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One of life’s best pass-times is playing games. Strategy board games, party games, and conversation games are good, but video games are even better.
Did you know that you can embark on a full career just playing video games? If you’re single, young, and bold enough, take a shot at it and earn from it.
If you’re up for making cash gaming, try out any of these tips that will help you make your efforts worthwhile.
Table of Contents
1. Visit Legitimate Online Gaming Sites
There are countless benefits to playing online games. For one, you don’t need to get yourself rough-on-the-pocket consoles like a Nintendo, Xbox, etc.
All you need is a functional computer, good internet and a fair amount of gaming experience. So, which sites should you trust to pay you for your ‘hard work’?
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a legitimate online site that pays you for doing more than just having fun. It offers a variety of tasks, for example watching videos, shopping, and much more.
To start, you can take part in the daily promotions for featured games, which will go a long way in earning you some Swagbucks points. Do this every day and gain experience that will double your earnings.
InboxDollars
This website gives you the opportunity to make real cash for playing online games. What you need to do is to create a free account at InboxDollars at zero cost and proceed to the game section.
There is a wide variety of games to choose from, some simple and most complex. When you begin, you can earn up to $10 per day. As you progress, you can make more than this.
Players’ Lounge
Players’ Lounge has a very straightforward concept. Start by picking a game of your choice. Get matched with a worthy opponent from anywhere in the world, and compete for cash.
The app has a Players’ Lounge Rating (PLR) that matches players of equal skill against each other. In case of any foul play, there is a dispute system that addresses concerns such as these.
To make money from this app, you should be 18yrs or older. If you like Players’ Lounge, you’ll love PlayVIG. It has a similar concept, but with more ways to earn money.
Bingo! Zone
Are you a lover of Bingo? If your answer is yes, then Bingo! Zone is the site for you. You can earn good sums of money just by playing bingo online. As the name suggests, this is a site only for Bingo games.
There are different Bingo games to pick from, which you can play every day and earn at least $1. The money will keep increasing until the moment when a winner is declared.
Second Life
Second Life promotes real-life businesses on a virtual platform. They include property trading, selling gadgets, content, clothing, etc.
As if that’s not attractive enough, you can even earn a few bucks just for sitting outside a store. The idea is to attract more people to the store.
Paid Game Player
Once you create a free account with Paid Game Player, you can play over 600 games for free. You can earn a few bucks by playing the games you love.
The downside is that you must be above 18 to register and start earning money. The games offered include arcade, puzzle, casino, and many others.
Gamesville
Gamesville is considered the most popular web-based gaming platform on the internet. When you play and win games, surpassing high scores/slots, you get awarded GV Rewards.
You can, later on, change the GV rewards into money along with other worthwhile prizes. Alternatively, you can win instant cash instead of rewards in certain cash-only competitions.
2. Live Stream Your Games
You’ve probably been told countless times that you won’t, and you can’t make a living off your gaming habit. Before you think of giving an ear those overly repeated words, take a shot at broadcasting your digital adventures to the world.
Live streaming is a big deal right now. A report carried out by Research and Markets in 2016 estimated that it could grow to over $70.05 billion in the next four years.
Game Live streaming has been a game changer – no pun intended – to an active subculture of individuals. It’s a big deal not only in the US but the world over. Many of the industry’s biggest names garner thousands of viewers per session.
On your first stream, you may or may not have an audience that’s worth bragging of. This is perfectly normal. As you grow, your audience will grow with you.
Before you get to it
Make sure you run a few tests on your setup to ensure that your viewers enjoy an optimal experience. Pay close attention to:
1. Audio balance
This may prove to be the most difficult of them all. Your viewers should be able to hear you clearly over the game’s sound effects. It shouldn’t be too clear to the extent that even the slightest background noise can be heard.
2. Familiarity with the game
Whichever game you choose to play, make sure you know your way around it. No viewer would enjoy watching you as you showcase your gaming inexperience on a live platform.
3. Game Clarity and Resolution
Your screen should cast a clear resolution to ensure your gameplay is featured. Also, make sure your shot doesn’t obscure critical features of the game, such as the HUD.
There are numerous ways you can profit a great deal from live streaming. The biggest platform you can make money from at the moment is Twitch.
YouTube Gaming is slowly gaining relevance, so consider it as a second option. Other platforms include Microsoft’s Mixer, Facebook Live, and BIGO Live (for mobile gamers).
To stream, you don’t necessarily have to be a wiz at games – though it may boost your gaming career exponentially.
Viewers are more often than not drawn to skill, expert analysis, wit, and strong personalities. Put together a few of these, and you’re on the right track to a successful live stream.
3. Creating Walkthroughs and Game Guides
All gaming newbies need comprehensive and enhanced guides to games they’ve never played before. There are tons of video game websites and blogs that accept guest writers that specialize in the gaming niche as well.
