There’s a lot of money to be made playing video games. With a global market expected to exceed 200 billion dollars in value by 2023, the gaming industry is alive and well. Against a backdrop of global lockdowns, next-gen console releases, and eSports millionaires, video games are experiencing a new golden age.

1. How To Earn Money Playing Games
2. Earn Money Playing Games Online
3. Free Online Games That Pay Real Money
4. Earn Money Playing Games Paypal
5. Get Paid To Play Games On Pc

May 16, 2021 Swagbucks can be a great way to make money, but it definitely takes time! Betty I have played various ‘money-making’ phone app games – I figured out was a scam – got to $98.03 – but then my ‘congrats was you get $.0 x 4, etc. – so I only played a minute or so then stopped playing. Numerous steam games give people earning opportunities by selling their trading cards, steam items and cosmetics. Yes, these all are valuable enough to get you some extra money every month. I’m pretty sure that this list will prove useful for you as not too many sites have covered this topic yet.

But you don’t have to be the next Markiplier to make bank. There’s a ton of different ways to make money gaming, and we’re going to help you find out how.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to make money playing video games as a:

Think of this as your in-game tutorial. Let’s get started!

1. Live streamer

Source: https://influencermarketinghub.com/black-twitch-streamers/

Streaming gives gamers more control and connection with their fans than most other options. Thanks to Twitch, YouTube, and a handful of other platforms, video games have become more open, democratic, and potentially lucrative than ever, with expert streamers earning upwards of $1.5 million a year.

Of those, superstar streamers like PewDiePie reportedly make $4.5 million a month!

However, if you want to make money as a streamer, it takes a serious amount of time, originality, and persistence. Picking the right platform, getting the right gear, and understanding how to market yourself are all vital.

Let’s take a look at the platforms:

Twitch

With 140 million active monthly users, Twitch is the largest stomping ground for streamers. It’s also where the lion’s share of earnings can be made as a gamer – by a mile. Full-time Twitch streamers can make over $5000 a month (before ad revenue) with the best of them earning potentially much, much more.

Source: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/8-twitch-tips-for-watching-esports

How to make money on Twitch

You’ll need to become a Twitch affiliate to unlock most of the monetization Twitch offers, including money from subscriptions, bits, and ads. To be invited to become an affiliate, you will need the following within the last 30 days:

• 50 followers
• At least 500 minutes streamed, over seven different days
• An average of three concurrent viewers or more

Once you’re affiliated, here’s how you’ll actually make money on Twitch:

• Subscriptions – $5/subscriber, Twitch takes 50%. So to make $100 a month playing video games on Twitch, you’ll need 40+ subscribers.
• Donations – anyone can receive a donation on Twitch. Generally, most viewers donate between $1-10, although it’s not unheard of to receive insane donations on Twitch that will make you cry/laugh/vomit with excitement.
• Bits – these are Twitch’s built-in donation system, but people don’t use them as much (since Twitch takes around 30% as a cut.)
• Ads – around $250 per 100 subscribers. Twitch will also only pay out ad revenues once they’re over $100 a month.
• Sponsorship and endorsements – varies depending on the brand and partnership. Sponsorships can include gear endorsements, or streamers being paid to play specific games. Allegedly, these can reach up to $10,000 per hour for the biggest channels.

Ultimately, Twitch is a great platform if you want to build communities and offer raw, DIY-style content. It’s also got some of the best monetization options available, and relatively broad content guidelines.

YouTube

Source: https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/pewdiepie-youtube-livestream-deal-videos/

Next to Twitch, YouTube supports the widest community of video game content creators and offers some of the best monetization options. While it doesn’t pay as much as Twitch in the beginning to middle ground, at the very top end of earnings YouTube is definitely up there.

Here’s how you can make money as a YouTube streamer:

• Ads – $5 per 1000 views. As long as your content falls within the remit of YouTubes ever-changing community guidelines, you can potentially make serious money through YouTube ads. There are also a lot of options for the kind, timing, and location of ads you want to include in your videos, to help curate your channel experience better.
• Sponsorships and endorsements – popular streamers and podcasters generate thousands of dollars in revenue through paid partnerships. Typically, brands expect you to include a mention of their product and its benefits to your viewers, as well as offering some sort of incentive (like a store discount with a unique code for your channel).
• Super Chat and Stickers – similar to Twitch’s ‘bits’ donation system, Super Chat, and Stickers allow viewers to make donations with special pinned comments and emotes. Like Twitch, YouTube takes a 30% cut of the money earned this way
• Members – viewers can become paying subscribers to your channel (different to YouTubes basic ‘subscribe’ button on all videos), as long as you have at least 1,000 subscribers and are a member of the YouTube Partner Program. YouTube takes slightly less of a cut than Twitch, at just 30%, but the feature isn’t used nearly as much as it is on Twitch.

