Anyone that enjoys playing games has at least thought about it once. What if there was a way to play games for a living or at the very least, make money playing games. I’ve had my fair share of both console and PC games. In middle school, I use to hop on Call of Duty immediately after school just to play team death match on the PS3. In the summer, my friends and I would be on Runescape running in and out of the wilderness, slaying demons. Whatever game you played growing up was probably met by society telling you to grow up and get a job. However, the global gaming industry is expected to grow to $200 Billion by 2023 which has created both a competitive market and several opportunities to make money playing games. I’ve included some of the most popular methods to monetize your gaming habits.
1. Stream
The barrier to entry to streaming is very low, meaning if you have a twitch account, all you need to do is press a “go live” button and people will have the ability to watch you play any game of your liking. However, of the more than 3.0Bn hours watched on Twitch, 75% of the viewership comes from the top 5,000 channels meaning that growing your own viewership organically will take time. Once you’ve grown a significant following, some of the most common methods to monetize your stream include donations or tips from fans, sponsorships, and affiliate sales.
The most common platform to accept donations is through Paypal which has become one of the most reliable and convenient platforms for Twitch streamers to accept donations. Another alternative to accepting donations is Donorbox which is a third party service that Twitch streamers can connect to their account to receive donations by credit card, PayPal, and ACH transfers.
We’ve seen professional gamers wear or use specific products during their matches, but you can also apply to gaming sponsorships. These partnerships allow you to partner with brands and sponsors in order to increase sales for the company that you would like to represent. Sponsorship compensation varies, but some of the most popular arrangements include anywhere from 5-12% commission on sales. For example, gaming chair sponsors can not only send you a free chair, but will pay you commission for using their chair on your live stream or for every chair that is sold through your affiliate link.
2. Video Game Guides and Tutorials
Sometimes gamers often rely on video game guides and tutorials to help them get through a certain level or perhaps just need tips in general. For those that played God of War, you can easily spend an hour or two trying to figure out how to unlock a certain puzzle without a game guide or tutorial. The most popular sites for clear and helpful video game guides include GameFAQs, GamePressure, Strategywiki, and Youtube.
GameFAQ has a “Bounty Program” that pays contributors for specific and comprehensive walkthroughs and guides are posted on GameFAQs. If you are the first person to submit and post a GameFAQ guides, you can claim Bounty Award payouts that range anywhere from $50-$300. Given that it takes a considerable amount of time writing comprehensive guides, another option would be to create guides on your own landing page whether it may be on Facebook or Youtube. This allows you monetize viewership through affiliate links or advertising where you get paid every time someone uses your affiliate link to purchase an item or service.
3. Sell Accounts or Digital Items
In 2020, consumers spent roughly $44 Billion in gaming software and services where the industry itself has boasted roughly 3 Billion players around the world. The industry has increasingly become competitive and has led to easy access to accounts that you can pay for. Instead of starting a game from scratch, many people often pay for gaming accounts with different levels and items.
The most popular platforms to both buy and sell you gaming account includes GamerMarkt, Playerauction, and Reddit. Gaming accounts have a vast range in price depending on the game and offered level, but it is not uncommon to see accounts sell for more than $1,000. The most popular games this year include League of Legends, Fortnite, and PUBG. Games that often allow you to change the skin of your character can also offer an opportunity to farm and sell skins. For example, on Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO), the most expensive weapon skin is the AK-47 Fire Serpent which has been listed for $1,852.58, but is sold on CSGO Stash, a third party site for $4,200. These skins are extremely rare, but for those that have created an efficient system to farm and sell skins or accounts can prove profitable.
If gaming is something that you are passionate about and perhaps want to do to sustain yourself, there are several ways to make money gaming. The industry has become increasingly competitive, but has also opened up several different ways to monetize your gaming habits. Every method has their pros and cons and varying barriers of entry, but all methods have tremendous scalability for those that are committed and have the resolve to find success.
