Want to get better at video games like Call of Duty and Fortnite? There's a coach for that

As video games have shifted online and grown more competitive, players are always looking for ways to "get good." 

They might visit YouTube for videos on aiming better in Call of Duty: Warzone, or threads on Reddit to learn how to master certain champions in League of Legends.

Then there are some players who will hire a video game coach.

Websites including Gamer Sensei, Legionfarm and GamerCoach pair players up with coaches across a variety of games including Fortnite, Call of Duty, and FIFA to help level up their gaming skills, whether they're yearning to break into esports or learning a game from the beginning.

"It’s being able to view the game in a way you’ve never been able to view the game before," said Nicholas "Shifty" Travis, a coach with Gamer Sensei who specializes in the first-person shooter game Overwatch.

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So how does video game coaching work?

When players visit one of the coaching sites, they'll find a variety of games for which they can receive coaching. 

Most of the video games available on the sites feature a competitive online environment where players move up the ranks against others across the globe.

Titles range from popular shooters such as Call of Duty: Warzone and Fortnite to sports games like FIFA or Rocket League.

After selecting a game, players choose their coach and schedule an hourlong session. Prices for coaches vary based on their expertise. On Gamer Sensei, for example, you can schedule a Fortnite coach for prices ranging from $16 an hour for beginner players to $93 for a "legendary" coach with experience competing professionally in esports.

Coaching sessions differ based on the game itself. Some titles, including League of Legends, allow a student to share replays with their coach, which they can analyze together. Coaches will also play online against players, record the session, and then take a deeper dive into what changes the player can make. 

"It’s not about pros coaching them how to shoot well," said Alex Beliankin, CEO of LegionFarm, "It’s about pros coaching them how to position and how to make great decisions."

Business of helping people master video games

As long as video games existed, so has the quest for seeking out help or tips. It started out with physical game guides or gaming magazines offering hints or advice on beating a specific level. As the internet became our primary information hub, we turned to text walkthroughs of games or forums to find clues.

Today, we turn to video walkthroughs on YouTube or video game streaming platform Twitch to gain an edge, seeking out everything from how to run a certain hero in Overwatch to ideal ways to drift in Mario Kart. 

"That is a big business, easily over a billion-dollar industry," said David Cole, founder and CEO of research firm DFC Intelligence, of the piece of the video game business focused on helping gamers. "The idea of a personalized one-on-one coach is a much smaller subset, really niche portion of it but one that is growing."

In May, coaching service Metafy secured an additional $5.5 million in funding after a $3.15 million investment in January, reported TechCrunch.

Last November, Gamer Sensei was acquired by gaming peripheral company Corsair.

What's it like to be coached?

To better understand how the process works, I joined Gamer Sensei coach Travis in a coaching session for Overwatch.

Overwatch is a first-person, team-focused shooter where you pick a hero with unique abilities. Heroes fall into three categories: Support, Damage and Tank. I wanted to learn how to play better as a Tank, whose primary role in an Overwatch match is to protect teammates.

Like League of Legends, Overwatch lets you share replays of recent matches, so I shared two with Travis, which he then analyzed before our session.

"I'm going to be brutally honest," Travis said at the start of our session. I was bracing to hear how poorly I play this game.

One of my biggest issues playing Overwatch, according to Travis? "Lazy aim." As Travis explains, I spent a lot of time shooting at nothing. He encouraged me to be smarter and more deliberate when I fire at enemies.

It was tough to watch and see the mistakes I made, but I also learned a lot about elements to Overwatch I overlooked.

"I try to change the player’s approach to playing the game," said Travis. "And transform their thinking from a casual autopilot mode to a more analytical productive viewpoint to where they can really take control over their experience in the game."

Fresh off the lesson, I tried out some of Travis' tips in a couple of Overwatch games and noticed right away I was contributing more effectively as a Tank to my team.  

Why get a video game coach?

Idris Piers, co-founder and chief digital officer for the France-based GamerCoach, helped start the service in 2019. He compares studying video games to people who take music lessons to learn an instrument or soccer players who join a club to learn more about the sport.

"When it comes to video games, the fan who wanted to progress and improve, they didn’t have a personalized solution," said Piers.

The players who use coaching services range from those who want to make a push to the pro level to parents who just want to play Fortnite with their kids and not hold them back.

Reviews for most coaches on Gamer Sensei feature a mix of both players and parents of players seeking to improve. "Purchased lessons with this Sensei several times for our son, he is professional, knowledgeable and patient," reads one review from the platform's website. 

Jacob Branham, who works for Legionfarm as a coach on Call of Duty: Warzone, said many of the players who work with him just want to have a better experience with the games they enjoy.

"People play video games as a stress relief," said Branham. "When you aren’t very good at a game that you like, it’s more stress causing than it is relieving for some people."

Branham joined LegionFarm following a medical retirement from the U.S. Marines as an aircraft rescue firefighter. He said he helps players improve at Warzone but also uses his platform to help promote mental health.

"It would be relatable to someone going out on a Friday night to the bar with their friends and just having a drink," said Branham.

Joshua Hilton, CEO of Gamer Sensei, said most of the players who use Gamer Sensei just want to be more competitive at their favorite game. "For your average gamer, it’s just getting better at something you love to do."

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.