Other ways to monetize video games as a streamer

There are other ways to make money as a streamer, including alternative platforms like Facebook Gaming platform and Patreon. Facebook Gaming provides potential revenue streams in the form of subscriptions, donations, and sponsorship opportunities.

Patreon is also a great option if you want total editorial control of your content. It allows creators to assign ‘tiers’ to different subscription amounts, giving more bonus content and goodies as a user’s subscription cost goes up.

Whatever platform you choose to build your channel on, you’ll need basic video and audio editing skills and a few pieces of gear – like mics, a camera, a graphics card, and basic audio and video software.

Once you’ve got those, pick games you love playing and let your personality and enthusiasm shine through. The best streamers create original content, post regularly, and make genuine connections with their subscribers.

2. Professional gamer

Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-10/amazon-s-twitch-gets-streaming-star-ninja-back-on-its-service

The next highest-paying bracket as a gamer is to go pro. If you can dominate in one specific game, this might be the path for you. Keep in mind that a ton of esports players often have livestreams too. Factor this in with sponsorship deals, advertising revenue, and merchandise, and it’s easy to see how rising to the top as a gamer can be so lucrative.

How much can you earn as a professional gamer?

How To Earn Money Playing Games

The short answer? It depends. Contrary to popular belief, pro gamers don’t make the bulk of their income through winning competitions – although it certainly helps. The top prize pools in esports are regularly in excess of $1 million, with games like Dota 2, Fortnite, and League of Legends leading the pack.

Interestingly, a lot of the most competitive esports games are also some of the most viewed content on Twitch. The takeaway? The most popular games are also the most competitive!

Tip: At the individual level, the world’s highest-paid professional gamers receive revenue from multiple outlets. Some of it comes from competing, but a lot more comes from sponsorships, endorsement, merchandise, streaming, and advertising revenue.

On winnings alone, a handful of players can claim to pull in figures above $5 million for competing. However, there are other famous professional gamers and streamers, like PewDiePie and Markipilier, who make the majority of their income from things like ad revenue and merch.

Although figures vary, PewDiePie reportedly makes between $20 million and $60 million a year!

Finally, at the team level, professional esports organizations generally offer each player an incentive package that can include a regular salary. Although the industry is pretty quiet about exact numbers, you can expect around $4,000 a month as a contracted player in a top organization.

Source: https://esportsjunkie.com/2019/12/29/highest-paid-dota-2-players-are-from-og

If you have what it takes to join the ranks of a team like Team Liquid, OG, or Fnatic, expect to get paid considerably more. Just make sure you win!

How can I join a professional esports team?

Going the distance as a pro gamer is hard. The competition is relentless, and you’ll need to have crazy talent to compete with the best. But it’s possible.

Realistically, however, you’ll need to be exceptionally gifted and competitive in one or two games. On top of this, you’ll need to practice obsessively, do well in reputable competitions or leaderboards, and make a name for yourself.

3. Content creator

Being a content creator is the broadest and most accessible way to make money playing video games. If you’re creative, persistent, and have some basic video skills, content creation is the best place to start.

Typically, the most-watched gaming videos include:

• Reviews
• Guides, tutorials, and walkthroughs
• ‘Watch me play’ videos
• Collaborations and team games
• Easter-eggs, glitches, and rare in-game events
• Speedruns and hardcore challenges
• News

Often, income for gaming content comes through ad revenue and paid partnerships. As we’ve mentioned, your options for monetization differ slightly depending on your platform, but the same principles apply regardless of where you build your following.

Source: https://thegameawards.com/nominees/content-creator-of-the-year

You’ll need a unique angle, bags of personality, and the ability to engage with your fans.

If you want to make money making gaming videos, you’ll need to invest a bit of cash upfront for the right gear, develop your editing skills, and be prepared to publish content regularly.

Luckily, we’ve covered this all in our guide on How to Start a Gaming Channel.

4. Selling gaming merchandise

Whether you’re a streamer, YouTuber, or esports pro, you’ll probably be thinking about merchandise of some kind. From clothing brands to 3D printed video game memorabilia, merch is a great way to connect with your fans. The great thing about merch is that you can do it either as a standalone service or as part of your wider brand identity.

