Finland's only professional gamer appear on nationwide TV and is featured by print newspaper «Iltalethi»

Berlin Allianz PGR3 racer Erno «FinPro» Kuronen's feature story is headlined by «A different way of making a living». Photo: Erno Kuronen

Name:
Jonas Alsaker Vikan

Position:
General Manager

About the author
Jonas Alsaker Vikan is the General Manager of Berlin Allianz. He led the team to a European championship and a third to fourth placing at the first CGS World Final. The twenty six year old Norwegian is also a journalist.

The online edition of «Iltalethi» has 1 million visitors every day. The print version of the newspaper has a daily circulation of 133 000. «Iltalethi» is the third biggest newspaper in Finland.

Erno Kuronen's dream of playing games for a living came true this fall as he was one of the two drafted PGR3 racers for Berlin Allianz. In the Iltalethi-article Erno talks about his passion and how he was able to convert it into a job.




He explains the CGS concept and how the world final was broadcast to 350 million potential viewers all over the world - except Finland.

Here's an excerpt tentatively translated from Kuronen's Finnish quotes:

- It's still hard to believe that I don't have to go and get a summer job. I can just sit at home and play a video game.




«FinPro» is also quoted on the possibility of his dream being taken away from him at the next European Draft this spring:

- The manager has the option to kick me out but I am confident that I can continue in our team, he said.




Kuronen was also featured on nationwide Finnish TV on the channel YLE1.

«FinPro» is introduced as Finland's only professional gamer. A camera crew came to his home in Riihimäki to shoot a feature with the 22-year old playing his Xbox and practicing PGR3.

Erno eloquently explains his job and how he practices to be the best. He is also forced to answer questions on how his friends and family have reacted to his new and unconventional profession. «FinPro» says getting paid to be a professional changes his approach to the game.

The TV segment can be viewed here. If you are fluent in Finnish you can read the online version of the newspaper article.

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