As a game guide, you’ll be required to provide the following:
- a detailed description of how to finish an elaborate video game
- Choices the player can make to find alternative plot lines
- Detailed steps on how to solve in-game puzzles and quests
- How to uncover treasures and secrets (adventure games)
- The most useful gameplay strategies.
- Comprehensive description of POIs (Points of Interest) locations, quest starters, and maps of game worlds.
If you’re able to come up with powerful walkthroughs and guides that someone somewhere might find useful, why not make a living out of it? As a bonus, you get to play games for free and attend gaming events at zero costs.
A walkthrough/guide could be in the form of a blog, professionally structured eBook, tutorial and whatever else you can come up with. Only do this:
- For games you’re not well acquainted with, there’s no need to embarrass yourself all in the name of making money.
- If you have strong writing and editing skills.
- After figuring out a common query in specific games among players
Make more sales by writing walkthroughs of sought-after games. Games of this nature will require you to up your game (again, no pun intended) a notch to beat any critical competition.
Writers will occasionally be employed on a freelance basis depending on the sample review they provide – regardless of their evident lack of ‘sophisticated’ publication credentials.
Writing a walkthrough is a reasonably straightforward miliarprocess, provided you follow the right technique.
It’s worth noting that the more game-savvy you are, the more polished and informed your reviews will be.
If you’re a hardcore gamer with excellent writing skills, you might as well write an e-book. Gaming e-books are worth $15 or more on Amazon.
4. Get into Game Journalism
Game journalism should never be linked to game walkthroughs – although they share many similar requirements.
Think of it merely as an alternative means of combining your passion for gaming with your probable top-notch writing skills.
Game journalism mostly deals with the latest news, interviews, and reviews of various genres of games. The most critical part of being a unique games journalist is being an avid player.
Tips for becoming a successful game journalist
Be passionate
Not everyone understands the depths of program software. The mere fact of being enthusiastic about games can significantly catapult your game journalism career.
Regardless of what you write about, take it seriously but have a little fun with it.
Start small, grow big
Debut your first review on a lesser-known site to learn the necessary skills and build your portfolio. In any case, smaller outlets receive talented and dedicated writers with open arms.
Video Game Journalism Jobs is the best place to find sites to write for. Working with sites like these will broaden your managerial and marketing skills as well as teach you a thing or two on carrying out a successful interview.
Don’t do it solo
Starting as a game journalist with no form of counsel can be very risky. Take your time to find the most accomplished personalities and writers on social media. Most writers in this field are very receptive to fresh blood.
Though they won’t always give you concrete leads, it pays to put your face out there. You’ll develop a sturdy foundation by finding the writers, audience, and outlets connected to your interests.
Hone your writing skills by contributing to gaming forums and writing brief game reviews on games you’re familiar about. Stand out by being what most are not – open-minded, enthusiastic, accurate, impartial and informative.
5. Take Part in Competitive Gaming
This is perhaps the most popular and most rewarding means to make money gaming. Both online and LAN-hosted tournaments and competitions are fun and interactive ways to really get into the game.
There are a lot of online games that are always open for tournaments and offer pretty incredible prize pools. Tournament games could either be teams against teams or an individual gamer against his/her competitor.
The complicated bit is that there will be players with more knowledge, grit, and swiftness. Team events, to be specific, are a lot more challenging to improve.
This is because every member of the team will need to practice a great deal. Individual events, on the other hand, will depend on the time you put in as well as your skill.
First off, check out these sites to know if you have access to a gaming event you may want to participate in:
- PolarfluKe
- Organized Chaos (LAN)
- Liberty LAN
- Orena (Online)
- MWEB GameZone Tournaments (Online)
- Do Gaming League (Online)
The fundamental aspect of competing in eSports tournaments is to put yourself out there as a skilled player. Doing so will get your name among the PvP games tournaments’ favorites.
Practice makes perfect (and money as well). The more you improve on your gaming, network with expert gamers to make a name for yourself.
This will all work out if only you’re confident in your gaming capabilities. If not, it’s best you try out the rest of the items on this list.
6. Become a Video Game Tester
Some kids and teens are making a fortune from beta game testing. Earning money from home as a game tester is a splendid job, provided you have the knack to spend most of your time playing every day.
A video game tester tests beta video games before their public release. Game testing involves a lot of processes and learning curves. Testers evaluate the gameplay and the quality of the graphics and sound.
You will be asked to share your honest opinion on whether the game was truly enjoyable or downright dull. The companies that hire you need to ensure that the millions of buyers globally are getting value for their money.
