PC games, console games - games. Life's full of them; some of us like playing more than others. Some of us are better at playing than others. If you're an avid gamer and you have the skill to back it up, then stick around and learn how to earn real money through pro gaming.
And if you're bogged down by homework and all of life's sometimes unwanted responsibilities, give yourself a breather and wind down. Try Studyfy, an essay writing service that offers affordable help to students online. Visit the website and get in touch with a writer who will tackle all of your academic problems for you. Then - use your free time to explore the world of gaming.
Moving on, let's get into how you can make your gaming addiction into profit.
Overview: Pro Gaming
In the past, gaming might have been no more than a hobby or an obsession with little chance of getting you paid, but in our modern times, that's not the case. Pro gaming is a real thing and a real profession. In the past decade, e-Sports has become immensely popular. One game in particular, for example, ranked 3rd most popular sport in the U.S.A. Yes, it's a computer game.
We were talking about League of Legends, and unless you've been living in isolation, you should have heard about it. Competitive players have increased, but streamers have as well, which is also a genre of professional gamers/content creators. There is money to be made in the e-Sports sector, and if you like video games, then maybe it's time to look into it.
Income Expectations
We don't know or understand why, but there's a lack of transparency when it comes to income expectations in e-Sport teams. A lot of players are very hush-hush about their income. Of course, this depends on which team you might join because it's evident that some people will be more open than others.
When it comes to streaming, income can vary since you're technically self-employed. Of course, the money you rack in is almost always correlated with your views and follower count. Since we can't put an estimate on a more standard income, we're going to look at this:
The best of the best can earn up to $1 million annually. You heard that right.
A $1 million income can be the total of earnings making up a gamer's prize winnings, salary, sponsorships, and streaming.
Good motivation? We thought so. But don't leap before looking. That kind of income comes with a lot of hard work. But, as we've said, that's what you can earn if you become the best of the best.
Ways To Earn Money As a Pro Gamer
Winning Prize Money
When it comes to winning huge amounts of money from gaming, it will be through competitions and prizes. Prize money sums can be enormous and can touch millions. In addition, players who rank high in a tournament can receive a portion of the prize pool. Here's the rundown:
-Prize pools are shared in matches with team competitions.
-Prize pools are also common in single-player titles.
Many major tournaments oblige participants to travel to the venue it's being held in. That venue could be far, depending on their original base. Teams who have sponsorships can get their travel, accommodation, and meal expenses paid, and some are paying with their own money. In both cases, the pressure to win is high.
Streaming
Streaming is a popular and growing venue for gamers to make money streaming their own content from the comfort of their own homes. Both millennials and Gen Z dominate this space, and it continues to thrive since many young adults, teenagers, and children alike watch streamers for entertainment, community, and so on.
Streamers can make tons of money, granted that they put in the effort to strengthen their online presence, grow their follower count, and keep their content and streams entertaining. As a streamer, you will also need to invest in equipment, like a good webcam, microphone, a good gaming setup, and of course, great games.
There are two very large platforms that host streamers and are extremely popular in the gaming community:
Twitch
Twitch is basically the most popular streaming platform for gamers, from mid to top-level ones. Gamers earn more by gaining popularity. They can also make money by becoming a partner of Twitch. This allows them to charge subscribers a fee for viewing their content.
YouTube
Of course, we all know Youtube and its hugely diverse content pool. Gamers make up a good part of Youtube. Gamers can use Youtube to stream, which can be great to complement an already active Twitch account. Not only that, but they can upload all kinds of content that other gamers might like.
Popular content from gamers includes:
-Walkthrough gameplays
-Hacks
-Preview and test plays
Most pro gamers have both platforms and don't limit themselves to only one since they want their reach and chances of being exposed to more people on the internet to be higher.
Game testing
Another less popular but possible way to earn money as a pro gamer is to do game testing. What do you do exactly? You test games that are in their development stages. This enables devs to find out whether there are bugs, glitches, and problems in-game since you report these to them.
Typically, major video game companies find people to test their games. But here's the rundown:
-It doesn't pay very well, and you might be required to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement).
-You might need to test out games you don't actually enjoy.
-You will have to play games in a repetitive manner at times.
-You might need to work overtime.
Research a company and the games it produces before venturing out to become its tester. This way, you won't end up playing games that you hate. Be sure to check employee reviews as well.
By doing that, you can avoid working for companies that treat game testers poorly by making them work overtime and not paying them well enough. A little bit of research can do you a lot of good.
Final Thoughts
Have we filled your cup with a brimming promise? The pro gaming industry is definitely a maverick path to take, and it can be a dream career for game fanatics. However, it's just like every other job; you still need to be devoted to it to grow it into a fruitful career. So, if it sounds like something you can be up for - try it out, have fun, and see where it takes you.
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