Being a professional player in FIFA my faculties respect my passion and always try to guide me according to my preference in the football section of gaming. They give me the opportunity to write assignments on this sector FIFA which helps me to research more on this topic. Being the president of eSports society, I have decided to take my team to the eSports world cup.

How do you think formal education in eSports can benefit the industry and aspiring players?

Being an industry of more than $1.2 billion. With Saudi Arabia declaring a full city for eSports for $500 million. The United States generates the most revenue in the eSports market, with a projected market volume of US$1,070.0m in 2024. In terms of user base, the Esports market is expected to have a total of 867.1m users by 2028. Formal education in eSports can help the students to develop their skills, their passion into a full throttle profession. Formal education in eSports will help the students not to give up on their dreams in the long run. If one loves eSports but isn't super talented in gaming professionally, they can also take an eSports degree and get into the management side of it. eSports is more than just gaming. It is a full industry, a full separate section where the true enthusiasts can thrive if guided properly.

Can you share how academic knowledge in eSports complements practical experience? 

The academic knowledge in eSports helps one to stay relevant in the industry for the long run. If one retires as a player, they can take up coaching or production or event management. Before studying here, I never knew how the production section works in the gaming industry. I wasn't aware of the business side of it as well. They also guide the students to have more technical knowledge in content creation as well. Takes the students to the biggest eSports event which is: ESI London and ESI Lisbon from eSports insider.

What are some key areas of eSports that are being explored in your studies?

From becoming a professional eSports player, to the production sector, content creation and the business side. All the areas are taught practically here.The best part is the finals. Our finals are not paper based exams. We don't follow books. We create. We believe in practical work. Our teachers send us to the real world and guide us to arrange events from the first year so that we can get a firsthand experience of how the real industry works. From the guests that we bring to the production everything is arranged in a professional way. Whatever we learn we implement so that when we graduate, we are already prepared for the top-level jobs in the gaming industry.

What are the main barriers in Bangladesh to organise a gaming event? 

I think the main barrier is sponsorship. Many players don't get their payments and salary in time or there are many who don't even get paid. If an organisation has signed a content creator or a player, you must pay that person's salary even if they don't have any achievement throughout the tournament. The industry doesn't value their players or content creators. 

There is another thing that some people who promote gaming as a crime and game makes them criminal. They see gaming as a bad thing. Their article says Playing GTA 5, PUBG will make you a terrorist. It is high time we must get out of this nonsense thought. 

With Ruud Gullit, during the 2024 eChampions league final in front of the Champions League Trophy. Photo: Courtesy

You meet Team Gullit - one of finest FIFA eSports teams ever. What was your experience- tell us about it more.

If you know Ruud Gullit, Team Gullit runs under Ruud Gullit. I have a picture of the UCL cup with him. I met Brandon smith. I talked with the whole team, I have pictures with them, I have experienced the whole tournament. I am blessed. If not, eSports education I wouldn't be here to experience this moment. I never even dreamed of meeting Ruud Gullit. He is an icon. I used to play FIFA with his character. He was the best card in the game. It was hard to believe for them that even a country like Bangladesh competes in FIFA tournaments. The experience was so good.