Pro Guides

ProGuides (proguides.com) operated an esports and video game training platform that connected players with high-ranked players and professional coaches for one-on-one, on-demand coaching, plus video courses, master classes and bootcamps featuring pros. Coaching formats included live play-alongs, gameplay and match-history assessments, custom-game practice sessions, and VOD reviews in which a coach reviewed a submitted game—accessed through the platform's API—and returned an annotated video with written notes, generally within 24 hours.

As of 2021 the platform covered 11 titles: League of Legends, Fortnite, VALORANT, Apex Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Hearthstone, Teamfight Tactics, DOTA 2, Overwatch and Magic: The Gathering – Arena; later coverage also cited Call of Duty, Rainbow Six Siege and Rocket League. Course instructors named by the company included Doublelift (League of Legends), Clix (Fortnite), s1mple (CS:GO) and MkLeo (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate). The company deliberately limited itself to competitive titles rather than non-competitive games.

Coaches were recruited largely from the top ranks of each game rather than tier-one professional rosters—for League of Legends, Master, Grandmaster, Challenger and Diamond 2+ players—on the basis that top professionals had little monetary incentive to coach. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, prize-winning pros joined during COVID-19 when tournaments were cancelled. Applicants passed a screening and onboarding program that could take up to a week, with roughly 5% of qualified applicants accepted, weighting communication skills and interest in helping students alongside rank; reliability checks were performed, coaches under 18 were not permitted, and coaches whose ratings fell were either retrained or had platform access restricted.

Founding story

ProGuides was founded in 2015 by Sam Wang and Kristoph Oedman to help players acquire the game knowledge needed to win, on the premise that knowledge, rather than mechanical skill alone, allows players to compete at a high level.

Business model

ProGuides sold paid one-on-one coaching sessions delivered by vetted high-ranked players and coaches, alongside subscription access to instructional content. Coaches were paid out of platform revenue, with roughly $2M paid to coaches from launch through April 2021.

A monthly subscription of about $12.99 (discounted to $9.99 at the time of reporting) provided a "pro" program including access to Aimlabs Discovery, unlimited master classes and bootcamps, and a 10% discount on one-on-one coaching, which was also sold directly.

Traction

By April 2021 the company reported having paid roughly $2M to coaches since launch, and covered 11 competitive titles. Reported cumulative funding was an estimated $7.4M across three rounds.

Latest developments

In April 2024, reporting based on sources said ProGuides would wind down operations at the end of May 2024, with Statespace executives not responding to requests for comment.