How To Make Money Playing Video Games (Ultimate Guide!)
Video games have that type of power. And they're an amazing, fun way to connect with people from around the world.
But, what if playing video games wasn't just a fun hobby? What if it was possible to actually make money online with gaming?
Well, thankfully, it's actually possible to make money playing video games if you know where to look.
That's why this post is outlining some of the best gaming side hustles so you can start enjoy the latest games while also making some nice side cash.
How To Make Money Playing Video Games
If you're looking for a new video game side hustle, the following ideas can all help you turn your hobby into a new income stream!
1. Play Mobile Games For Money
Did you know that it's possible to play mobile games for money?
That's right: there are so many apps that pay you to play games. And I've been testing out these apps for years as a fun way to make a bit of extra cash on the side in my spare time.
Some of the leading apps in this space include:
- Rewarded Play (Android)
- Bubble Cash (iOS)
- Cash Giraffe (Android)
- Mistplay (Android)
- Kashkick (Web)
- JustPlay (Android)
- Scrambly (Web)
Between these apps, you can earn a steady stream of gift cards and PayPal cash, all from your phone! And if you need more apps, check out our guides on the top Android and iOS game apps that pay.
2. Become a Video Game Tester
I'm sure many of us thought it would be cool to make money as a video game tester when we were younger.
Just picture it: your 9-5 job involves testing video games, playing through campaigns, leveling up characters, and trying to find errors in games. Pretty neat!
Realistically, being a video game tester isn't that simple. In fact, video game testing is basically a QA job where the majority of work is centered around finding bugs, recreating them, and reporting them.
Additionally, a lot of video game testing work is contractual, and full-time work can vary in pay quite dramatically, Just check out this graph from gameindustrycareerguide.com on video game tester salaries:
There are a number of job marketplaces that frequently look for qualified game testers, and this is ultimately how you can find either full-time or part-time work in the industry.
You can also try remote job websites to look for contract work. And there are also specific companies looking to hire game testers like UserTesting and PlaytestCloud.
3. Offer Video Game Coaching
If you're a pro at a specific game, chances are, you can make some decent side money by teaching other players how to improve.
Just take a quick look at the video game coaching offers on websites like Gamer Sensei:
You heard right: people are charging upwards of $100 per hour to coach people to be pros at games like League of Legends, Counter Strike, Valorant, Dota, Call of Duty, Fortnight, Starcraft, and more.
Now, if you want to make money with this option, you have to be in the top percentile of players for your game. However, this route does offer a potentially incredible hourly wage and the chance to earn money playing video games.
Extra Reading – How To Make $100 A Day Guaranteed.
4. Use Paid Gaming Apps
In recent years, there's been a rise in paid gaming apps that let you compete against other players to try and win cash prizes. So, if you're willing to bet on yourself and feel competitive, these apps are one way to start a new gaming side hustle.
Some of the most popular game apps that pay real money include:
This is just scratching the surface. You can find even more paid gaming apps from companies like Skillz and others in this space.
Personally, I prefer making money online without paying anything. But if you feel competitive, these apps could be what you're looking for.
5. Start A Gaming YouTube Channel
Video games are incredibly popular on YouTube. And, clearly, there's a massive demand for gaming content on YouTube, which means it's possible to make money by playing video games if you grow an audience.
Once you reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time, you can also start making money on YouTube.
Personally, I started my channel in 2020. It now has over 30,000 subscribers and makes $50 a day or so in passive advertisement revenue.
Granted, it's not a video game channel. But I have a video about how to make money playing video games. And it also proves that making money with a new YouTube channel is possible.
If you factor in things like adding affiliate links for gaming related companies in your description or even getting sponsorship opportunities, it's clear there are a few revenue streams on the table.
6. Start Streaming On Twitch
Twitch.tv is a platform that lets video game players broadcast their game play and personalities to viewers across the world. And if you can make it on Twitch, the payouts can be massive!
