Being a gamer is one time; making a decent amount of money from your experience is different, and boy, oh boy, it feels good to do so.
Many gamers don’t realize that there is a lot of money to be made online from just playing games, only if the setup is done properly. And by setting up, I mean the right business model is followed.
In this blog post, we’ll be going through the various tested and proven ways to earn money online by playing games, all the strategies that can be applied to maximize your earnings, etc.
Now let’s get right into it, shall we?
How To Earn Money Playing Games
There are several ways of earning thousands of dollars online just by playing games: live streaming, creating gaming guides on video platforms and your websites, doing game coaching, etc.
By Live Streaming
Live streaming is a fantastic way for any gamer to earn money from gaming. And interestingly, anyone can stream their gameplay in real-time for the world to see.
By doing this, you will be looking at building a very large following (audience) that you can monetize with either ad, your audience making donations and subscribing to you.
You can look at some of the recognizable platforms for this: Twitch and YouTube.
It is also important to remember that building a live-stream audience takes a long time.
Knowing this will save a lot of headaches because, in reality, you may not break ten concurrent viewers for several months or even get 100 viewers at a time for years.
After all, most streamers never reach that point and start earning a decent amount of money.
And before you make a decent amount of money from streaming games online, you’ll need thousands of regular viewers, which is all that easy to get.
Create Game Guides on Video Platforms
One effective way to earn thousands of dollars by playing games is to create game guides on popular video platforms.
Develop the habit of sharing your expertise and strategies with fellow gamers by recording and uploading gameplay videos with insightful commentary.
As your videos gain views and subscribers, you can monetize your channel through ads and sponsorships.
Writing Gaming Guides for Your Website
Another good avenue to earn a substantial income from gaming is by writing gaming guides for your website.
Who doesn’t like tutorials, hacks, free tips, and so on? A lot of gamers love this kind of thing, which means you will be attracting a lot of people just by doing this.
You can develop comprehensive guides that cover various aspects of a particular game, including tips, strategies, and walkthroughs.
Optimize your content for search engines to attract organic traffic. Monetize your website through affiliate marketing by promoting relevant gaming products and earning commissions from sales.
Engage with your audience by responding to comments and providing regular updates to keep them coming back for more valuable content.
By offering Game Coaching Tips
You can also earn cool cash by offering game coaching services to aspiring gamers. Just by sharing your expertise and providing personalized coaching sessions or tutorials to help players improve their skills.
Strategically advertise your services on gaming forums, social media platforms, and specialized coaching websites.
Slowly you can establish your credibility by showcasing your own achievements and expertise in the specific game.
Set competitive rates and offer flexible scheduling options to attract clients, don’t be a market loser.
Being a Video Game Journalist
Yes, you can combine your passion for gaming and writing by becoming a video game journalist.
You can write captivating articles, reviews, and features about the latest game releases, industry trends, and gaming events.
Strategically pitch your work to online gaming publications, magazines, or websites dedicated to video game journalism.
Develop strong research and interviewing skills to conduct in-depth interviews with game developers and industry professionals.
Doing Video Game Playtesting
While enjoying your games, you can equally become an essential part of the game development process by working as a video game playtester.
The work of playtesters is to evaluate games for bugs, glitches, and overall user experience.
You can join playtesting programs offered by game development studios or work as a freelance playtester for multiple projects.
Provide detailed feedback and report any issues encountered during gameplay.
As a playtester, you should do well to have strong observational and analytical skills to provide valuable insights that help improve the game’s quality.
From this, as you gain experience and expertise, you can earn a steady income by contributing to the development of exciting new games.
Video Game Quality Assurance (QA) Testing
Again you can earn decent cash by working as a video game quality assurance tester. Test games for functionality, performance, and compatibility issues, and document and report bugs to help developers improve the gaming experience.
Gain experience and knowledge of different platforms and game genres to enhance your expertise.
Always look for QA testing positions at game development studios or consider freelancing opportunities.
Strong attention to detail, strong problem-solving skills, and effective communication are essential for success in this field.
Developing Video Games
The Game development industry is a big one, and you can share this pie too by simply turning your passion for gaming into a career by becoming a video game developer.
How can I start? You may ask, simply by learning programming languages, game design principles, and development tools to create your games.
Start with small projects and gradually expand your skills. Join other developers, collaborate with established game studios, and release your games independently or through online platforms after your first MVP.
Monetization can be done via sales, in-game purchases, or advertising.
Try doing a Gaming Podcast.
Podcasting is a massive industry; it was estimated to have a market share of USD 18.52 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 23.75 billion in 2023; you can take a little pie of this cash by delving into gaming podcasts.
You can start by sharing your love for gaming, discussing trending games and industry news, and engaging with fellow gamers.
When talking about monetizing, you can do that through sponsorships, advertisements, or listener donations.
Consistently dishing out quality content and a strong personality can help you grow your audience and potentially earn income through your gaming podcast.
Gaming Tournaments is an option.
You can also earn money from competing in gaming tournaments. Showcase your skills and earn from prize pools and sponsorships.
You can also participate in both online and offline tournaments in your preferred game genre. But firstly, you must remember to perfect your skills, join or form a team, and establish a reputation in the gaming community.
Always make sure to stay updated with tournament schedules and eligibility criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some very relevant questions concerning making money playing games online;
How can I make big money by playing games?
You can earn big money playing games through esports tournaments, game streaming, game development, and sponsored content creation, to name a few.
Do any games give you real money?
Yes, some games offer real money rewards or in-game currency that can be converted into real money through various platforms or marketplaces.
Which game generates the most money?
Knowing the game that generates the most money depends on factors like the popularity of the game, its monetization model, and the engagement of its player base. For instance, Games like Fortnite, Minecraft, and Grand Theft Auto V have been known to generate significant revenue.
Also Read: How To Earn 50$ on Payoneer Signup (Easy & Fast)
Final Thoughts
We’ve established so far in this guide that it is possible to earn a decent amount of money online by just playing games.
You can do this via different means, and the earnings differ depending on the kind of strategy you are using and also your quality of audience.
We hope this guide was helpful in making you realize the different possible ways you can make money playing games.