How To Make Money Gaming: Paths To Take

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Parents often tell their kids:

Stop playing video games! You will not make money with it!

Or some other variation of the same thing, the idea that you cannot make money playing video games.

Well, the joke’s on them!

Ninja was proven to make around $500,000 a month, and even millions a month during his peak. Professional League of Legends player Faker makes around $6 million a year. And PewDiePie, a YouTuber the world knows, started with video games. Now he has a net worth of $60 million. 

Obviously, these are just some of the top earners. At the lower end of the spectrum, income from playing video games can be a lot lower. But, this does not mean you cannot turn your passion into a full-time job or enough money to give you a good life. 

To get you started, here are some career options or just alternatives to consider if you want to make money gaming. They are all accessible for literally anyone with a passion. 

1. Become A Gaming Streamer

Let’s start with the obvious one. You play your games so why not stream them? You can easily start streaming your gameplay on Twitch, Kick, or YouTube. There are even other platforms where you can do this but these are definitely the top ones. 

It does not really matter what game you play since there are audiences for all of them. You will eventually get a following and some of the most successful streamers in the world make millions through brand deals, subscriptions, ad revenue, and donations. Basically, as you play, you build a community and you slowly start to make more and more (as long as you take the right steps). 

Now for the bad part!

Streaming looks like a dream job but the truth is it takes a lot of work. If you look at the history of the successful gamers, you quickly notice they streamed for a long time, learned a lot, and constantly adapted to grow their channels. It is rare to get lucky as a streamer, especially nowadays since the competition is huge. 

Even so, streaming is a great way to get extra money. And the truth is that you can start slow, with like 2-3 hours a day, or by streaming 3-4 times a week. You can make a few hundreds of dollars per month in one year for sure if you are serious about it. And you can combine streaming with other ways to make money gaming. 

2. Create Content For Other Gamers

Are you very good at a game? Maybe you are just funny or you do things others rarely do. In such cases, why not share your strong points with the entire gaming community. You can easily share hilarious gaming moments, guides, tutorials, and practically anything related to that game you love. 

Obviously, I am talking about video content to then share on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. You want to start with the games you are good at and a video editing software. Many people recommend Adobe Premiere Pro but I personally say DaVinci Resolve is better for gamers. Then, look for places where you can share your content and gradually grow your accounts. You want to post consistently to build the audience and eventually, you can make a lot of money. 

3. Test Video Games For Game Developers

How about getting paid for playing video games through an actual contract? You know, one with a salary? This is possible as a game tester since practically all developers out there need to test their games before the release. You would provide valuable help to optimize gameplay, find bugs, and offer feedback that will help to the end result. Also, you would be among the first to play new games. 

This way to make money gaming can be done in two ways:

• Job Boards – You actually look for a job and become a game tester. 
• Project Based – Most video game companies only need testers from time to time. So, platforms like PlaytestCloud connect them with people like you, interested in getting paid to test games. 

4. Time For ESports Competitions

Are you skilled enough at the video game and there is an eSports scene? Time to try gaming tournaments. You might be the next Faker or Bugha (Fortnite gamer) and win millions in prizes. 

You can try online qualifiers for the most popular games like Call of Duty or CS:GO. Eventually, if you are good, eSports teams will notice you. 

The really interesting thing with being involved in the eSports scene is that you do not just get a salary or you win prizes in competitions. You can also receive streaming deals, travel opportunities, and become a sponsored player. 

There are many ways to get started on your eSports path but the two main ones would be:

• Stream and make it clear that you are interested in professional play. 
• Join sites like Challengermode and Battlefly. 

5. Start A YouTube Gaming Channel

Pretty much anything goes when it comes to a YouTube gaming channel and the truth is that you should have one regardless of how you make money with gaming. On your channel you can share tips, create documentaries, showcase your gaming clips, or even offer some commentary. 

As your site grows, you gain more and more through ad revenue, potential subscriber fees, and even sponsorship. 

The trick with YouTube is to find something that you love doing. You need to find a gaming niche to be active in, like analyzing game lore, speedruns, commentary, or gaming highlights. 

You can find some great tips to get you started here: 12 Tips For Starting A YouTube Gaming Channel. 

6. Sell Merchandise

Ok… this is not something you should do from the start cause you would put way too much into it and your returns would be too small, unless you have an eye for designing something truly unique. It is not at all difficult to start selling merchandise but it is just so much easier after you have at least a small community behind you. Basically, after you gain some popularity in the gaming community and people start to know you, it is time to sell merchandise. 