In terms of monetization, Twitch streamers pull in revenue through multiple streams, including:
- Advertisement revenue
- Monthly subscription fees from their subscribed viewers
- Donations
- Affiliate income, sponsorship, or paid promotions
At the highest level, this results in streamers like Ninja making around $500,000/month through Twitch and YouTube revenue.
Ultimately, you need to be sensible about the whole streaming video games to make money concept. It is possible to turn this into a decent side hustle, but it requires time, dedication, and skill.
Extra Reading – Do Twitch Moderators Get Paid?
7. Use Swagbucks
Another gaming side hustle you can test out involves using Swagbucks, a popular rewards website.
I've been using Swagbucks since college to make money. And it's a fun, effective way to make money online as a beginner.
I like Swagbucks since it offers several ways to make money, including:
- Playing games for cash
- Watching ads
- Shopping online
- Downloading apps
- Surfing the web
Gaming offers change all the time, and you basically get paid to download and play various games. You can cash out via PayPal cash at $5 and various gift cards at just $1. And Swagbucks usually has a sign up bonus for new members as well to help you get started.
8. Teach Video Game Classes
When I was younger, I went to a video game coding camp once a week during the summer. Our instructor was a fellow gamer who started the camp to teach young kids about coding and game design.
The camp was an awesome way for kids to get excited about learning to code. And for him, he was making a few hundred dollars every weekend by teaching our class of about five kids.
You can start your own side business doing the same thing if you know how to code. Or, partner with someone who does and handle the marketing for this business.
9. Earn Rewards With Buff
Buff is a new gaming rewards platform that lets you earn passive rewards as you play your favorite PC and mobile games.
The platform partners with over 1,000 games, including leading titles like CS:GO, League of Legends, Overwatch, Valorant, Call of Duty, and PUBG. All you have to do is download Buff and run it in the background as you game to slowly earn coins.
You can redeem coins for exciting prizes like gift cards, free Steam games, and even gaming merchandise. And Buff also has daily and weekly challenges you can complete to earn more rewards.
If you're going to play games that are partnered with Buff anyways, you might as well earn some passive income while you're at it!
10. Write Video Game Guides
If you have a knack for writing, another way to get paid to play video games is to write gaming guides as a freelance writer.
Currently, there are hundreds of different websites where players can read video game guides, build orders, or strategy tips to improve their play. Thankfully, many of these websites will pay authors to contribute articles or their unique video game guides.
Some websites looking to pay for thorough, high quality guides include:
- www.gamerguides.com/jobs
- www.killerguides.net
- www.proguides.com (you can become a partner if you have a decent following on social media or Twitch/YouTube).
- www.culturedvulture.com.
Ultimately this option is one of the tougher ways to make money with video games, but I wanted to include it in the list because it will appeal to anyone with a love for writing.
Extra Reading – How To Make Money As A Creative Writer.
11. Play In Video Game Tournaments
Video game tournaments have been around since games have existed. But we've come a long way from playing LAN tournaments in someone's basement for a $50 prize.
These days, the top gaming tournaments pay out thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to winners. And the best part is that you can find plenty of video game cash tournaments online if you know where to look.
For example, one awesome way to find video game tournaments is by using the website Battlefy.
Some games that regularly have online weekly tournaments include:
- Starcraft 2.
- Call of Duty.
- Counter Strike.
- Overwatch.
- Magic the Gathering.
- Hearthstone.
- League of Legends.
- Dota 2.
You can also use websites like Smash.gg, GameChampions, Toornament.com, and Players Lounge to find even more games if Battlefy isn't for you.
Tournaments aren't easy or steady money. But hey, who doesn't like fighting for a shot at a prize pool doing something they love?
12. Play Trivia Games for Money
I've covered ways to make money with trivia apps before. And while this isn't a high paying hustle, it's a fun side hobby if you're a trivia fan.
Most trivia apps are fairly similar. If you make it through all the rounds without getting a question wrong you get to split the prize pool with remaining contestants.
Some of the most popular trivia apps that pay cash include:
- Swagbucks Trivia – Another popular trivia app from the popular GPT website Swagbucks.
