Are you an avid game player? Do you play online games regularly? If yes, I have some good news: you can get paid to play video games. In this article, I have listed all the possible ways to make money by simply playing games.
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Playing games and making money are the two things no one would say no to. What if I tell you that there are ways you can turn your gaming habit into a money-making strategy?
The number of gamers in the US is continuously increasing. Researchers predict the number of online players in the US is going to cross 57 million in 2020.
If you’re an avid gamer, you can make hard cash with the right strategies.
Whether you like playing Need For Speed, Counter-Strike, Pokemon-Go, or Grand Theft Auto, you can easily find methods that fit your gaming choices.
8 Ways to Make Money Playing Video Games
So are you ready to get paid to play games? Here’s my list of the best ways to make easy money through gaming.
1. Sign Up For Reward Apps
The easiest way to start a side hustle using your gaming passion is by downloading apps that pay you to play games. Although it won’t pay much compared to the other money-making ideas we’re going to share below, it also takes the least effort.
First of all, you’ll have to pick a legit platform that pays well for your gaming sessions. The safest way is to go for popular reward apps offering minor tasks in exchange for points, cash, or gift cards.
Here are some popular apps where you can get paid to play video games.
TapChamps
Tapchamps is a popular online gaming community. It’s an Android app that connects game creators and players.
You can play games based on your interests and expertise. For game creators, this platform generates user traffic, player engagement, and advertisement. The app profits from the creators, and it shares some of that money with you.
You’ll have to fill in some details about yourself when you sign up. After that, the app will notify you about games that match your profile. With this, you can earn money by playing games you like.
Mistplay
Mistplay is another app dedicated to gamers. All you have to do is download it, and you’ll get a list of games you can choose from. Once you start playing, you’ll get paid simply for the time you spend on the app.
Mistplay pays you in points that you can redeem in the form of gift cards. These gift cards can be used to get hard cash from Visa, or get discounts and offers at your favorite stores such as Amazon and Starbucks.
Besides that, the app has a referral program. You can get points for if your friends download the app and play through your link. Also, you can chat and compete with other gamers to make your experience more fun.
InboxDollars
InboxDollars is another app that you can download to get paid playing games online. The app is absolutely free, and you can start playing as soon as you sign up. It also has a huge variety of games so you can choose the one that excites you the most.
Moreover, you can earn up to $5-$10 a week depending on the time you spend on the platform and the types of games you choose. As you progress to become a seasoned gamer, you can earn more and increase your income.
Swagbucks
Swagbucks is the ultimate go-to platform for side hustlers looking to make easy money. The app has lots of small tasks to choose from, such as taking surveys, shopping, watching videos, and of course, playing games.
You can choose from a variety of games and earn according to the time you spend playing. Besides that, you can also participate in Swagbucks’ featured promotions as a beginner and start earning more gradually.
If Swagbucks is the type of app you like, there are plenty of similar apps that you can also try.
2. Become a YouTuber
Apart from earning small rewards from gaming apps, there are many other ways you can get paid to play video games at home. This one takes more effort and dedication and is more profitable as well.
If you are an expert in gaming, you can post gaming content on your You\Tube channel and earn through it. But first, you’ll have to monetize your channel so that the traffic on your content can bring you some hard cash.
After you’ve gained enough followers, you can create content on any topic you like regarding gaming. You can play games and give critical reviews, guidelines, and tips about mastering the game.
As I mentioned before, there are many new gamers out there who’d love some quality content on the topic.
3. Stream Your Gameplay Online
If you are a regular gamer, you may play certain games exceptionally well. You might also know the tips and tricks to get bonus points or unlock new features.
If so, you can easily stream your gameplay online, and there are ways to profit while doing it.
Either you can upload your videos to your Youtube channel, as we suggested before, or you can stream your gameplay on Twitch.
Twitch is an online platform where gamers meet up and share their gaming techniques, tricks, and expertise with friends across the globe.
Not only will you find an appropriate audience for your streaming on this site, but you can also get paid for it directly through the platform.
That is, once you pass as a legit gaming streamer by crossing a one-hundred-subscribers threshold. For that, you’ll have to create watch-worthy content. You can try by mastering a popular game, displaying humor or an engaging personality, or by playing unique games.
To record your gameplay, you’ll need to invest in some equipment to increase the quality of your videos.
On Twitch, you receive $5 for every subscriber who visits your channel, once you’ve reached the monetization stage.
That’s good money to begin working for if you’re interested in this field. It will take some effort to establish yourself. But, once you’ve made it, you might be able to think of gaming as your primary source of income.
See Related: How to Make Money on Steam
4. Start a Gaming Blog
Gaming journalism or blogging is a genre that’s rapidly gaining popularity online. Opportunities are there if you’ve got the expertise for it.
Mainly, all you have to do is use your gaming knowledge to help others master their gaming techniques and benefit from your experience.
However, it’s not that easy. You’ll have to invest time to create good write-ups and invest financially to purchase an excellent hosting service for yourself.
This way, you can earn from your experience without having to establish your very own platform. Start your blog now for only $3.95/month with Bluehost.
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Your blog can focus on a single game and discuss mastering it with tips and secrets. Apart from that, you can give out news updates on the gaming industry or provide gaming product reviews.
Besides earning from a blog hosting service, you can make money by setting up affiliate links. You can recommend gaming gear like consoles and other accessories and make some profit by advertising brand products.
