Gaming

Since civilizations took shape, parents have been telling their children to find something they enjoy doing and get paid for it. It’s the basis of an economy and lauded as the core of a fulfilling life.

In spite of some misgivings and warnings from fuddies in the ’80s and ’90s, the ability to make money playing video games continues to grow. Like any industry that makes money, there are ways to get in on that cash.

As a gamer, you know that putting in the work is key to getting the reward. Whether that takes the form of honing skills, learning strategies, or farming the best gear and items, the principle is the same. 

Check out this list of ways to get paid to play video games.

Make Money Playing Video Games (with Caution)

This list ranks the difficulty of getting into each avenue, which, as is often the case, also reflects the earning potential of each position. 

No matter which path you pursue, remember that learning to save money is always a part of making money. Using capital and resources wisely beats splurge and regret every time. 

1. eSports Athlete

As 2019 winds down, projections that the eSports industry will break a billion dollars appear to hold true.

There’s a lot of money in the pot for advertising and revenue from spectacular events, like the upcoming League of Legends World Championship. 

Getting a piece of that for yourself takes some dedication, skill, and a bit of luck — but less than in other professional sports leagues. 

One of the big advantages of breaking into the world of eSports is that you don’t have to be discovered. Most of the eSports games have a ladder built-in to put the best players toward the top, where they can form teams and get prizes.

Still, if you intend to make money through eSports, you have to take practicing seriously and commit to learning the meta of your given game.

Even if you don’t hit it big by being recruited in a team, its’ possible to win tournaments and contests from the comfort of your home. The purse on some events reaches hundreds of thousands of dollars.

2. Streaming

It doesn’t matter if you go through YouTube, Twitch, or an emerging service. Getting into streaming is a tough field.

As a way to get paid to play video games at home, it has a lot of potential. Some streamers rack up six figures or more a year even before the endorsements and side deals come into play.

The difficulty you find is in finding and growing an audience. This takes careful attention to your presentation and image. The wrong word in the wrong stream can be the end of your career.

Streaming also takes a lot of additional skills outside of the game. Some streamers even specialize in bad gameplay, making the stream itself entertaining through personality or gimmicks. 

Consider building yourself a careful plan before starting on the streaming path.

3. Quality Testing

Gaming and quality testing are two slightly different jobs. They are, however, jobs. You show up to a building and put in the hours, often getting paid hourly but sometimes with a salary.

Unlike everything else in this ranking, this method of how to get paid to play video games involves a direct exchange. There is no non-game time or additional work that you’re getting paid for.

You aren’t getting paid for your personality or ability; you get money to brute force through the game and complain about the bits that don’t go well or argue about which bits are best. Those elements are essentially perks of gaming, so it’s easy to include them as job duties that are technically gaming.

4. Selling Currency

Different games have different legality attached to what can and cannot be sold. Third-party sites for selling currency, items, and accounts all carry their own risks but are viable options.

If you enjoy ripping your way through the hordes of mobs to get that just-so piece of loot or currency, it’s not impossible to cash in on the effort.

More and more gamers find themselves with less time to play and more money form other jobs. They’re willing to pay for your time to save theirs.

It serves you to get a good grip on the meta of the game and the item effects before you start. Consider watching prices carefully, and don’t fall into the undercutting to sell temptation that hurts your bottom line.

5. Create a Community

A bit different than streaming but also containing video releases, community creation is about building.

This is the last item on the list because it generates currency the slowest and contains the least ratio of gaming to side work.

To build a community, start by gaining as much knowledge as you can in a game. Build and write strategy guides and walkthroughs. Delve into the lore and make some sensible guesses at future developments.

Once you strike on an interest, pursue it. You generate money by monetizing your pages with ads and asking for donations to keep you going.

Many players are more than willing to put up with a few ads to find a secret or puzzle answer they’ve been struggling with. The more niche your community, the more likely someone will want to chip in and appreciate the work you do to keep a particular game interesting for others.

This method of making money playing video games often lays the groundwork for a streaming career.

Put in the Time

These aren’t the only ways to make money playing video games; they’re just the most common with a proven track record. If you don’t feel ready for any of these, find your own path. Several of these methods have only existed for a decade, so there’s time to build your own niche.

In the meantime, you can always learn more about saving through gaming. Check out our FAQ to get a clearer understanding of what Lootfeed does for you.

There are at least 2.2 billion gamers active in the world today. 

On top of that, people spent over $23.5 billion on games in 2015. 

If you’re one of those many people who love games, what if I told you that you could buy your favorite releases without ever feeling financial stress?

It’s time you learned how to save your money so you can play the games you want. 

Interested? 

Read on to learn about the ways you can use a gamer’s savings plan to make your life easier, and how you might even be able to make some extra cash while you’re at it. 