Source: https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2018/10/cloak-brand-clothing-announcement

It’s pretty simple to get started selling DIY merch with sites like teespring.com. You don’t even necessarily need to be a designer to start selling branded merch, as there are plenty of decent design platforms out there.

Tip: Start by searching for the kind of merch you would want to buy. If it doesn’t exist – great! That means there could be a gap in the market you could fill.

Ideally, you’ll have your finger on the pulse of a particular subculture within the gaming community, or have a passion for a particular game and its mythology. There are tons of Etsy sites where creators sell merch on every game imaginable, from Pokemon posters to Destiny ghosts. The potential is endless!

5. Video game journalist

Video game journalism is a great way to make money playing video games, with comparably fewer barriers to entry. Journalism differs from other gaming content slightly, in that it often focuses on news, reviews, and opinion-focused pieces, with a strong written element.

Typically, video game journalists write or create video reviews, provide commentary, and discuss what’s going on in the industry as a whole.

Gaming journalists can make anywhere between $15 – $50 an hour, depending on how good they are and the kind of publication they work for. You can also self-publish on your own blog or website, or choose to freelance.

Source: https://prowly.com/magazine/top-gaming-journalists/

In these instances, your earnings depend on things like your site visitors, viewers, and relationships with other publishers. There are literally thousands of publishers out there, from alternative tech news companies to esports analysis websites, that will pay well for decent gaming content.

Tip: A good place to start is to create video reviews and write for blogs as a side hustle. Try to find guest posting opportunities and build up your portfolio. Once you have a couple of pieces under your belt, email editors in your niche with short, succinct pitches that explain what your article would be about and why it’s relevant to their catalog.

There are also other avenues to writing about games that come with a decent salary, such as technical writer positions in major gaming companies.

6. QA tester

Fancy finding bugs for a living? No, we don’t mean becoming an entomologist. A QA, or Quality Assurance tester, basically tries to find everything that can go wrong in a video game.

Their job involves trialing different environments and characters, testing gameplay variations, and finding any bugs or glitches – then repeating this until a game is considered ready to ship.

Source: https://www.kmuw.org/post/your-move-cyberpunk-2077-awesome-right-platform

It’s a vital part of the process because it ensures that end-users enjoy a seamless, bug-free experience (looking at you, Cyberpunk.)

From the job listings, we’ve found, QA testers make anywhere between $15 – $35 an hour, depending on experience. If you have the patience, love video games, and are process-oriented, QA testing could be the role for you.

Tip: The best place to start is by searching job boards. Get a feel for the experience needed, and try to land some freelance contract work, to begin with at smaller studios. From there, you’ll have some XP under your belt and will be able to find better positions at major studios where you can earn money playing video games.

Build your gaming brand the right way

Building a gaming channel or brand is straightforward, but it’s hard work. Whether you’re building your platform as a streamer or finding new publications to write for, the market is competitive, and it’ll take some time to get moving. Think carefully about the medium you want to work on and how this lines up with your skills and character.

From there, it’s really just a case of putting content out there, being authentic, and having fun.

The most successful people in the gaming industry have well-established brands. Including a brand name, gaming logo, branded profile images, and cover photos, and much more.

Start by designing your logo and you’ll be one step ahead of the competition. It’s more than possible to make a living gaming. Just don’t expect to become a millionaire overnight!

Promotions are accurate at the point of publishing and only available for a limited time. All promotions are subject to change without notification.

Playing games online can be a great way to make extra money. It’s so much fun that some people have been caught playing online Scrabble while waiting at a stoplight. But it can also be a way to put cash in your wallet.

Do Online Games Really Pay?

Yes, you can make money by playing games online. It’s not too good to be true!

Earn Money Playing Games Online

The key thing to getting paid is to choose the right games and platforms. With some games, you could earn lots of tokens but have no way to turn your winnings into actual cash. Other times your winnings are paid in real money.

A great way to double your earnings from online games is to play a money-making game that’s partnered with a platform like Swagbucks, which pays you for your online activity. With this approach, you could earn money directly from the game you’re playing and simultaneously earn money from Swagbucks.

How Much Can You Make with Online Games?

The amount of money you can make from online games is based on a combination of time, luck and gaming experience.

Professional gamers make an average of $60,000 per year, and top-earners can earn as much as $15,000 per hour.

