Will is happy to be at the top of his GAME!

BRUMMIE GAMER EARNS MUCH MORE THAN HE DID IN ACCOUNTANCY CAREER

- STAFF REPORTER

A YOUNG father who switched from accounting and finance to gaming full-time says he spends about 10 hours online a day, earning significantly more than he would in his previous career.

Will “Mezii” Merriman, 26, a professional esports player from Birmingham, has been playing the online action game Counter-Strike since he was nine years old and, in June, he said he became the first Brit to ever win a major title in the game.

Although he has an accounting and finance degree from Birmingham City University, Will has been able to pursue his dream of becoming a professional gamer and began making it a full-time job in 2020.

Within a year, he says it was clear he would be able to earn enough to leave his career in accounting behind though he says he cannot disclose his exact earnings for contractual reasons.

Will became a father in October and says it is a challenge being at the top of his game while looking after his daughter, Amelia, who is now nine months old, as he has to travel extensively.

In the past year, he says he has spent roughly 200 days abroad, playing in tournaments in places including Sydney, Australia and Austin, Texas.