Ever since the first video game was developed in October 1958, video games have come a long, long way. From black and white dots on the screen, we now have augmented reality games that blur the line between reality and fantasy.
Today, gaming has become more than just a hobby. Many people earn extra income while some can even build a fortune playing games. Additionally, today’s video games can help in building your money mindset.
Depending on what kind of gamer you are and how much money you want to earn, there are different ways you can make money while gaming.
If you want to increase your income or build a career centered on video gaming, this article is your guide. We will discuss tips to get started and make money while gaming.
1 – Choose a method that suits you
The video game industry is huge, and there are many ways you can earn money playing video games. Whether you’re a casual or a hardcore gamer, there’s a money-making method that will suit you best.
- Live streaming – streaming video games is among the most profitable video-game-related jobs out there. In between advertisements, sponsorships, subscriptions, donations, and merchandise sales, popular streamers can earn a lot. If you have a fun and entertaining personality, streaming might work well for you.
- Journalism – if you’re an excellent writer, you can earn a living by writing about video games and the industry as a whole. You can write for publications, freelance, start a blog, create videos, be a consultant, or do a podcast.
- Tutorial/ Walkthrough Creator – if you don’t care much about industry news but you’re well-versed in video game mechanics, creating tutorials and walkthroughs is for you. You can start a YouTube channel and a blog where you can publish all your original guides.
- eSports – if you have a talent for a particular game genre such as FPS, RTS, or MOBA, you may want to consider going pro. Professional eSports players can earn up to millions of dollars in between sponsorships and competition prizes.
- Test games – if you have a keen eye for detail and are familiar with game development engines, then a video game tester career might be for you. Developers offer full-time positions to testers while quality assurance companies offer contractual work.
- Play-to-earn – if you don’t have a particular talent you can use with video games, then play-to-earn games might be worth trying. These games have built-in money-making mechanics that let players earn cryptocurrency just by playing.
2 – Ensure you have a capable rig
Regardless of how you want to make money playing video games, you need a gaming PC capable of running the games you need to be running. If budget is not a problem, having the fastest PC possible would mean you can pursue whatever gaming career you want. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case, so you want to build a PC that suits your needs.
Being an eSports professional wouldn’t require you to have the fastest PC possible given that most eSports titles, like Valorant and League of Legends, run well on slower rigs. On the other hand, being a gaming video creator or a journalist requires a PC that can run the latest titles smoothly.
Whatever the money-making path you choose, make sure you have a PC that will work smoothly for the tasks involved. A live streaming setup will require high-definition cameras, a good microphone, and a powerful capture card. Meanwhile, an eSports setup will need top-end peripherals like a mechanical keyboard and a lightweight mouse.
3 – Do your research
Diving into an endeavor knowing next to nothing about it can only result in disaster. Yes, you are a gamer and you know the ins and outs of games, but making money with them is a different thing entirely.
If you’re considering earning extra with play-to-earn games, you want to learn about cryptocurrency and its uses. These games are tied with crypto and it can be a bit confusing for first-timers. If you want to be a video game tester, then you better start reading about game development engines if you want to be good at the job.
How much studying you need to do will depend on the path you choose to take. Live streaming and play-to-earn games won’t take a lot of time to learn, but video game testing and journalism will. Invest enough time into learning to do something before you do it if you want to avoid wasting your effort and resources.
4 – Manage your expectations
Methods of making money while gaming are not made equal. While you can build a fortune being a live streamer or professional eSports player, you can only earn extra income by playing legit money-making games. Before you decide to spend your time and resources on a method, it is important to manage your expectations.
While being a video game tester is a genuine career, it does not pay as well as live streaming and being a professional player. It does, however, offer job security and other benefits. Moreover, live streaming, despite the high ceiling for revenue, can be just as unprofitable as doing nothing if you don’t have a decent audience base.
All methods of making money while gaming have their pros and cons. Learn about them before deciding to go all-in. If you know what to expect, it is easier to handle your losses and you are less likely to be disappointed by the results.
Summing Up
Video games comprise a huge industry and there’s a lot of money for everyone involved — even the consumers. The more you learn about video games, the more equipped you become at making money with it. The key is to know what skills you can utilize and to manage your expectations.
