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Who wouldn't want to make money playing games online while sitting at home on the couch?
If you are ready to have some fun making money from home, then keep on reading. There are so many opportunities to use new online gaming sources to generate gaming-based income. Not only are there different sources for making money, but there are also different ways and formats!
Solitaire is the only card game app where you can MAKE REAL MONEY PLAYING FREE VIDEO GAMES! Another important note is that users will not pay any fees to download, join, or play games in Mistplay. Play certain games and make money online today! Download Mistplay.
You can earn cash rewards by playing mobile games, taking surveys, and shopping online. Nothing is more satisfying than when you earn gift cards and other rewards or get that extra cash via PayPal.
Sit back, relax, and check out our top money making apps to earn free cash playing your favorite games from home!
Table of Contents
- 1 Best Apps to Play Games for Money
- 2 Best Game Apps to Win Real Money
- 3 Additional Apps that Pay You to Play Games
- 4 Alternative Apps to Earn Free Money
- 5 More Ways to Play Games for Money
- 5.3 Play Games for Money FAQ
Best Apps to Play Games for Money
1. Mistplay
This application actually pays you to play online games. Mistplay is an Android-specific application that offers users the opportunity to play video games in exchange for monetary reward.
The app launched in 2017, focusing on providing users an environment in which they can participate in games in exchange for prizes. Through the earning of points, users can join in in-app games to receive gift cards to various retailers such as Amazon, Google Play, and even virtual Visa gift cards!
With Mistplay, you are eligible to start earning money from the minute you start playing online games. You can even play with friends and level up your avatar to unlock achievements and earn units faster. They also support user communications and staying connected by offering a chat feature, encouraging connections amongst participants.
Another important note is that users will not pay any fees to download, join, or play games in Mistplay. Play certain games and make money online today!
2. Lucktastic
Lucktastic is like a virtual scratch-off ticket. Just download the app, and you'll get free tickets to play every day.
You can use your tickets to try to win huge cash prizes, like $5,000, $10,000, or more! If you earn anything between $1 and $100, you can redeem it with a Dwolla account.
The best thing about this app is that you still earn points every time you play, even if you don't win a cash prize.
Those points can later be redeemed for gift cards to Amazon, Restaurant.com, and more.
New: Gamehag
Play free online games to collect Soul Gems and exchange them for rewards! Earn free Robux, Steam Wallet, Prepaid Mastercard, and more!
Play games, Complete tasks, Get rewarded!
Best Game Apps to Win Real Money
Are you looking to win real cash playing your favorite video games? Mobile game lovers can get paid cash rewards and gift cards every day with these free apps.
3. Lucky Level
Lucky Level brings you free scratch cards and even a spinning wheel for a chance to win money and gift cards. Play tens of scratcher cards every day for your chance to win up to $1,000. Thousands of players have already enjoyed risk-free winning experiences. Spin the LUCKY WHEEL and enter our WEEKLY RAFFLES for even more chances at winning cash and gift cards.
- Win money: the more you scratch, the better your chances! Receive payment directly into your Paypal account
- Get gift cards: redeem the tokens you earn every day for gift cards from your favorite brands.
- Free to play: no purchase nor deposit necessary
- Compete on daily leaderboards: earn tokens by finishing up on top of the daily leaderboard.
- New scratch cards are released 3 times a day.
- New raffles every week: there's always a winner!
4. Wizard of Oz Slots
Wizard of Oz Slots is the only FREE Vegas-style game from The Emerald City!
Play new games with Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion as they travel the Yellow Brick Road to see the Wizard of Oz.
Relive the classic movie and win HUGE PAYOUTS with FREE SPINS and MEGA WILDS in all-new casino machines.
Collect millions of free credits every day and keep spinning to get bonus credits in the best free machine games around!
- Wizard of Oz Slots (IOS)
- Wizard of Oz Slots (Android)
5. Game of Thrones Slot Casino
Winter is coming.
The great houses of Westeros are preparing themselves for an all-new adventure: Game of Thrones Slots Casino.
Are you ready to spin the machines on your way to the ultimate glory: The Iron Throne?
Test your skill in one of the most immersive machine games to come out of the Seven Kingdoms. Relive memorable moments by experiencing machines with classic sights, sounds, and beautiful art, all based on Game of Thrones!
