How To Get Paid To Play Video Games 

Imagine doing something you love all day, only this time, you get paid for it. I know a few friends who spend a lot of time playing Call of Duty, and they can play for hours on end.

If you’re like my friends, did you know you can get paid to play your favorite video games? 

Whether you’re a PC gamer or love playing mobile games on the go, you can earn top dollar from your hobby. 

You might be considering selling your game account. This is one way, but not all games allow it. So, how exactly can you make money by playing video games?

Have you considered streaming on Twitch, becoming a beta tester, or sharing tips and tricks on YouTube? Did you know you can make thousands of dollars working as a virtual assistant for gamers?

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Join me as I unravel 19 ways to make money as a video gamer.

How To Get Paid To Play Video Games 

Whether you enjoy strategy, role-playing, or action games, you can monetize your hobby to supplement your day job. 

You can even turn gaming into a full-time venture as a professional video gamer. 

If you’re an avid gamer, here are several ideas on how to make money playing video games:

1. Offer Tutoring and Coaching Services to Other Gamers 

Are you an experienced gamer looking to earn extra cash by monetizing your experience? If so, offering tutoring services to other gamers is an excellent place to start. 

One thing I like about tutoring is that it exposes you to money-making opportunities, regardless of your expertise. 

Even if you’re not confident in your skills because you’re a beginner, you can offer coaching or tutoring services to other beginners or organize safe group classes for kids who enjoy video gaming.

Start by identifying an area of expertise you can comfortably teach someone else. It could be developing a working strategy in strategy games or optimizing characters in role-playing games. 

From there, develop a lesson plan, set your rates, and promote your services on dedicated platforms like Discord and Reddit. Gaming tutors on Superprof  make $5 to $30 hourly.

2. Start a Gaming YouTube Channel 

YouTube has become one of the highest-paying platforms for content creators, including gamers. The best part is that you don’t have to show your face if you’re uncomfortable around cameras. 

You can offer valuable content on your channel, like gaming tutorials, walkthroughs, and reviews. You can also provide tutoring services on YouTube, but the platform isn’t all about that. 

If you’re an expert in a particular game, consider just letting your audience watch as you maneuver the challenges and hit certain milestones within the game. 

If you’re not a pro in any game, you can test different games and give a review of your experience on your YouTube channel. 

The biggest challenge with starting a YouTube channel is growing a loyal fan base. Start by identifying your target audience and choosing a niche. 

From there, create high-quality videos and promote your work on social media. 

Once your channel grows to over 1,000 subscribers, you can start earning per view. You can also monetize your YouTube channel through sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and ads. 

3. Stream Video Games on Twitch 

Streaming your gameplay on Twitch is another way to play video games all day for cash. You don’t need additional content. Simply let your viewers enjoy your game and learn new tactics as you play it. 

Start by investing in good-quality streaming equipment to appeal to your audience. Your PC and internet connection should also be strong enough to facilitate seamless streaming. 

Next, create a Twitch account and grow your audience to a number you can monetize. Once your Twitch is up and running, you can earn through subscriptions, donations, and ad revenue. 

4. Become a Game Tester 

Testing games is a fantastic way to significantly impact the gaming community while getting paid.

As the name suggests, your role as a game tester would be to play games before their release to identify any bugs and glitches that may impact the user experience. 

Some of the apps that pay you to test games include:

• PlaytestCloud
• UserTesting
• Userlytics
• Appstation

While taking a course enhances your chances of landing a gig, you don’t need an educational background to become a game tester, especially if you’re an avid player. 

You can land testing gigs on freelance platforms like Fiverr and Upwork or job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn.

5. Become an e-Sports Player 

Are you a highly skilled gamer who already spends most of their time playing video games? If so, consider playing professionally to make extra cash.

Electronic sports is a competitive industry that allows professional players to compete in video game tournaments and leagues. There’s usually a significant prize to be won, to the tune of millions.

Esports features several gaming genres, including arcade, battle royale, and first-person shooter games. With determination, dedication, and skill, you can make top dollar. 