The ‘Sell Your Unwanted Games Savings Plan’

If you’re a console gamer, chances are you have titles hanging around that you no longer play. 

Want to save your money? Sell your used titles for extra bucks. 

Where’s the best place to sell your used games? 

Try out Amazon and Ebay. 

Amazon lets you market your old game through strong filters and has enough users that you’ll virtually always get a bite. 

Rent Your Games

Ever wondered why most newly released console games cost so much?

Part of the reason is due to production and sheer development. But the games you buy on release-day are often over-priced due to buyer competition. 

If you’re tired of waiting in a long line to buy an expensive game, look towards online renting services. 

AmazonPrime, Gamefly, and Nvidia are just some of the options that can save you a lot of money. Then, you aren’t paying tons of money every year Bethesda comes out with a new Elder Scrolls title. 

Replayable Titles 

When you’re researching new games to buy, target games that have high replayability. 

This makes it easier for you to settle down with one particular game, and not spend loads of money on a new release right away. 

Try searching for games that focus on open-world questing and multiple endings. This makes you motivated to play the game again, saving you money. 

Do Your Research 

This ensures that you aren’t wasting your money on a game. 

Though you can never know how good a video game is going to be from reviewers and spec-research, you can get a better idea of how much fun you’ll have. 

Be sure to research a game through multiple game-review outlets. Some will have inherent biases towards or away from the title you’re interested in. 

You can also try reaching out to betas and demos to see if the game is worth your money. 

Game Investments 

It seems like a dream question: how do I make money playing games? 

The answer is simple. Besides saving, you can make real-time investments while you play your favorite games. 

Options like Lootfeed allow you to connect your game data to an investment app, making you money while you play. 

Save Money While You Play 

A good savings plan can give you all the opportunity you need to play the games you want without worrying about your wallet. 

What about making some extra cash while you’re playing? 

Here’s your chance! You can check out services like Lootfeed to automatically accrue funds while gaming away. 

Go for it. Be the gamer who never has to sell another title again. 

Real life money management tips are similar to how you spend your loot in the video games you play:

You earn coins to buy weapons and gear and save up to get the “good stuff.” You don’t want to blow your bank on things you don’t really need because that could mean having to go without later. 

But in real life, the stakes are higher. You’re not 16 anymore and need to think carefully about how you spend your money. 

You’re keeping a roof over your head, food within arm’s reach, and the power on so you can keep gaming. Plus, you’ll never be able to save for retirement if you keep blowing your money on your gaming habit.

That doesn’t mean just because you’re older now and have more responsibilities that you can’t still enjoy gaming.

It’s never too late to press Start on these four money management tips:

1. Buy Used Games

A new game can easily cost you $60 or more. But buying used video games can give you the same gameplay for less cash. 

Stores like GameStop have made a big business from buying and selling used games, giving you upfront savings. 

Or, you can scope out sites like Craigslist, Facebook, or eBay for even better deals. 

2. Consider a Game’s Replayability

Forget about the hype. Before you invest your hard-earned money on a game, think about the total value the game will bring you. 

The best games are those you can play again and again. This helps you get your money’s worth and eliminates the need to rush out and buy more games since you already have something worth playing. 

Games that you’ll only play once or twice might be cheaper to rent or borrow from a friend. 

3. Trade Games with Friends—It’s Free!

If you have gamer friends, consider pooling your collection to expand your options. 

This gives you greater access to games without you having to spend your own money on them. Plus, you’re helping out a fellow gamer do the same.

Or, if you have kids who are also into video games, buy the titles that you’re also interested in playing so you can stretch your gameplay even further. This is also a good opportunity to share with your kids the older video games that started it all and do some reminiscing at the same time.

It’s a win/win!

4. Stock Up on Steam Sales

Steam is the holy grail for gamers. This online platform sells tons of games at way below retail prices. They have popular titles that everyone is talking about and titles that no one is talking about, and everything in between. 

The catch is that there are no physical media, which is one of the things that drives up the price of games at stores. Rather, you download your games directly to your PC.

If you find you can’t enough Steam, consider getting a dedicated Steam Box to house all your games. This allows you to play your games on your TV with a real controller, not a keyboard, giving you the same convenience of a console. 

Keep in mind if you build a Steam Box, it will take a while to recoup your investment. The games can be cheap, but gaming PCs are not. Do some math to calculate if this investment is worth it. 

Find More Money Management Tips for Gamers

Gaming can be an expensive hobby, but it doesn’t have to be. Savvy money management tips like the ones above can help you avoid going broke.

There are always ways to save on your favorite games, even if it means not getting them on release day.

Find more money-saving tips on the Lootfeed blog!