Dive into a mix of classic games and enjoy never-before-seen social features, where teamwork on the machines can aid your quest to sit on the Iron Throne.
6. My Konami Slots
The thrill of winning is in the palm of your hand. Play top-ranked My KONAMI Slots anytime you feel the need for a little social casino fun or a quick escape. My KONAMI features some of your very favorite machines straight off the casino floor.
Download the app for iOS to play free social casino games and start having fun in so many ways, including free spins, big bonuses, progressive jackpots, and working your way up in VIP status.
Play My Konami Slots (IOS Only)
7. Willy Wonka Slots
Willy Wonka Slots is your lucky ticket to FREE authentic, casino-style games and the iconic cast of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! Spin to win amazing prizes in this scrumptious free game!
Create your very own garden of crazy Wonka creations in Sweet Candy Crops, our newest mini-game. Spin in machines to find the best seeds, plant, grow, and watch the Credits roll in!
Play is sweeter than ever with free games, fun mini-games, and slot machines! Join Charlie as he tours the most eccentric and unusual candy factory of all, Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.
8.DoubleDown Casino Slots
Casino action thrills are free—and right at your fingertips!—in the world's biggest social game app.
Win big on over 100 authentic machines, from 3-reel classics to the latest Las Vegas hits, and the same name-brand Video Poker, Blackjack, and Roulette you know and love from the floor.
9. Zynga Poker
Join one of the world's most popular online poker games with more tables, more cash tournaments, more jackpots, and more players to challenge than ever!
It’s so easy getting paid to play poker game tournaments with Zynga Poker! Whether you prefer casual Texas Holdem Poker or competitive tournaments, Zynga Poker is your home for authentic gameplay.
Play Zynga Poker (Android Only)
10. InboxDollars
InBoxDollars is a cash-based online rewards club. It’s one of the best survey sites. It's been an established and well-known company that pays for easy online activities, like taking online market research surveys, watching videos, reading advertising emails, searching the web, and completing offers playing games, printing coupons, and more.
They offer a generous $5 bonus for signing up with a payout amount of $30 via check, card, or gift card.
11. MyPoints
MyPoints is a platform that allows you to earn gift cards for answering surveys, playing free games, watching videos, and many other online activities!
MyPoints will also pay you to shop online! When you shop online at over 2,000 top retailers like Walmart, eBay, and Amazon, earn gift cards.
Cash-out your points whenever you want for your favorite gift card or get a transfer to your PayPal account.
You're going to buy things regardless, so you may as well buy them through MyPoints to save money and earn that gift card!
- $5 Sign-up Bonus: Complete five surveys.
- $10 Task Bonus: Make your first purchase of $20 or more and receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card.
Best Apps To Earn Money
Additional Apps that Pay You to Play Games
12. Swag IQ
Do you love the thrill of a good game show? Check out the free Swag IQ app for the chance to test your knowledge on a live trivia game show. You can earn playing video games and a grand prize if you answer all questions correctly.
In true game show format, you'll be presented with a series of trivia questions and multiple-choice answers for each one. You get only 10 seconds to select your answer. Be sure to choose before the 10 seconds run out, or you'll be out of the running for the grand prize.
Even if you don't make it to the top, you can earn Swag IQ's digital currency for answering questions correctly. You can use it to get a second chance to win the grand prize or redeem for cash or gift cards.
13. Bananatic
If you would like to be one of the first to play a new game and provide your feedback, check out Bananatic. Game developers use this app for testing their latest games and getting reviews and suggestions on improvements.
It's also a fun community of gamers who can meet each other through the app, discuss the games, bugs, game development, and so on. What is more, you get rewarded in the game's virtual currency for playing new games, advancing levels, and writing reviews.
You can redeem your winnings for digital content, premium games, and even gift cards.
14. PerkTV
Like Swagbucks, Perk offers lots of ways to earn points: watch videos, take quizzes, play games, search the web, shop, and more. Each feature has its app, and like Swagbucks, but the app you want to use is Perk TV,
It rewards points for watching videos. Watching videos earns you minimal (a point or two each, which amounts to fractions of a penny); you can run Perk TV on your phone, and it will autoplay videos while you do other things, making it one of the lowest effort apps on this list.
If you use it regularly, that can result in some genuine cash over a month.
