Recently, the gaming sector has flourished into a multibillion-dollar industry, attracting players all over the world. Nowadays, video games have come so far that they involve elements using blockchain technologies, such as NFTs and crypto, oftentimes as a monetization form. When crypto emerged, it appealed mainly to those who wanted to buy bitcoin and make money from trading it, but now, it has become an integral part of the gaming landscape.
While gaming was once just a mere form of entertainment, it has turned into a lucrative landscape for those who want to make a living out of their passion. Esports are one of the most popular alternatives to make money as a gamer, but platforms such as YouTube Gaming as well as Twitch allow you to monetize your content, while showcasing your personality and skills to a broad audience.
In this blog, we will discuss some of the ways to make money by playing games, so read on!
Livestream
One of the most popular ways to make money through gaming is livestream, particularly if you’re a gaming pro or you’re really good at entertaining people. Now, we know what you may be thinking: “Why would someone pay to watch me play a game?” Believe it or not, there are plenty of reasons why they would do it! First of all, other gamers would get the chance to pick up tips from you – someone who’s more advanced than them. Moreover, who wouldn’t want to witness exceptional gameplay? It’s just fun and entertaining! Besides, this is also an excellent opportunity to connect with other gamers in the community who are simultaneously watching your live stream.
And the good news is that there are many ways you can earn money while broadcasting gaming livestreams. For instance, some viewers may offer donations as a way to show appreciation for entertaining play, while others may even sign up for paid subscriptions. If you choose to work with affiliate marketing partners, you can promote their products on the livestream and earn commissions. And, if you become famous enough, you can even create your own merch and sell it! But keep in mind that to be able to make money from live streaming, you need to be interesting enough (a good storyteller or/ and a funny one) so that other gamers would enjoy watching you play.
Website gaming guides
Gaming guides are a great way to make money, and they can either have a written form or a video form. An idea is to sell written guides for a specific game through your website, whether it’s a standalone or accompanied by a video. A written video game could include a tutorial on game features, expansion options, a walkthrough telling players what to do and where to go, or other basic details, as well as tips and tricks for more advanced play.
When monetizing written content, consider incorporating screenshots and graphics, because this will make it more straightforward for readers to understand what you’re talking about. Once you’ve written the guides, consider publishing them in an eBook format, on protected pages, or upload them on your website. It’s a good idea to give some of the content for free and then offer the rest of it as premium content. Or you can offer free tutorials, but choose a strategy to monetize your site, whether affiliate marketing or advertising.
Video game testing
Playtesters offer video game companies feedback on how enjoyable a game is, helping game developers recognize potential glitches that could negatively impact the user experience. Ultimately, the purpose is to allow them to make the necessary improvements to improve gameplay. Some of the information that game developers want to gather is where players get stuck, what they can easily learn, what they like, which features and benefits they find most appealing, and how players get stuck, to name a few.
Playtesters can be freelancers, regular employees or volunteers, but they always require a passion for playing -obviously- alongside good work ethic, involving the ability to meet deadlines, follow directions given by developers and offer honest feedback as required. Playtester jobs can be found via ads, or by approaching video games companies and asking them directly if they need playtesters.
Video game coaching
Becoming a video game coach is another great way to make money from your passion. Essentially, as a video game coach, you will help clients enhance their gaming skills by providing different kinds of services such as observing live play, offering guidance through tips and strategies, and reviewing game replaying recordings and providing insights.
As a game coach, you can offer services either one-on-one or in a group setting in the form of a digital workshop or a webinar. Depending on your expertise level, your coaching services can be suitable for all players, no matter what their level is, allowing you to target more for a higher skill level. However, keep in mind that you’ll need a few qualifications to become a game coach, such as experience as a gamer, teaching skills (for example, answering questions and observing player behavior), experience as a gamer, and up-to-date knowledge of gameplay and game versions, to name a few. You can find students in different ways, such as promoting your services on platforms such as Fiverr or creating a YouTube channel where you provide free coaching samples. Or, you can create a website with a blog where you offer how-to-tips. Coaching can work great when combined with other monetization ideas mentioned earlier, such as livestream, as it gives you the opportunity to offer your coaching services to the audience you’ve already built.
Gaming podcast
Do you enjoy talking about gaming for hours? If so, hosting a podcast can be a great way to make money, and you can choose among different types of gaming-related content, such as industry news, humor, commentary on gameplay, new game reviews, and interviews with gaming industry representatives.
There are multiple ways in which you can monetize podcasts, including brand sponsorships, selling premium content, crowdfunding and donations, advertising revenue, and promoting affiliate marketing products, to name a few. Starting a podcast is relatively simple, but you’ll need audio editing software, a microphone and a podcast hosting platform, so keep in mind that it will require upfront investment. Also, once you’ve created the podcast, you’ll need to promote it online through social media market and search engine optimization.
The bottom line
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to make money through video games! Some of these ideas will be more suitable for some people based on their aptitudes and interests, while in some cases, it’s possible to combine them to multiply your income. Ultimately, it’s about choosing what works best for you so you can have a thriving side hustle.
