One of the best things about the modern world is that it is possible to monetise almost anything, and that includes gaming. If you love playing games, you might be interested to know that you can earn money from your hobby. There are thousands of people who have made successful careers out of gaming, and you can too. Here are some ways you can earn money while playing the games you love.
Get Paid to Play
The metaverse and its underlying blockchain technology have led to the rise of many play-to-earn platforms and games. The process is simple; you sign up, play the games you love and get paid to do so. Players are typically paid in cryptocurrency that they can use inside the game or exchange for real money.Players can also exchange the tokens they earn in these games for real-world gift cards from retailers such as Amazon.
These platforms and games are not very different from what you are used to, and you can play solo or invite some friends over for some fun time. Most of these platforms do not require players to pay to sign up and should you come across such platforms, it is always best to avoid them.
Stream Your Gameplay
Streaming is by far the most popular way to make money playing video games. You can stream your gameplay to various platforms as long as you have a capable computer and a fast-enough internet connection.
Gamers can create large communities which they can monetise with ads from the number of views they get on platforms like YouTube. They can also receive donations and monetise through subscription models that many platforms now allow.
The main challenge you will face if you decide to monetise this way is the amount of time it takes to build a loyal audience. However, if you play interesting games, create content people are interested in and that they are happy to share and have a lovable personality, you can create an organic audience without too much hassle over time.
Do not forget to keep up with the latest trends to see which games will bring you the most attention. Remember, you need a lot of people to see your streams and other content so you can start building an audience as soon as possible.
Create Game Walkthroughs, Guides, and Tutorials
The vastness of the internet means that there is an audience for almost anything, and there is a massive audience for walkthroughs, guides, and tutorials. Game developers are always releasing games, and those who want to play them need guides that tell them what they need to know before they start playing or to make their experience better.
There is also a huge market for walkthroughs where you show gameplay, so those interested in the game can decide where it is worth playing or not. The good news is that creating these walkthroughs is quite easy as you only need to play the game, record the gameplay, edit it, and post it online. You will need a computer you can game on and record at the same time, and a Lenovo gaming notebook should have enough power for this.
YouTube is a potent platform for posting walkthroughs, and you can discover this yourself by typing the name of a new game followed by the words and performing a search on YouTube.
If you are not comfortable showing your gameplay to a large audience, you can also create written guides and tutorials. Once you write the tutorials and guides, you can post them on your website and monetise them through ads.
To make money from your tutorials and guides, you need to create ones for popular games that a lot of people are interested in at the time. You also need to know where to post links to your guides and tutorials. Understand that you will face a lot of competition when starting but distinguishing yourself as an expert should help you grow the number of readers over time.
Become a Game Developer
Gamers who have been at it for several years know what has been missing from the collection of games they have played and those available on the market. It therefore follows that they can create highly successful games for a specific niche.
If you are a gamer interested in coding, game development can be a very lucrative career for you. With how popular games have become, and with no signs of their popularity waning, there will be a demand for great games for years or even decades to come.
Additionally, you can leverage the game development skills you use to create your own indie games to get hired by a game development studio. You should have a portfolio to show to potential employers once you develop a few games.
Become a Game Tester
Every game undergoes rigorous testing before it is released. This happens once the game is complete and before it is released to the public. Game developers task game testers with finding any bugs or issues in the game so the developers can remove them before the game hits online or physical stores.
Game testers are paid to break games, and it can be exciting to see the changes you have proposed added to the game and the bugs you have discovered removed. Some people might find game testing boring since you have to play the game numerous times, typically after each revision.
Work as a Video Game Journalist
Gamers can also become video game journalists if they have excellent writing skills. Freelance writing is a great option for those who want varied opportunities and a chance to work with different publications.
Gamers can also start their own publications where they report on new game releases and happenings in the gaming world. They can then monetise this platform through ads.
Those who would like to work for larger publications need a bachelor’s degree, but your knowledge and passion for video games can get you in the door.
There are lots of ways to make money using your gaming hobby. Some are easier than others, and some will earn you more money than others. Just know where you can thrive, and you will find opportunities you will like.