15. CashCrate
CashCrate is another reliable get-paid-to site where you can take surveys online, play games, and perform different tasks to earns a few dollars.
The sign-up process is surprisingly easy, and luckily also FREE! You can expect to get 2-3 survey invites every day. Furthermore, if you want to take part in more, you can always visit their website where dozens are available.
Spend some time on this append you can make some extra cash to enjoy a fancy meal or buy a movie ticket for friends on a Friday night.
16. VeryDice
VeryDice is a free mobile app that pays you to roll dice from your smartphone. If you're looking for a quick and easy way to earn money playing games, this is by far one of the best ways to go.
When you first register for the app, you're given 50 freerolls. Each time you roll, you're given a certain amount of “tickets” that can be used to exchange to earn real cash prizes (shipping is always free).
17. HQ
Do you love showing off your trivia knowledge? If that's the case, you should give HQ a try. This fun, fast-paced trivia game allows you to compete and win cash prizes. Players have 10 seconds to answer each multiple-choice question.
The app takes the form of a live game show, which airs at 9 p.m. Eastern Time daily. There's usually another show at 3 p.m. Eastern on weekdays as well. You'll need to answer 12 questions to be entered to win the grand prize, which goes to the person who answers all of them correctly.
However, if multiple people answer all questions correctly, the prize is split between all respective winners. Daily prizes go up to $5,000, with a $25,000 prize on Sundays. Occasionally, prizes can be much higher — up to $400,000.
App Games To Make Money
The HQ app is available on Google Play and in the iTunes App Store.
18. PCHGames
The Publishers Clearing House or PCH runs this app for short. Go to PCHGames to get access to scratch cards and instant win games where you could win up to $2,500.
Some of the games available within the app include mahjong, solitaire, slots, and more. You'll earn tokens that can be used to enter prize drawings. If you're fortunate, you could win prizes up to $1 million.
Aside from getting lucky with a top prize, you can also redeem your points for fun giveaways such as gift cards and merchandise.
19. Long Game
While Long games can be a fun way to pass the time, it can also help you achieve your financial goals. To get started, you need to verify your identity and link your bank account to the app.
Next up, you need to set a savings goal, such as saving for a car down payment. Then decide on how much you want to be added to your account each payday. Every time you add money to your account, you'll earn coins to play games for cash prizes.
All the money you're putting into your in-app savings account belongs to you. The account is FDIC-insured for an added layer of protection and peace of mind.
20. Brain Battle
Brain Battle has already given away tens of thousands of dollars to lucky players. They do this by sharing back a portion of the advertising revenue with one lucky winner. There are no in-app purchases and no paying to win.
All you need to do is download this free app and play any games to collect tickets. You need to get at least one ticket to be entered into the cash prize drawings. The more tickets you have, the higher your chance of winning the grand prize. The money is paid out through a Paypal money transfer.
Brain Battle is available in the Google Play Store and iTunes App Store.
21. Gamesville
Gamesville is a free web-based gaming website on the internet. You get awarded GV rewards for playing and winning games and getting high scores. From there, you can get your GV rewards into cash and other awesome prizes.
Additionally, Gamesville offers pure cash competitions for those who do not want to earn the GV rewards.
22. WorldWinner
WorldWinner is a skill-based gaming website that allows you to compete against other people for real money.
You can play in heads-up matches against other people or participate in large tournaments for cash prizes. The games list at WorldWinner includes a variety of arcade-style games, card games, sports games, strategy games, and word games.
Some familiars such as Bejeweled 2, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Tetris, Spades, and Scrabble.
This website does require a deposit of $5, 10, or 20 at a time to begin to test your skills.
23. Verasity Gamestore
With Verasity, for every minute of gaming, players will receive digital tokens that are exchangeable to Amazon vouchers and many other rewards. There are already thousands of games available from more than 550 game publishers, ensuring a wide variety of genres.
The platform is part of the Verasity. Tv online portal, which also hosts a Watch&Earn program and several B2B tools. Publishers use Verasity's's rewarding-technology to improve aspects such as engagement and monetization.
With the Verasity GameStore, you can play as a single-player, try a PVP game, or even create your tournaments and challenge your friends worldwide, right from your living room.
Alternative Apps to Earn Free Money
What's better than being a paid game player??? How about stacking your game winnings with cash back apps for big-time cash. These apps help you earn automatic cash back when shopping online.
24. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is an excellent rewards site that gives you many ways, free gaming included, to earn Swagbucks to redeem for tons of gift cards or PayPal cash.
It's even better now that it's on mobile and you can earn rewards wherever you go!
If you shop online with your mobile device, you can visit Swagbucks first to check its cashback offers. Click on them before you shop to earn a percentage of your purchase order back in the form of Swagbucks!
There are several gift cards to choose from to please just about any interest! These include Walmart, Target, and Visa.
25. Fetch Rewards
The Fetch Rewards App is a free mobile app that gives you cashback for taking pictures of your grocery receipts. The main difference between Fetch Rewards and other receipt scanning apps is that it doesn't matter where you buy your product.
Each time you scan your grocery receipt, you are given a specific amount of points. The amount of points you earn depends on the offers that are on your receipt.
The points you earn can be converted into real cash prizes such as gift cards to popular retailers such as Amazon, CVS, and Target. You can also choose to donate your earnings to the Red Cross. You need a minimum of 3,000 points (USD 3) to cash out.
26. Rakuten
Another favorite way to get a gift card is by shopping with Rakuten. This is a one-time deal in terms of gift cards, but you can continue getting cash back from nearly any online purchase.
When you first sign-up for Rakuten, you can choose to receive a $10 Walmart gift card or a $10 Rakuten cash back bonus.
You receive the bonus after making your first $25 purchase with Rakuten.
It is possible to earn cash back from over 2,000 online stores and at over 30 brick and mortar retailers. Your gift card will ship once you complete your first purchase.
Otherwise, Rakuten will send your cash back rewards by mail or PayPal every quarter each time you earn $5 in your cash back balance. It’s a great way to earn some money easily!
27. Ibotta
Ibotta is a great app that helps you save on your groceries, which is a substantial monthly expense for most people!
Not only can you save money on your purchases, but you can also make extra money by completing bonuses!
It's easy to make money with Ibotta, especially when you team up with your friends.
You and your team can earn money together and qualify for more bonuses when you meet specific goals each month.
You only need $20 in your Ibotta account to redeem it for PayPal cash or your choice of gift cards.
Download Ibotta on the App Store or Google Play. If you're a new member, you can get a free $10 just for signing up!
28. FeaturePoints
The FeaturePoints app helps you learn about new apps you might like to use on your iOS or Android device.
You can earn points just for downloading partnered apps, but you'll receive even more if you try them out for a bit.
This app rewards you with various gift cards to places like Amazon, PayPal, and Xbox. You can also choose to use your points to get paid games for free!
The referral program here is excellent, so be sure to invite your friends.
You'll earn 50% of everything they make after signing up using your code.
29. Toluna
The popular survey site, Toluna, is on both Google Play and the App Store.
You can join the Toluna community to participate in polls and online surveys where you'll get to share your opinions on various subjects.
Toluna gives you points for participating, which you can then redeem for cash or a variety of gift cards, including Redbox, Banana Republic, Overstock, and Groupon.
Toluna also has daily sweepstakes that give you a chance to win cash or prizes!
30. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is a website where users to take surveys in exchange for points that can be redeemed for gift cards or a deposit into your account. Signing up for the site is quick and painless; you can use your plus account or your email to log in
While playing new mobile games, you will be presented with surveys to complete in exchange for monetary rewards. Sound simple? That's because it is!
More Ways to Play Games for Money
Stream on Twitch
Twitch is a streaming platform where millions of people come together, live every day to chat, interact, and make entertainment together. Twitch is a subsidiary of Amazon and serves as the leading video live streaming service.
Mainly, the service is for streaming video games, whether live or broadcasting previously recorded games. If you want to know more about Twitch, check out this more detailed post.
Apps that Pay
Now you have a ton of options to start earning cash rewards with all those money-making apps!
We have provided you with the best apps with free games to start making money while having fun. The best part? You aren't limited to just the games. You can try taking surveys, shopping, scanning receipts, and even streaming on Twitch!
How you decided to make that extra money is entirely up to you. You can try one or try them all!
Let us know your favorites in the comments!
Play Games for Money FAQ
What Apps Pay You Real Money to Play Games?
There is a wide selection! Swagbucks, Mistplay, Perk TV, and many more!