- Givling – Win cash and have a shot at having your student loan debt paid off by Givling.
- HQ Trivia – One of the most popular trivia apps that pays cash prizes.
You won't become rich by playing trivia apps, but if you're a trivia fanatic, these games might be a great way to earn some additional income!
If you want more ideas, you can also checkout this list of game apps to win real money.
13. Develop A Video Game Or App
Like video game testing, you can always try your hand at developing a PC or mobile game yourself.
Plenty of indie game studios are run by one person or a small team. And this is actually how some people make money with Steam or other major gaming distribution platforms.
Of course, you need to know how to code for this side hustle, so it's not for everyone. But even single-person games can make a ton of cash if they hit the right trend.
14. Rent & Run A Gaming Server
Being a serve admin and running your own private servers can actually turn into a pretty cool side hustle. For example, one way people make money playing Minecraft is by hosting their own virtual servers and letting players pay to join it.
Private servers can also earn money by selling special items, cosmetic items, and accepting donations.
Minecraft isn't the only video game where you can make money as a server admin/owner. This idea is popular in games like Runescape, CSGO, Rust, Team Fortress 2, and others.
Of course, you need to monitor the server you own, so it makes sense to host a game you actually play so you can be a player-admin.
Extra Reading – 18 Things You Can Rent Out For Profit.
15. Try Crypto Games
Cryptocurrency games are a newer phenomenon in the world of gaming. And in the last few years, there's been a rise of NFT and crypto-based games that reward you for playing them.
Platforms like Axie Infinity, Decentraland, The Sandbox, and CryptoKitties are some prime examples. Although I'll say that I still prefer the gameplay of regular video games to these crypto alternatives.
16. Become A Video Game News Reporter
Media companies are increasingly covering gaming and E-Sport news. So, you could always try a new career by becoming a video game reporter.
This is a similar idea to writing video game guides for money. Except with this role, you probably need some skill and experience behind the camera, just like a traditional news anchor.
Can You Really Play Video Games For Money?
Yes, you can play video games for money by using the apps, websites, and ideas in this list. However, it's important to note that most video game side hustles are just fun side hustles and aren't going to replace your full-time job.
Additionally, for many games, it's difficult to make any money unless you're in the top 1% of players and can compete in tournaments or make compelling content that people want to watch.
But, if you want to earn some free money or PayPal money, a lot of the gaming apps in this list are reliable options.
Extra Reading – How To Earn Gift Cards By Playing Games.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's The Highest-Paying Video Game Side Hustle?
The highest-paying video game side hustle is starting a gaming YouTube channel or streaming games on Twitch.
The top gaming YouTubers and streamers can make millions of dollars. However, this is a saturated niche and there isn't a lot of room at the top; only a handful of content creators make this amount of money.
You can still turn YouTube and streaming into a full-time job, but for most people, I think it is a small side hustle or simple hobby, not a major income stream.
Can You Play Video Games As A Career?
I think playing video games for money is sort of like starting a blog or online business. This is because you can't really set out to turn it into a career; you just have to put in the hard work and see what happens in the end.
My advice is to chase your video game side hustle while holding down a regular job so you have some income. If you start winning tournaments or doing well on YouTube or Twitch you can consider making a career change.
Extra Reading – 20+ Jobs That Pay $5,000 Each Month.
Final Thoughts
I hope this guide on how to play video games for money helps you start a new, fun side hustle that involves your favorite games.
However, I also want to remind everyone that sometimes a hobby is just a hobby, and there isn't a need to monetize it in the first place. There is nothing wrong with just playing video games to have fun or to learn something.
On the flip side, if you find it hard to justify spending a few hours on video games, maybe adding some revenue into the equation can make things worth your while.
Ultimately I think it is immensely difficult to make a full-time income from gaming, and I would advise against anyone sacrificing their job or education to attempt doing so.
But, it's certainly possible to make money by playing video games, even if it's just a modest side hustle.
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