When you start, the best thing you can do is to use a POD (print-on-demand) platform to take care of everything for you. Something like Printify or Fourthwall. 

7. Coach Others

If you are good at a game, chances are you can teach others. Many gamers nowadays offer lessons or coaching sessions to those interested. 

Obviously, in order to be a good coach you would need some gaming achievements. However, this does not mean you need to be among the best players in the world. Some of the best coaches are not the best, they are just really good at helping people get better. 

To get started, you will want to promote your gaming coaching services. Do this on forums, social media, your own site, or platforms like Podia or GamerSensei. Regardless of what you choose, make sure to offer a good coaching experience and people will come back (or refer others). 

8. Become A Gaming Journalist

Do you have writing skills and you love video games? Why not start a game journalist career? As a gaming journalist you can get money from several sources, like:

• Reporting gaming news
• Writing game reviews
• Covering industry events
• Interviewing people

Obviously, the first thing is to make sure your writing skills are good. You can look for a course online if you feel you are lacking at this. Then, you have to think about how you can get first gigs. It is a good idea to start your own blog so you could build a good portfolio to then show editors. 

After you have a portfolio, it is time to look for freelance gaming writing opportunities or even full-time jobs. Look at video game sites that allow submissions (especially paid ones) and respect all guidelines while you make a submission. Then, make suyre to network with gaming industry contacts, especially editors and writers. This is possible through industry events and, of course, social media. 

Try to look for gaming jobs on freelancing sites or specialized platforms like Game Journalism Jobs. Just remember that, especially in the beginning, it is easier to get jobs if you focus on a niche. For instance, you could write about a specific gaming brand or game. 

9. Promote Affiliate Deals

If you have some influence as a gamer, you can easily start promoting gaming products. Think about items like keyboards or gaming chairs. A commission would be gained for every single sale you make through an affiliate link. 

A great place to start is a program like Amazon Associates. The affiliate commissions are small but they do add up. Then, you can move up to others that pay better. 

Try to review gaming products you love, show them on live streams, create tutorials, and more. You can do this on your site/blog, stream, YouTube Channel, or any other platform allowing you to share the affiliate links. 

At its core, affiliate marketing is very simple. It is also scalable and highly recommended when combined with other ways to make money as a gamer. For instance, you could stream on Twitch and recommend great gaming chairs or cameras. 

Just make sure that you always stay honest. When people start to trust your recommendations, you get more conversions. 

10. Do Gaming Voiceovers

Do you have a knack for dramatic dialogue, emotions, or/and accents? If so, voice acting is a very rewarding career. Almost all game developers out there need voiceovers for anything from indie titles to AAA games. You might be the next voice of the main character in a Rockstar game. 

To start, you need a small portfolio, of course. You can record a demo and showcase your style and vocal range. Then, share it on special platforms like Voices or Voice123 or promote that you are open to voiceover gigs on your channels. 

Most of the really popular gaming voice actors started small. They kept working and ended up being hired by the big studios. 

11. Start A Patreon

It is surprising to see how many gamers do not take advantage of Patreon. Patreon is a great way to let fans support you while offering exclusive content. There are countless perks that you can offer for people to become fans, like early video access, guides, BTS updates, or private sessions. 

As with many of the best ways to make money gaming, you want to combine your Patreon with other revenue coming from things like streaming or affiliate marketing. In time, your Patreon community will grow and thrive, as long as you offer something engaging and valuable. 

12 Start A Gaming Podcast

Are you passionate and love talking about gaming? You could host a gaming podcast. So much gaming-related content can be featured, like:

• Gameplay commentary
• Gaming industry commentary
• News
• Humor
• Interviews

The great thing about podcasts is that you can monetize them in many ways, like:

• Donations
• Ads
• Hosting events
• Premium content
• Crowdfunding
• Sponsorhips
• Affiliate marketing

To start your gaming podcast, you need audio editing software, a microphone, and choose a podcast host like Buzzsprout. You can even add your gaming podcast on Spotify if you want to. Promote the podcast with social media, blogs, or through your streams. 

Final Thoughts

I left out some ways to make money gaming that are pretty much obvious, like becoming a game developer or a video game designer. You could do those too, of course. 

The most important thing to remember is that there are many different ways to make money gaming these days. You just need to find what resonates with you. There is something for everyone and literally any gamer can do it. You usually start small and then gradually earn more and more.