Some of the most common titles in esports include:

• Call of Duty 
• League of Legends 
• Dota 2
• Valorant 

6. Create and Sell Custom Game Mods 

Do you have a knack for design? Creating custom game mods and selling them on Steam Workshop is a fabulous way to showcase your creativity and get paid to play video games. 

You can create personalized visual and gameplay mods that improve the overall user experience and allow users to connect more with their characters. 

Say a game is too easy or challenging. You can modify its difficulty level to make it more appealing to players. 

While this is an excellent way to make money, review a game’s terms and conditions to avoid violating them. 

After developing your mod, test it thoroughly to ensure it integrates seamlessly with the game and causes no challenges to the user experience. 

7. Develop Your Own Video Game 

Developing your app is a superb way to make money playing video games, especially if you have good coding skills. 

Thanks to platforms like YouTube, numerous free game development resources exist. You can also purchase online coding courses on sites like Udemy and Coursera. 

Once you hone your coding skills, design your game, test it thoroughly, and upload it to the App Store or Google Play Store. 

You can sell your video game for a one-time fee ranging from thousands to millions. Alternatively, you can seek partnerships and earn up to 70% royalty. 

8. Play Games on Paid Gaming Apps  

Developers usually pay GPT sites like Mistplay, Solitaire Cash, and Cash Giraffe to promote their games and attract more players. 

These play-to-earn platforms pay you some commission to play the games. Therefore, if you already spend significant time video gaming, here’s a chance to earn from it. 

Generally, these apps pay you in points, which you can redeem for PayPal money and gift cards to popular stores like Walmart, Amazon, and Target. 

Here are some gaming apps that pay you to play video games:

• Kashkick: You can make up to $300 playing your favorite titles on Kashkick.
• Solitaire Cash: If you’re Solitaire-savvy, join a cash tournament on Solitaire Cash to win substantial prizes. However, you must use your money to buy into the tournaments. 
• Mistplay: This is among the best loyalty programs that pay you to play Android games.
• Cash Giraffe: This is an app like Mistplay that lets you play arcade, strategy, adventure, and casual mobile games for money.

9. Become a Video Game Developer 

Video game development is an in-demand skill, as gamers are always scouting new titles to play and new challenges to complete in existing games. 

If you’re an avid game developer, consider leveraging your skills to make money on freelance sites like Upwork, Guru, and PeoplePerHour. 

You can also create a portfolio and approach gaming companies and franchises that would benefit from your design skills. 

Platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter constantly post job openings that may land you your next long-term contract as a developer. 

Determine your niche and target audience and create a profile on your website, social media, or freelance platforms. From there, optimize your profile for SEO and start bidding for jobs.

10. Become a Video Game Journalist 

Still looking for a way to monetize your gaming passion? Video game reporting is an excellent way to get paid to play video games. 

Your role as a video game journalist would involve reporting on major gaming events, such as esports tournaments, writing reviews, and covering news in the video game industry. 

You can work with gaming publications, mainstream media houses, or educational institutions. Alternatively, you can offer freelancing services. 

11. Crypto Gaming 

While this is an unconventional way to get paid to play video games, it offers the thrill of playing your favorite titles while making extra cash in the form of crypto. 

Video games like Decentraland and Axle Infinity allow you to earn NFTs and cryptocurrencies that you can exchange for real cash outside the game. 

What better way to combine an investment vehicle with a thrilling hobby? If you’re seeking a way to make money from your video gaming adventures, consider getting into crypto gaming.

12. Tutor Video Game Development and Design 

If you’re a video game developer or designer, you can share your skills with others to make extra cash. 

Consider offering in-person classes or a crash online course that allows students to learn the basics quickly. 

An even better alternative is creating a step-by-step tutorial on using popular development and design engines like Unity, GameMaker Studio, and Photoshop. 

Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to teach everything. Pick one area of expertise and exhaust it to the maximum. 

