With the current digital era, gone are the days when a console was necessary to play or share games with friends. Now, all you need is a computer and a good internet connection to hop onto a gaming server with your fellow players worldwide. Some software providers will even allow you to keep score using a leaderboard to add a more competitive edge to your gameplay.
Playing games with other players from the comfort of your home is good and all, but increasing your income by monetizing your hobby is better. With the explosion in paying streaming services, esports, and virtual item trading in the gaming industry, this process is fairly easy. The best part is you don’t have to be a veteran player to earn as even casual gamers can find ways to turn a profit.
1. Become a Twitch Streamer
While there are several streaming platforms around, Twitch is among the most lucrative ones if you want to monetize your gaming skills. That’s because it offers many ways to channel some income, including subscriptions, donations, and sponsorships. All you need to meet Twitch’s eligibility requirements and you’ll be set to start earning.
The process of becoming eligible for Twitch earnings starts with setting up streaming equipment like a gaming PC, microphone, and webcam. You also need to have a stable internet connection to allow you to smoothly broadcast your streams during gameplay. Finally, you should create engaging content by playing trending games and interacting with viewers, to capture an audience and keep them coming.
2. Participate in Esports Tournaments
Esports have been exploding in popularity over the recent years, with thousands participating in competitive gaming and earning millions. If you think you have the skills and passion required to compete with the world’s elite players, consider joining a pro team. There, you can participate in leagues and compete for recognition, brand deals, and cash prizes.
To become a pro esports player choose a game to focus on among the ones thriving in the competitive scene. After that, dedicate a portion of your time to practice and sharpen your skills in the game and develop a strategy. Once you’re done you can start partaking in local amateur tournaments to gain experience before moving on to competing with industry professionals.
3. Start a YouTube Channel for Gaming
Like Twitch, YouTube is another social media platform that will help you earn big while participating in online gaming. The only difference between the two is that instead of streaming, you can create gameplay walkthroughs, tutorials, reviews, and even gaming vlogs on YouTube. It offers a generally wider range of content to pursue and the bigger your audience the more the ad revenue you can generate.
A successful gaming Youtuber begins their journey by choosing a niche within the gaming community. That helps identify a target audience, tailor your content to suit them, and be able to convert them to a dedicated fanbase. Upon building a loyal following, you can join the YouTube Partner Program and explore other ways of generating income like selling merchandise and affiliate marketing.
4. Offer Coaching or Tutorials
Some games require players to hone their skills and be strategic, especially if there is real money at stake. These include online casino titles like poker, blackjack, and craps, where you require a lot more than mere luck to land favorable payouts. If you’re good at any of these games, you can start one-on-one sessions or group classes for less experienced players and earn extra income.
The good thing is when it comes to skill-based casino games, most real money casinos online offer demo versions for games that you can use when tutoring. That will give you and your clients a real-world perspective of the game, with the actual game mechanics, symbols, and Return To Player. Depending on your level of expertise, you can even join tournaments like poker competitions and play for a prize. As an expert, you can also consider setting up a website and publishing guides and reviews to help new players.
More Ways to Make Your Gaming Knowledge Lucrative
With the amount of revenue generated through online gaming, it’s no surprise that there are many more ways to make money in the industry. One of the more common ways is through working with software-providing companies to test their games and provide them with feedback. Your response could be about how simple and exciting a game is, and it helps developers identify any details that could detract from user experience.
If you like talking about gaming, you should also consider starting a gaming podcast as an income source. Your podcast can include numerous gaming-related content, including game reviews, gameplay commentary, and the industry’s trending news. The list of how you can convert your gaming hobby into a lucrative venture goes on and on, and all you need to do is pick one that works best for you.