It’s actually pretty easy to start a website in today’s age. Here’s a tutorial to help you set up your site in no time.
You may be thinking, creating your own site is too much of a hassle just for a side hustle. Instead, you can become a freelance writer and post blogs for existing gaming journalism sites.
See Related: 10 Ways to Get Paid to Listen to Music
5. Sell Your Gaming Account
Have you ever reached a point while gaming where you’ve collected an insane amount of coins, badges, gaming currency, lives, or points? You may be thinking that income is restricted to in-game use only but actually, it isn’t!
You can make money online by selling your account credentials to people who want it. Believe me, there’s a huge market for gaming accounts online.
Sites like PlayerAuctions let people who’ve beaten various games cash in on their hard work by finding the highest bidder for it.
There’s no limit to the types of game accounts you can sell online. You can find bidders for everything, from action to sports games.
You can sell your account credentials on eBay as well. Yes, it’s easy to create a seller profile on the website, and you can even reach people who’re clueless about the video game accounts market.
But, on eBay, you’ll have to set up a fixed price for your account. This way, you may not always get the best price.
See Related: 13 Ways to Make Money Online Without a Website (or Blog!)
6. Monetize Your Gaming Server
Now, you can get paid to play video games at home if you are willing to invest some money. All you have to do is create your own game server.
You can buy a server to host games like Minecraft, Clan, or Guild at a monthly hosting price. Sites like Enjinn let you buy gaming servers and charge players to compensate for the amount you spend in the long run.
Besides that, if you’re an exceptional gamer, you can find sponsors for your server as well. This way, you can earn smoothly from every player that visits your server.
You can even display ads on your server and get affiliate profit from the advertisers. However, monetizing your server is tricky because compromising the game’s integrity is against the rules.
Just make sure you read the guidelines properly before starting off.
See Related: How to Make Money Leaving Your Computer Running
7. Play Games On Trial
There are many new games pumped out every day. The problem is, no one wants to try those games unless they are worth it. Developers need people to test their game repeatedly to see what it lacks.
Most games go through lots of developmental stages to help refine the experience, and that’s where you come in.
Developers hire players to play and identify any defects or glitches in their games. With this, they can get an honest opinion from a player’s point of view and check if the game will work well for the masses.
As a game tester, you’ll get a list of aspects that the developer wants you to keep an eye out for while playing the game. It’s mostly straightforward, but it can get tiring if you play for long hours.
Look at it this way: if you’re testing an action game like Mortal Kombat, you’ll have to play all the characters against one another to see how they work. Combined, that equals to almost 8000 matches.
So, this job is mainly for people with good analysis and concentration skills.
To find game-testing gigs, you can look at platforms like PlaytestCloud or ErliBird. Here, you can choose the games you want to play and start earning for the time you spend.
Furthermore, if you want to make a living out of playtesting, you can even apply for a position at gaming research companies. It requires more effort than signing up on an app.
You’ll have to send in your application, appear for interviews, and collect some prior experience before jumping in.
See Related: Ways to Make Money on Steam
8. Sharpen Your Saw
A great option to get paid to play games is to become a pro gamer yourself. That’s because it doesn’t involve anything other than mastering your own gameplay. But, to become a pro-gamer, you’ll have to invest both time and money.
Most importantly, there’s no straight way or guideline you can follow to become a pro. You just have to keep on practicing and have faith in your passion.
You can start by attending online gaming competitions. Through these competitions, you’ll get good exposure to the gaming industry and a chance to increase your knowledge about pro-gaming.
Remember, you won’t win every competition you take part in. You might not win any for the first few months of trying. However, if you carry on consistently, you can come out as a winner, which means a substantial monetary reward.
Once you start a winning streak, you can become a viable contender and make a living out of gaming.
The path is steep, but it’s an excellent way for someone who wants to make gaming their primary source of income.
See Related: 11 Ways to Get Paid to Watch Ads
Bonus: Become a Customer Service Representative for a Gaming Site
Yup, you can help out people playing your favorite games through the game itself. You can become a customer service provider for a gaming site. We know what you’re thinking: you’ll need to know about customer support before you can begin.
That’s not the case. If you’re a frequent player and have good knowledge of the game, you can easily apply for the job. For example, online gaming websites like Blizzard have in-game advisors who help players and answer queries while they play.
This doesn’t mean that you don’t need to have customer skills at all. But, it’s an acquired skill, so if you’re passionate about gaming, it’ll come naturally to you.
You can even consider doing an internship before you apply.
See Related: 9 Ways Get Paid to Post Ads
Final Thoughts: Ways to Get Paid to Play Video Games
Who would’ve thought there are so many exciting ways to earn money while gaming? In a nutshell, you can start by playing games on a reward site and make some passive income from your everyday screentime.
After that, if you think gaming is the way you want to go, you can improve your gaming skills and invest in yourself to take up a more profitable gaming path.
Remember, you’ll have to work hard and prove your worth at some point to establish yourself in the industry.
Otherwise, you can also relax, enjoy yourself, and earn through your usual gaming routine.
If you’re finding it difficult to choose an option, you can combine some of the strategies like blogging and YouTubing to distribute your content more widely.
In the end, it’s all about your creativity and productivity. The trick is to be consistent. Are you ready to get paid to play video games? Good luck!