What Game App Pays the Most?
Swagbucks is the higher with a $5 payout and many ways to earn.
Can You Win Money on Game Apps?
You sure can! Check out some prime ones on the list like Mistplay and Swagbucks!
What Apps Let You Win Real Money?
If you are looking for straight cash, check out Swag IQ.
It’s probably not the career path your mother would have chosen for you, but maybe it’s time for her to reevaluate.
Video games have become a titan in the entertainment industry over the last few decades, with the market peaking at $35.4 billion in 2019 revenue. For context, that’s more than three times the revenue made by the music industry and 83% of the money made by the movie industry in the same year[*].
You’re probably familiar with some of the ways you can make cash playing video games, with major streamers like Ninja making serious cash and eSports being aired on ESPN, but did you know there are ways you can take your favorite hobby and play video games for cash — even outside of a professional context?
While pursuing a professional career is an option, you don’t have to be a major league gamer to pad your savings account while you’re waiting for your next doctor’s appointment or when standing in line at the DMV.
There are so many ways to make money playing video games, but most of them aren’t worth it. We’ve done our research and pulled out the options that are worth considering. We tell you the honest truth — what you choose to do with it is your decision.
Some of these have the chance to be lucrative, most do not. Some follow more traditional career paths, others involve an entrepreneurial spirit. Some pay you immediately, others require content and time investment.
Take a close read through to figure out which option is best for you.
1. User test video games for large video game developers
It’s not surprising once you stop and think about it, but every game ever released needs to be tested. Think of it like writing a book, except that the sentences aren’t linear. Someone has to playtest every aspect of a game before its release, and companies like Blizzard, EA, and Ubisoft all employ full-time and contracted video game testers.
The money can be better than you think. Video game testers can easily earn $50,000+ a year, but keep in mind this is a demanding, full-time position. You aren’t just lazily playing video games. Here’s an idea of what you would be doing:
- Carefully performing “matrix” tests to “break” a game – e.g. exploiting balancing strengths and weaknesses in a MOAB game.
- Writing down articulate and meticulous thoughts around new versions and the issues you encountered. You can’t say, “The game was choppy”. You’d have to say something more along the lines of, “Version 1.32’s load time between cutscenes clocked in at 12 seconds, which is much longer than the 4-second benchmark we established”.
- Attend meetings and relate your findings to the developer team.
- Staying on top of bug fixes and reminding the team to resolve them.
Another common complaint is the lack of upward mobility. Where do you go from being a user tester? Well, the answer is nowhere concrete.
How to get started
Check out some job boards and see if any positions are available.
Here are some companies that offer user-testing positions:
- Nintendo: How cool would this be? The only catch is you have to live in Redmond, Washington since it’s where their American headquarters is.
- Blizzard: User-testing jobs at Blizzard are hard to find, but you may be able to snag one if you keep a close eye on it.
- Rockstar: Same idea here. These jobs don’t come up often at Rockstar but you may be able to pick one up if you’re lucky. And remember these are legitimate jobs and should be treated seriously.
2. User test video games via smaller third-party testing sites
There are also generalized video game sites where you can sign up to test all sorts of games. Some of these require you to take voice and video recordings as you play them, others don’t. It’s essentially a product testing platform and the jobs depend on the various video game designers’ needs.
How to get started
Start enrolling and checking out gigs on a few user-testing sites.
Here are few third-party user testing sites to get you started:
- Beta Testing: Beta Testing was previously known as Erli Bird, and it’s a general platform for businesses to hire users to test their apps, games, and software.
- UserTesting: Similar to Beta Testing, this site has a broad set of user testing opportunities but video game gigs do show up from time to time.
- PlaytestCloud: This is a mobile app testing site, so you can find mobile games to test here. On their site, they mention that pay varies, but they give an example of a $9 test for 15 minutes of playtime.
3. Use Mistplay or other mobile apps
There are a couple of mobile gaming apps that make their cash through ads and user data while paying users for their time. You’ll have to play what they want you to, but if you aren’t too picky then these apps could be good for you. You won’t make more than a few bucks a month, but it’s not a bad way to spend downtime.
How to get started
Download a few mobile gaming apps and see which one you enjoy the most.
Here are a few mobile gaming app options:
- Mistplay: Play games and earn cash. This is best for mobile gamers who don’t mind opting in to play random games. You won’t get more than a couple of bucks a month, though.
