Play and Get Paid: 10 Ways To Turn Your Gaming Habit Into a Lucrative Hobby

When adults give bright-eyed, impressionable children career advice, they’re likely to repeat Mark Twain’s quote about work: “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” This is curious because anyone who has worked a job, even an enjoyable one, knows that this is bullsh-t. Work is work, after all. Nevertheless, there’s an obvious truth to Twain’s statement, namely that enjoyable work is better than back-breaking drudgery. And in that spirit, we’ve compiled a list of jobs and side gigs for one of the most entertaining fields there is. Here are 10 ways to get paid for playing video games.

From crypto-based NFT games to simple puzzle apps, there are dozens of games that will pay you real money. Are they particularly lucrative or a good use of your time? Probably not. But as far as earning extra cash from gaming goes, this is the easiest, most straightforward method.

While it might help to have a relevant college degree, all you really need to become an entry-level, quality-assurance tester is to have a passion for video games. That said, you should know that it’s not all fun and games, with testers working up to 80 hours a week.

The global eSports industry is valued at around $1.39 billion, so there’s plenty of money to be made through sponsorships, prizes, merchandise, etc. But getting a slice of that pie will take hours and hours of practice every day — not to mention a healthy dose of talent. Depending on what game you choose and how good you are, you could earn up to millions of dollars a year.

You don’t have to be the best at any game to livestream your gameplay on Twitch, but you’ll need to have something to attract viewers, whether that’s skill, charisma, or humor. Top streamers earn millions of dollars a year, while small-time gamers might earn a couple hundred bucks annually.

Gamers with an affinity for the written word can channel their passion into a journalism career. To start, it helps to have a degree, plus a few high-quality writing samples.

As one of the most stable, well-paid positions on this list, this is the gig to shoot for if you can stomach (or even enjoy!) math and coding. While there are non-traditional paths to this career, most will want an undergraduate degree in computer science or game design.

Beyond selling valuable items and in-game currency, players can also sell their accounts. If your account is at a high level and includes lots of in-game goodies, it can go for thousands of dollars.

YouTube stars like Markiplier may make millions, but he’s the exception to the rule. The reality is that many barely see a cent, with the average content creator making just $3 to $5 per 1,000 views.

Unless you’re a god-tier gamer, you won’t be coaching Team SoloMid or Team Liquid any time soon. However, if you’re a solid player, you can make some money by coaching everyday gamers using Fiverr, BetterGamer, and other online platforms.

If you’re a storyteller who’s always dreamed of creating your own games but don’t have the patience for staring at code, you should look into writing for a game studio. Folks looking for guidance and inspiration can visit r/NarrativeDesign.