“Why do you play so many games? You should be doing something more productive with your time!”
Does that sound familiar?
Well, it turns out all that time playing games could actually have been job training. Today more than ever, gaming has become a huge part of the entertainment industry and not just in the sales department.
It’s a multibillion-dollar industry that now includes eSports, live streaming, and even virtual casinos within your pocket. We all play games for fun and entertainment, but how much money can you make by playing video games?
E-sports
We’ve all seen pictures of it. Sold out crowds in stadiums filled with screaming fans cheering on their… favorite video game players?
Esports has entrenched itself in the tech and gaming world as an immense industry. That equates to a lot of money. With the most popular games like CS-Go (Counter-Strike), LoL (League of Legends), and battle royale games like PUBG and Fortnite, there’s a lot of pro gamers out there making serious money doing what they love.
Which begs the question…
Can I Go Pro?
To answer that question, let’s take a look at a game that’s been around since the beginning: Counter-Strike.
Counter-Strike has been around since Steam first introduced its massive gaming client. You know, back in the day when it was still just an experiment and you still had to run to a brick-and-mortar store to buy your vidya games.
Most pro players running the circuits and making money have been playing the game since it first came out. If you haven’t been in a room heated with the hum of 5-10 enormous desktops with your buddy hanging from the air, chances are you’re already behind the power curve.
So… is it impossible?
Maybe not.
But… it’s definitely difficult.
If you can somehow climb the ranks in matchmaking games and get accepted into the ESEA (E-sports Entertainment association League) you have a shot at being a B-Lister. You heard that right, a B-lister. It’s an achievement on its own, but you’re not going to be cashing in on those sweet endorsement checks just yet.
From there you need to compete your pants off until you make it onto one of the pro teams. Then you’ll have made it.
E-sports isn’t something you’ll accidentally fall into because you used to always beat your little brother at Tekken. It’s something that the big players train for. If you don’t have that professional athlete mentality or drive, it’s simply not going to happen.
If you want to see how some of the big names in the eSports circuit do it you can check out Evil Geniuses, Cloud9, and Team EnVyUs. They really hammer home the fact that you’re not going to succeed in the industry unless you have some serious skills, determination, and a solid team.
Casino Games
The odds of earning money at a casino playing any number of traditional games like blackjack, craps, roulette, or poker are all across the board. But the catch is that the house didn’t become the “house” by giving money away for free.
The inherent risk involved in casino gaming is part of what makes it so exciting. Both you and the house are risking something of value, however, the house offers games that offer a statistical advantage to them.
With casino-style games, it’s all about odds and mostly about math. Do you know what to do during a hand of blackjack with 7 King and the dealer shows a 10? You should if you’re looking at gaming as a money-making career.
It’s not all hopeless though. There are a few ways to increase your odds of earning money while gaming at the casino:
- Don’t second-guess yourself
- Hedge your risk
- Manage your money to play as many rounds as you can
- Don’t try to win big
- Play with house-won money as much as possible
To earn serious money with casino games, whether they be at the table or online, you need to know every single aspect of the game. To earn really good money, just trust your instincts and manage your resources wisely.
Becoming a Streamer
Earning money playing video games? Wouldn’t that be a dream come true?
Streaming your mad gaming skills on Twitch and YouTube is a possibility for many go-getter gamers out there. It is even possible to earn some money while doing it.
Getting those sweet gaming bucks, however, really has more to do with your personality than your incredible gaming ability. There are plenty of gamers on these platforms that get followers and subscribers, simply because of their humor, outrageous personality, or hilarious commentary.
If you want to get picked up by a big-time platform and rapidly gain a following, there are several ways to climb quickly, namely:
- Provide entertaining commentary
- Teach people with strategy tips, tutorials, and walkthrough guides
- Review new games to help people decide if it’s worth buying or not
To get started as a partner on either platform, you need to have a few base-level stats going for you. This usually means a significant following, a certain number of watch-hours, and a lot of time on your hands.
The average Twitch partner earns between $10,000 and $40,000 per year, which is not too shabby. The 1% of top gamers make tens of millions of dollars per year with a combination of sponsorships, ad revenue, and subscriber dues. The odds are good that you can become good, but maybe not great. The 1% is the 1% after all.
Them’s Some Tough Odds
As you may have gleaned, the odds of earning money at professional gaming are definitely stacked against you. That’s not to say that it’s impossible to get in the game, but the pros have trained their whole lives for this.
There are ways to break into the big leagues, and the first step is to jump in. Immerse yourself in your chosen gaming field. One thing I’ve learned (that’s a bit cliche) is that “knowledge is power”.
Get into the game and learn everything you can about it. Hire a coach or a mentor if you’re really serious. There’s a knowledge gap between you and the pros that you’ll need to bridge first and you’ll really need to dedicate the time and effort into getting to that level.
It’s not called going “pro” for fun. You’ll need to think and act like a professional.