Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of benefits to online gaming. It can improve hand-eye coordination and decision-making skills and enhance the brain’s speed, concentration, and memory. But another benefit to online gaming that not many people know about is that there are ways to earn money through this hobby. All one needs is a solid internet connection, any gaming console, or even an affordable gaming PC, and then you can explore the potential of getting paid to do what you love. Here are some ways to earn money through gaming.
Points clubs
Platforms like MyPoints and Swagbucks offer users the opportunity to win points by playing online games, and then these points can be traded for Paypal payments and gift cards. While it can be a money-making activity, joining points clubs often involves spending some money upfront since it requires purchasing game tokens from the point clubs’ site partners. Still, if you pay to play these games anyway, it can already be a good way to turn something you enjoy into an activity that provides cash returns or gift cards.
Customer service for other gamers
Plenty of companies call for people who want to become gaming consultants or a player support position for people who have a lot of experience with gaming or those who want to become technical support for other gamers. It’s technically a part-time job and reportedly nets about 9$ per hour.
Playtesting
If you’re the type who loves trying out new games, and if you have a penchant for finding aspects of a game that need improvement, you might be able to make money off of gaming by being a playtester. You’re especially qualified for the job if you’re the type of gamer who enjoys pushing a game to its limits or essentially trying to break it. As a playtester, you will be given a chance to try out a pre-release game, which you will have to play extensively. Then you will be providing reports to the game creators about how the game worked and responded. Be on the lookout for these opportunities by checking your favorite video game industry websites.
Game Writing
If you’re a gamer who also happens to be a writer or an artist, consider producing art or writing directly for games. If you’re a creator of any kind, start by building up your portfolio. Keep writing or drawing until you find an audience for your works. You could also try your hand at writing for games that allow users to write for free, like the app Episode. When you’ve built up a collection of works, try approaching an independent team who might be able to let you try your hand at writing games while doing other roles in the firm, and work your way up from there.
Starting a YouTube channel or Twitch
It seems like everyone and their mother is starting a YouTube channel nowadays, and with good reason: Business Insider reports that YouTubers can earn from $2000 to $40000 per 1 million views. But of course, finding success as a YouTuber isn’t easy, so before your start, make sure that you have something new to say and a point of view that other gamers don’t have. Another option is live streaming your games on Twitch, which also involves a lot of hard work. You need to build an audience that eventually can provide donations since Twitch users love to support people who are part of their community.
Making money from playing online games also takes a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it. So find opportunities to make some buck from your hobby and don’t hesitate to work hard.
