It might sound like a bit of a stretch, but it is entirely possible to earn a living by playing video games. Beware, though — you probably won’t earn big bucks instantly. On the contrary, it will take time and effort to start making money through gaming.
Furthermore, playing video games to make money could take all the fun out of it. If that is something you are not prepared for, this job might not be suited for you. However, it might be the perfect opportunity for young gamers who are ready to spend a few years trying to get their new career off the ground.
You should also check out this Oneline Casino Review to get started with making money from gaming, specifically in the iGaming niche. This is a good place to start if you haven’t yet built up the necessary skillsets for the options listed below.
Keep in mind that there are hundreds of failure stories for each success story you read. So, before you decide whether to start a career in this industry, make sure to read about the five ways that can help you make money gaming.
If you’ve played video games before, you’ve probably heard of live streaming. If not, here’s the gist — you can make money by allowing other people to watch your gaming sessions live. Currently, Twitch is the biggest live streaming gaming platform, and YouTube Gaming is another great option.
Gamers who opt to go down this route usually start with a small number of loyal viewers and work toward building a larger audience. The interaction with your viewers can be monetized with subscriptions and donations at first. If your streams turn out to be a success, you could also make money off of advertisements.
The problem here is expanding your audience. Although it may sound like a walk in the park, it takes plenty of time and effort. Since there are thousands of live streamers, it might take you months, even years, to reach a mere 100 viewers. The sad truth is that some streamers never get to that number no matter how hard they try.
Gathering followers is tricky, as you need to create your own brand, wow the viewers with your personality and sense of humor, and make them choose you over a well-established gamer. You can also attract viewers by streaming games that no one else is streaming. It’s ultimately up to you how you plan on attracting viewers.
On the bright side, it does not take a lot to get started in this business line. All you need is a decent computer, games that intrigue viewers, your preferred streaming software, and a charming personality. Make sure your PC can run the games you’re interested in streaming. We suggest that you go with OBS Studio, as it’s open-source, free, and works on Windows, Linux, and Mac.
Writing creative content isn’t an easy task, so if that is not something you are capable of, feel free to skip this step. If it is, we’ve got great news for you! You can earn a lot of money from gaming-related journalism.
You can apply to join an existing gaming site and work as a freelancer or start your own website and monetize the traffic through ads or subscriptions. You can write many types of articles on this topic, including reviews, news, interviews, and more.
Still, keep in mind that writing can take its toll on you. It can impact your mental energy severely, as it is quite intense. You will need to work around the clock to get to all the sources you need or do an interview before your competitors do, so be prepared to make some sacrifices. Journalism is also challenging because of its competitiveness.
Therefore, if you’re applying for a writing position, you should create a portfolio that’s hard to say no to, so make sure you’ve prepared your previous writing samples. In case you don’t have any, volunteer to write a few before you get started in this line of business. Also, we advise you to apply for medium-sized gaming sites in the beginning.
On the other hand, if you’re starting your own website, you need to be prepared that it might take you years to see some money from it. So perhaps you should do it in a few years once you’ve gathered some experience, as managing a site on top of writing will undoubtedly leave you with much more work.
New gamers often start out by reading guides and going through tutorials. That’s where you would step in. If you have any experience in gaming, especially in multiplayer PvP games, you can become a content creator. Perhaps you can start with written or YouTube guides and move your way up to ebook guides and dedicated channels. You can make money through ads or sales, depending on your preference. Getting started with writing guides and tutorials isn’t as easy as it seems.
First, you will need to find out which game is gaining its momentum, figure out what part of the game is causing trouble for players, overcome it yourself, and then start working on how to explain it to others. There are many guides and tutorials out there, so you need to do something that will set you apart from your competitors.
Find something that will make your content stand out so that interested parties come to you first. You will need to invest a lot of time and energy into writing and creating, as guides need to be not only comprehensive and detailed but also entertaining and expressive.
You should also have some basic training in formatting and similar areas. PvP games typically require build guides and mechanics guides, while multiplayer online role-playing games seek gold guides, raid guides, and leveling guides.
For gamers confident in their skills, tournaments are the way to go. PvP gaming tournaments are quite popular among professional gamers. The prize pool depends on the game’s popularity — the more popular the game, the bigger the prize. Furthermore, you can also earn your living through tournaments and sponsorships if your skills are at a top-level, as you might be able to become part of an esports organization.
To live off sponsorships and tournaments, you need to be consistently at the top of your game. Otherwise, you might be left with a negative balance. Flights and hotel stays are expensive, so if you get kicked out early in the tournament, your prize might not even be enough to cover the expenses.
Keep in mind that the esports industry is still growing. That means you might end up earning a minimum wage even if you are a member of a revered team. Also, it would help if you were careful of con artists who prey on beginners and naive gamers. They might promise you the world, but you may end up with nothing instead.
If you still want to go down this path, you should select one of the more popular PvP games that have plenty of tournaments. If you play well, you’ll have a chance of being noticed by a prominent esports organization, so make sure to take time to practice and get better. Get your name out there and get acquainted with professional gamers. All in all, if you’re competitive, this is the right path for you.
Lastly, there are solutions for both introverts and extroverts among gamers. You can test games for developers as a playtester or host a podcast or a video channel to appeal to the public. If you opt for the first route, your job will be to test everything about the game that the developer is interested in and report back with the results. With the second option, you can create video or audio content for gamers interested in tips and tricks, hacks, interviews, and other gaming-related material and get paid through ads and subscriptions.
These two approaches to making money through gaming are completely different, making them perfect for both introverts and extroverts looking to make it in the competitive gaming industry.
While testing games isn’t tremendously challenging, it also isn’t paid well. On top of that, if you can’t find a job at a large game development company, you will probably end up testing mobile games.
On the other hand, if you decide to start your own podcast, you will need to create compelling content that will make people come back to your channel. Still, you won’t have to create mind-blowing content if your personality is charming enough to attract a large audience.
Although there is a stigma about making gaming your primary source of income, it is still considered to be a real profession, and rightfully so. However, be prepared to stop enjoying the thrill of playing games if you’ve set your sights on making a career out of gaming. As with anything else, the thrill of escapism that games offer easily disappears once you start doing it out of an obligation. So, think carefully before you decide to go down this road.
If your answer is still positive, the five ways to make money from gaming mentioned above are probably the best advice you will get. So, think about the approach you want to take, choose the one that suits your personality best, and start from there.
If you are interested in even more business-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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