Every year, millions of viewers follow the Free Fire World Series and Esports World Cup’s Free Fire event to watch the finest players in the game in action. We sat down with some of these seasoned pros to learn a few quick tips on how you can up your game and what it takes to get ready for the big leagues.

Earn your happy landing

Getting the right start in Free Fire hinges on the moment you skydive towards the island. And the pros all make a point to study the maps and remember key locations.

Thai player DEW (Rattapong Rompochai) from the All Gamers team, who was awarded Most Valuable Player (MVP) of Free Fire World Series 2023, shares his tip: “Land in zones with War Chests and you’re guaranteed to score weapons.”

Be ready for trouble

All loot is not created equal in Free Fire , and each player has their take on what the best picks are. Thai player Moshi (Ratchanon Kunrayason) from the Free Fire World Series 2022-winning Buriram United Esports team gives his MVP-worthy take.

“Short-range weapons are more effective in the early stage, because close-quarters combat is more likely and your opponents probably still lack good armour and gear. Prioritise on healing items and look out for coin drop spots afterwards.”

Meanwhile, DEW has a slightly different view: “Weapons are the most important. Armour comes next, as it can help reduce the chances of dying early.”

Get gloo’d in

The Gloo Wall grenade is one of Free Fire ’s signature features, beloved for how versatile it can be at helping you set up covers and barricades. Brazilian player Bops (Tiago Carvalho) from the Fluxo team shares how he uses it in the endgame: “When the space becomes smaller and more crowded, the Gloo Wall can keep your enemy exposed and help you get that Booyah.”

Another Brazilian player, Gus (Gustavo Costa) from the Pain Gaming team, considers Gloo Wall to be a life-saver: “Our team uses it when we’re getting shot at, or to prevent shots from rivals that we suspect to be lurking in the area.”

Stay in control

In this game that requires lightning-fast reflexes, being comfortable with your controls is very important. All the pros emphasise the need to customise your control and display layout so that it suits you best.

Bops, who was part of the team that won Free Fire World Series 2023, says: “Spend a lot of time on practising and keep adjusting the head-up display to fit the way you play.”

Practice makes perfect

Getting to the big leagues is the dream of many gamers, and the pros all agree that this requires a lot of dedication, coordination and hard work. Moshi explains that his team is “always playing games together, always disciplined in practice.” For Gus, “communication is the key to controlling the game, and it’s our captain’s mission to keep our team always aware.”

It sounds like a lot, but DEW believes that there’s no such thing as too much preparation: “You should warm up by shooting and jumping around for 10-20 minutes before the actual match starts.” A good warm-up can make all the difference in how fast you move and how accurately you shoot.