Making money as a game tester is enjoyable for real gamers, but next to impossible for kids under sixteen. To apply for a game tester, make sure that:
- Your English is on point
- You can quickly adapt to the various strategies, techniques, and systems
- You have the latest gaming devices
- You are computer literate (though nowadays this is not necessary)
- You’re prepared for the stiff competition from other (more experienced) gamers
- You can stay for long hours playing video games
- You’re passionate about gaming
Aside from these, you don’t need much to excel in video game testing: no background experience, no BA degree in marketing, no investment.
If the gods and goddesses of the video game world smile upon you, you’ll be lucky to earn $50,000 per year, among other benefits. For kids under 12, Microsoft Playlist is the best platform to start from.
The older generation can sign up at Game Testers, which happens to have a couple of connections with relevant game manufacturers. Other sites worth considering include PlayTestCloud, Game Tester, Nintendo, Bananatic, and Glassdoor.
7. Develop a Gaming Website
If you consider yourself obsessed with video games, it’s time you took your obsession to the next level: create a gaming site.
Before you dismiss this idea, think: with all the available online tools and resources at your disposal, wouldn’t it be such an easy undertaking?
Best Sites to Create a Gaming Website
Of course, like every other huge undertaking, you will need to spend a considerable amount of time planning and consulting.
You should, first and foremost, put into consideration the style that you’re comfortable with. It could either be a game review site or one exclusively for playing games.
You could alternatively create a gaming community hub website to meet the needs of your online gaming community.
Once you’re contented with the style, go ahead and determine the niche. Choosing too big of a niche is going to be quite challenging to help you stand out and make a name for yourself. Your site’s content should solely be based on your personal preferences.
The next step is to purchase a domain name and hosting. Get a free Web host where your site will be accessible to netizens all over the world. For a far more dedicated and resource-intensive website, HostGator would be your best bet.
From here, it’s up to you to customize your site. Your site’s overall design should be at par with your desired niche and theme. As you build it out, keep in mind your overall goals.
Today, there are hundreds of niche podcasts on the airwaves – among them is the gaming community.
You may have a strong affinity for a specific game enough to want to discuss strategies others can learn from. It’s simple; start a podcast.
What you’ll need:
- Recording equipment – microphones & recorders
- Software – editing packages to media hosting
- Music & FX – a soundtrack for your show
- Cover art – a cool graphic design that will represent your show
Decide on which game you want to podcast about and how frequently you’re going to broadcast. To be at the top of your game, consider doing podcasts on recent gaming news.
You could do the talking all by yourself or bring in a couple of your pals and make it a multi co-hosted podcast– the more, the merrier. You can spend an hour or two enjoying and discussing retro games and telling interactive gaming stories.
When talking about games, it doesn’t necessarily have to be based on video games alone. Popular podcasts include board and card gaming.
There are hundreds of ways to make money from podcasting. It all depends on how aggressive you are. Promote your podcast on social media, cover everything there is to know in your niche and if possible, do a video.
This will increase your audience and make your podcast more famous. The more exposed it is, the more advertising deals will come rolling in.
9. Download Apps That Pay You to Play Video Games
Believe it or not, there are real apps that pay you to play games. With these well-known apps, you can earn passive income by engaging in your favorite hobby at no cost at all.
AppJest and AppLike
AppJest is the iOS equivalent of AppLike. These apps give enthusiasts an opportunity to earn cash through downloading as well as playing specific games.
Unlike most mobile gaming apps, you don’t need to watch advertisements now and then to earn points or cash.
You get to win Amazon gift cards and PayPal cash monthly either running mobile games or playing them.
PlayVig
Once you download the PlayVig system onto your PC, you can choose one game from the impressive collection of high-quality games.
When you advance through the leaderboards or complete certain game-related quests, you will be rewarded with PlayVig coins. These coins are redeemable for PayPal cash prizes.
In essence, PlayVig is a unique opportunity for passionate gamers to make money playing exciting video games they probably wanted to play anyway.
HQ Trivia
On this app, users can log in twice in one day to compete in a 12-round tricky trivia. The prize pool – which is worth $2,500 – can, later on, be split with whoever else who’s still standing.
If you happen to have a couple of enlightened friends with a knack for trivia knowledge, the stronger your chances of making it through all 12 rounds.
Since the app’s inception, top users have earned more than $25,000. Other trivia apps that pay money include KO Trivia, SwagIQ, QuizBiz, Q Live Trivia, Qriket, and CashShow Trivia.
None of these apps will keep you financially stable, but they’re great ways of earning something extra on the side. Additionally, they’re fun and enjoyable to play.
Final Thoughts
There are more ways to make money online than you ever imagined. Playing video games, in particular, is one of the best and fun ways to make money in your spare time.
There is enough room in today’s market to add a little extra money to maybe channel into your retirement account, take a vacation. Love what you do, do what you love, make money doing what you love, and success will follow.
