Career Profile: Johnathan Wendel, Professional Gamer

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Photograph by Austin Walsh
Johnathan Wendel Professional Gamer Interview by Elena Malykhina
1 Life's A Game Wendel makes his living solely by playing video games in tournaments around the world. It's not your typical career, but it pays well. Last year, he made more than $200,000. "I play for big money, but I also play eight to nine hours a day."
2 Big Win After becoming a top U.S. player, Wendel went on to compete in a tournament in Sweden. "I won 18 games straight without even realizing it. I beat the top 12 players in the world. Nobody else had done that before. It was an amazing feeling."
3 Time Off Despite his busy schedule, Wendel finds time to relax. "When I'm not doing promotions, I wake up around noon, play a game, run a couple of miles, have a nice lunch, and go out with my friends. I consider myself very lucky because I get to do what I love for a living."
4 Better Gaming Wendel helps create his own Fatal1ty brand of products for serious video gamers like himself. His latest project: a mouse that he co-developed with Creative Technology called the Fatal1ty 2020. It's customizable to fit the individual needs of gamers. "We also make mouse pads, motherboards, sound cards, and graphic cards--things that make you a better gamer."
5 Secret To Success Wendel has been playing video games since he was a kid. His competitive nature had a lot to do with his becoming a pro gamer. "It's a lot like sports. You have to be quicker and stronger than your opponent."


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