- Bananatic: Online platform where you play for points that you can redeem for gift cards and other offers.
- AppNana: A mobile reward app that gives you rewards for completing small tasks and playing games. You can then redeem them for Xbox gift cards and other prizes.
4. Use sites like Swagbucks or InboxDollars
If you aren’t picky about the video games you play and are interested in a generalized approach to spending downtime, then Swagbucks and InboxDollars are two of the “make money online” juggernauts to consider.
Both services are pretty similar. Basically, you create an account, fill out some basic information about yourself, and then there are a wide variety of ways you can collect “bucks” or “cash”. These options include taking surveys, watching ads, playing games, and much more.
You won’t make anywhere near a liveable income from these sites, but they are good options to have around if you’re bored and looking for ways to gamify your discretionary spending.
How to get started
Fill out an account on either Swagbucks or InboxDollars and start playing some games!
Here are few links to “make money online” sites:
- Swagbucks: The biggest player in the “make money online” space. You can do everything from play games to watch movie trailers to fill out surveys and turn earned points into cash.
- InboxDollars: This service is very similar to Swagbucks, and many people mix and match between the two. Take a look at the video game options on both sites and see which ones are more fun.
5. Make a Youtube channel or Twitch stream
This is the most popular way to make money with video games at the moment. Just like your last Los Angeles Uber driver, you could consider starting your own Youtube Channel or Twitch Stream.
Isn’t that extremely difficult? Well, yes. Of course. Being successful as an online video gamer and streamer requires at least one of these three of these skills, if not all:
- A particularly good knack for video games.
- A charismatic personality.
- A unique spin and/or special attention to production value.
Just opening up a streaming account and starting isn’t enough to get people to stick around. You need a hook. That can either be your ability to play, the way you have fun while you play, the way you present the material or any of the above.
How to get started
Take some time to think critically about how to approach your Youtube or Twitch channel by using the advice below:
Take a close look at existing streamers. What could you do differently? How can you make video games entertaining outside of just playing them? What about you can become your unique value proposition? Think carefully before investing your time here, most people don’t make it.
Here are some major streaming sites to think about starting on:
- Twitch: The ultimate video gaming streaming site. The competition here is difficult, but you won’t find a platform with a wider potential audience.
- YouTube Gaming: YouTube’s live streaming is good but not as robust as Twitch’s, but it also allows you to post compilation/other types of video game content and ultimately build a broader channel than Twitch.
- Dlive: A newer blockchain streaming service that focuses on audience building and community rewards. This one is bound to be less saturated than the others.
6. Enter tournaments
One skill-based opportunity is playing in tournaments. Large games like Overwatch, Apex Legends and Fortnite regularly host tournaments.
If you are aiming (wordplay intended), for a skill-based entry into the video game market, then you need to prove to others (and yourself), that you have what it takes to win. Start training and start competing. If you don’t see meaningful progress and aren’t seeing results after a period of pursuit, consider moving on.
My advice on this is two-fold:
- Choose a game with longevity to invest in. Considering how long StarCraft II has been around, there is a decent chance StarCraft II will fizzle out over the next few years. That means it’s probably not the best time to start skilling up.
- Choose a game that has existing hype or the potential for growth. Ideally, you will catch a wave like Ninja did with Fortnite.
How to get started
Find an upcoming tournament with players you know are around your level, start practicing, and get to work.
Here are a few video game tournament sites:
- Battlefy: BattleFy hosts a bunch of Rocket League, League of Legends, and Hearthstone tournaments, but it also has a lot of depth with the types of tournaments you can enter in. The competition is tough but the prizes are high!
- Gfinity Esports: Gfinity tournaments are extremely competitive and run by a well-respected company within the gaming world.
- WorldGaming: WorldGaming is a huge network of tournaments that has a variety of smaller and big tournaments you can compete in. If you want to get your feet wet, this is a good choice.
7. Consider becoming a video game coach
If you have some sort of professional record in the video games space, have an entrepreneurial spirit, don’t mind selling yourself, and are a good teacher, then you could look into becoming a video game coach.
The niche is small but growing, and if you can position yourself around certain video games and also build in essential networking and life-skills training apart from the pure “wins” results, then you may have a business opportunity on your hands.