Many online games are so much fun that you’d be playing even if you weren’t getting paid. Because you’re earning money from goofing off, you might be less concerned about maximizing income when playing these games.

Some online games will release their numbers about how many users it has, how much money it’s paid, and an average payout percentage. This can go a long way in determining how much money you could make.

Keep in mind that for games of chance, such as online slot machines, each spin is based on a Random Number Generator (RNG). Numbers are generated randomly, and the system doesn’t know if you’ve just won big or if you’ve been playing for hours.

What’s the Best Type of Games that Pay Real Money?

Video games rarely pay you directly. However, you can win real money by playing in video game tournaments, farming out characters you’ve leveled up, or becoming a Twitch streamer.

In one extreme case, superstar gamer Tyler Blevins, known as Ninja, has made about $10 million from playing online video games. He has a popular YouTube channel and is an active social media personality. He’s even published a book on how to get good at gaming.

In addition, eSports is a popular way for professional video game players to win big jackpots. Last year, more than $156 million was awarded across 3,500 tournaments, and one top player earned $4.2 million.

Many gamers also earn money by becoming a video game tester. By working directly with game producers to try out beta versions, you could get paid for your skills on PC, Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo consoles.

Online slot machines are another way to win money. They’re typically available on both a mobile app and via a website. In some cases, you’ll need to buy in to start playing, but other times you’ll start with a deposit bonus when you sign up.

About eight percent of smartphone users are playing online casino games. Yet finding money-making game apps can be a bit tricky. Google limits access to real-money gaming apps for Androids, and Apple’s app store doesn’t allow rankings for these apps.

Although online poker does face regulation from some statewide gambling agencies, it’s possible to play and win in some locations. For example, one couple has only been playing for a few years, and they’re earning an average of $3,500 per month, which is more than enough to cover their rent.

How Do Games Pay Out?

Each gaming site pays a little differently, so you may want to check out the rules before playing.

First, consider the site’s payment types. You could get gift cards, online currency, prepaid credit cards, a check or online currency.

Next, there are payment schedules to look at. Some sites will pay you whenever you request it. Others have weekly or monthly payment schedules. Other sites may require you to have made a certain amount of money before you can cash out.

Top 7 Money-Making Online Games for 2019

Here are the best ways to win real money from online games.

1. Swagbucks

From Swagbucks Games, you have direct access to some of the best online games. One of the community’s favorites is an online trivia game called Swagbucks Live where users can win virtual currency that can be exchanged for cash.

More than just connecting you to money-making games, you can actually earn cash just by using the platform. For each game, you can earn site currency, called Swagbucks, based on your activity. Then you can cash in for gift cards or Visa Rewards cards. With Swagbucks, you can also get paid for online activities like watching videos, answering surveys or searching the web. Its users now have more cash in their wallets after earning more than $383 million!

2. Solitaire Cube

This popular card game is a modern version of the classic game Klondike Solitaire. Each round lasts one or two minutes. Rather than being a solo game, you can use the platform Skillz to compete with players around the world. In most U.S. states, you can win cash prizes from playing in tournaments.

Payouts can vary. One user deposited $25 and won $120 within a week. A top player has earned more than $350,000.

3. 21 Blitz

This online game combines Backjack with Solitaire. To practice, you can play for free. When you’re ready to play the game for real money, you can switch to cash games. Users have said that when playing competitively, you’ll be matched up with other users who have the same skill level. This can make it more difficult for savvy players to win a big jackpot by playing less-skilled players.

4. Slingo

This popular online game combines playing bingo with free slots. It’s been around since the days of AOL, but now you can play either on a desktop or mobile app. Winnings can be redeemed for cash via PayPal.

5. Lucktastic

This money-making online game is only available on smartphones. More than one million users have won extra cash by playing online scratch-off games and contests. Playing real-money games is free, and there’s no buy-in. However, there’s an ad that plays before each scratch-off game. Your odds of winning will depend on the number of people playing scratch cards and the number of people entered in the contest.

Free Online Games That Pay Real Money

6. Slotomania

This slot game is rated as one of the top real money casino games. Slotmania has more than 100 million players. It’s free to play, but you do need to have coins in your account. After your free initial bundle of coins, you can purchase additional coins or get coins via casino bonuses.

7. 888poker

The international online poker game includes Texas Hold ’em, Seven Card Stud, Omaha High/Low and more. There are live poker tournaments and even a team of professional poker players. It’s only available in some U.S. states. Withdrawing your online winnings is simple as logging in to your account and clicking “withdraw.”

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