Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Processing Information Compiling, coding, categorising, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

The Work

A caster (or 'shoutcaster') is someone who provides commentary during an esports match to help the audience follow the action and keep them engaged.

To do this, a caster must be knowledgeable about most aspects of a game, and be able to continually provide entertainment and insights — for possibly hours at a time.

Casters tend to work events on a freelance basis. If a pair of casters has consistently good chemistry, they may form a partnership.

Generally speaking, there are two types of caster:

• A hype caster is responsible for getting the audience excited. They tend to take over during moments of fast-paced action, and must be able to keep track of many details while continuing to explain what’s happening.
• An analyst is responsible for keeping the audience informed and providing context. They tend to speak more during the quieter moments of a match, and may lend insights about the teams, current trends in gameplay, or historic facts.

Occasionally, other commentators might join a broadcast, such as an esport athlete. Casters may also be asked to join the broadcast panel, or create other entertaining content as part of an event.

Work tasks...

• Give a voice to the story of an esport match, through analysis and hyping up big moments.
• Follow the action closely, and notice key details which may affect the outcome of a match.
• Work closely with the production team and observers to ensure the audience gets a consistent experience.
• Keep up-to-date with an esport game and its trends.
• Research the history of participating teams, including the players and their personalities, and data about past performances.
• Maintain a home studio for working on virtual events, and travel internationally to be in the broadcast studio for larger events.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Operate control consoles.
• Record commercials for later broadcast.
• Announce musical selections, station breaks, commercials, or public service information, and accept requests from listening audience.
• Study background information to prepare for programs or interviews.
• Read news flashes to inform audiences of important events.
• Identify stations, and introduce or close shows, ad-libbing or using memorised or read scripts.
• Prepare and deliver news, sports, or weather reports, gathering and rewriting material so that it will convey required information and fit specific time slots.
• Select program content, in conjunction with producers and assistants, based on factors such as program specialties, audience tastes, or requests from the public.
• Comment on music and other matters, such as weather or traffic conditions.
• Develop story lines for broadcasts.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Many casters get started by casting amateur matches and small tournaments, as part of an official broadcast or on their personal channel.

This helps them to build a following, gather feedback, practice their craft, and gain experience which can be used to apply for commercial events. During this time, casters often have to work as their own observer.

Event organisers often stick with proven talent, which makes it difficult to break into the scene of an established game. Moving from one game to another can be challenging due to the high level of game-specific knowledge required.

Further info...

• British Esports — Esports Caster / Host
• IntoGames — Esports Shoutcaster
• Hitmarker — Esports Career Advice

Last Updated: January, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €17k - €50k

Salaris vary based on audience, monetization, employer, experience, duties, role, and location.  

Data Source(s):
Statista/ Glassdoor/ Esportsearnings/ Prosperity

Last Updated: February, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

The negative average annual employment growth rate over the five-year period for this occupation is partly related to changes in the LFS in 2017; however, employment has declined annually since 2020. Those employed were primarily male, working full-time and held third-level qualifications. The share of non-Irish citizens employed far exceeded the national average (41% compared to 19% nationally).

Despite the decline in employment, over 3,500 new employment permits were issued in 2022 across a range of roles including IT analysts/engineers (cloud, security, systems, network, test), There was a high volume of mentions in the Recruitment Agency Survey for network/security and site reliability engineers while vacancies for software testers were cited as difficult to fill by employers in the Skills for Growth data, particularly for those with cybersecurity, cloud computing and HTML skills. The number of online job adverts declined by 12% in 2022, predominantly due to the fall in postings for systems analysts which alone accounted for nearly half the total decline in ICT job postings in 2022.

Despite falling employment numbers, strong demand remains evident across the indicators in key areas such as network/cloud and security engineering. The move to remote working since the onset of the pandemic, along with the war in Ukraine, have increased the prevalence of cybersecurity threats39 with demand for these skills likely to persist. The fall in online vacancy advertisements indicates a slowing in demand but shortages remain, at least in the short-term.

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