How to get started
Take a hard look at your credentials and see if this path makes sense and if you want to give it a shot. Then, start thinking like an entrepreneur using the advice below.
Your best bet from a marketing perspective is either wealthy college kids or upper-income parents with kids interested in pursuing this full-time. Your approach will need to change according to the demographic you’re pursuing, and always remember whose pocketbook will be paying you.
I’d also pick up some Business 101 books to make sure you understand exactly what you’re getting into.
Here are a few sites you can use to start finding clients:
- Gamer Sensei: You have to apply to be a Sensei and give a bit of your cut to this site, but they will provide you with students if you get accepted.
- Fiverr: Fiverr is a general freelancing site that you can bid for contracts on. Set up your profile and start bidding for jobs!
- Facebook Gaming Groups: After you’ve set up your online site and portfolio via LinkedIn etc., you could join gaming groups, get involved in those communities, and then start making connections with aspiring players.
8. Write video game articles or reviews
This is more of a long play to build an audience, but if you love writing and reviewing games, then you should consider publicizing and monetizing your work. You can do this via two main ways:
- By pitching to existing gaming publications.
- By building up your own channel/brand specifically built around video game reviews.
Each option comes with its own challenges. If you are pitching to publications, you need to send ideas, articles, etc. that are an exact fit for their brand. Remember, people are lazy — the key to networking is to reduce the friction required for anyone to do what you want them to do. If you can pitch an article at the right time that’s perfectly on brand, then you may open some doors and get paid for your article.
To get an idea of how to cold-email journalism sites and land gigs, check out Toby Howell’s incredible cold email sequence, which he used to land a job at one of the most prominent email newsletters out today, Morning Brew. It’s brilliant and well worth the read if you plan on pitching articles to anyone anytime soon.
If you’re looking to build your own channel or audience, whether it’s directly or adjacently related to video games, then there are a few ways to think about it. You either need to:
- Approach video game reviews in a style that feels “fresh” or new. This can involve a certain ploy or brand feature (e.g., always including a video game developer on your reviews) or by having your own video production style.
- Use an approach that’s popular but do it better. This is very difficult to do and requires a lot of expertise or time developing that expertise.
In reality, it’s very difficult to make a significant income writing video game reviews and articles, so your best bet is to look at it as a passionate side hustle.
How to get started
Start writing and reviewing video games publicly and either use them to pitch to existing publications or post them directly on your own platform.
Here are a few publications to pitch to and reviewers to emulate:
- IGN: IGN is a powerhouse player in video games journalism. Remember to make your pitch as specific and actionable as possible. Good luck!
- Polygon: Polygon is an entertainment review and news company that is always up to hear good pitches from freelancers. Use this link to review their submission guidelines.
- Mandalore Gaming: Mandalore Gaming is a great example of a one-person-shop for video game reviews. Check out how well they review games and conduct audience building.
- Gameranx: Gameranx is an even bigger Youtube operation than Mandalore Gaming, and they specialize in compilation and “tips and tricks” videos. Take a look through their top videos to get some inspiration for your own channel.
Bonus: expand your definition of “getting paid to play video games”
What about avenues that don’t directly involve playing video games? As we mentioned, the video games industry is massive, so if you enjoy video games, I encourage you to look beyond strictly playing video games for money.
You could:
- Become a video game story writer
- Edit scripts for video game dialogue
- Conduct research for a team
- Market video games
- Become a video game developer
There are tons of options once you open this angle up. Yes, this doesn’t involve pwning noobs for $100k/year, but on the other hand, the world is your… kirby?
Plus, working alongside your passion instead of in it is often a good way to preserve your joy and love for it. It’s easy to get burned out on something you love once it’s your actual job — just ask any musician after a long touring leg!
The bottom line on getting paid to play video games
If you’re looking to make a few extra bucks in your downtime, then there are definitely options for you to make money playing video games. Check out sites like Swagbucks and Mistplay and use them to pick up some extra cash in time you’d normally be wasting anyway.
Heck, you could even use the money you earn from those to buy major releases you’re really looking forward to playing.
And if you’re looking to make it big in video games, that’s fine to pursue — just make sure you’re strategic about it and recognize that most people aren’t able to make a living playing video games. Fortunately, there are all sorts of fun and interesting ways to build video games into your life.
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