You can offer your course at different subscription tiers to appeal even to those on a tight budget. 

The higher subscription tiers could have exclusives like workbooks, extra videos, and one-on-one sessions with the teacher.

I came across a game development with Unity guide on Udemy that costs $74.99. Over 100,000 students have enrolled in the course, which shows the high earning potential in this field. 

Another perk of online courses? You can sell them repeatedly without recreating them from scratch. It’s one of the best ways to make passive income.

13. Start a Gaming Blog 

Blogging has always been my favorite side hustle because of its high income potential. Good writing, communication, and video gaming skills will earn you top dollar. 

Start by picking out a niche and target audience. From there, search for video games within your niche, test them, and write reviews.

You can also offer tips and tricks for navigating different in-game challenges to help those who always get stuck at a particular milestone. 

You can also attend gaming events and tournaments and narrate your experience on your blog. Pulling in a loyal following is challenging but possible. You can achieve it with captivating, high-quality content. 

Once you gain a substantial following, you can monetize your blog through ads, sponsored posts, merchandise sales, and affiliate marketing. 

Start your blog with Hostinger!

14. Offer Virtual Assistance Services to Gamers

A gaming virtual assistant offers administrative services to gamers, gaming organizations, and developers. 

You may need to play games and reach certain milestones, among other administrative tasks, such as customer support and social media management. 

Many gamers hire freelance gaming virtual assistants to level up their characters, manage game accounts, complete in-game tasks, and participate in in-game competitions.

Start by developing the required communication and customer service skills. Next, choose your niche and familiarize yourself with several games within the niche. 

You must be good at these games to earn the trust of people who want you to manage their accounts. After upskilling, create your portfolio by creating gaming accounts and progressing them to impressive levels. 

Lastly, create a virtual assistant website and upload your portfolio. You can find clients on dedicated subreddits or in Discord communities. Upwork and Fiverr are also great places to check. 

Become a Fully-Booked VA!

15. Sell Game Accounts 

This is among the most common ways to make money as a video gamer. It involves creating an account in a particular game and selling it once you achieve certain milestones that other gamers find challenging. 

The best places to sell gaming accounts are in specific gaming communities such as Discord, Reddit, or Facebook. Search for a group with players of the same game and present your offer.

There’s a catch, though. Many games don’t allow you to sell your account. Review the terms & conditions to avoid getting your account banned. 

Those that allow this kind of transaction often do so on unregulated terms, so there’s a considerable risk of fraud. Always do your due diligence on a buyer to avoid scams. 

16. Affiliate Marketing 

Affiliate marketing is a sure way to make money regardless of your niche and expertise level. It involves promoting brand products and services and earning a commission when people purchase through your unique link. 

Having a solid following on social media, blogs, podcasts, or Twitch sets a good foundation for affiliate marketing. 

Your fans must recognize you as an avid gamer to trust your recommended products. Therefore, you must start by choosing a gaming niche and building a following. 

From there, search for affiliate programs within your niche and apply. Most affiliate programs pay a 2%- 30% commission, but you can earn up to 50% if you surpass a significant milestone. 

17. Create and Sell Video Game Guides and Tutorials 

The final way to get paid to play video games is to create and sell guides and tutorials. This is a better alternative if you think putting together an online course or offering one-on-one tutoring is challenging. 

Simply compile your strategies and tactics in popular games like Call of Duty or Minecraft and sell them online. 

You can focus on challenging levels or overall skills to help other gamers improve their gameplay.  You can also produce a short document of cheat codes and sell them on Amazon or social media. 

Establishing yourself as an avid gamer is an excellent way to get people to trust your guides. Even better is stacking this venture with others on this list. 

For instance, if you’re a streamer on Twitch, consider selling guides and tutorials on the side. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can You Really Earn Money by Playing Games on Your Phone?

Yes, there are many ways to make money playing video games on your phone. Some of them include:

• Streaming your gameplay on Twitch 
• Testing games before release 
• Crypto gaming 
• Becoming an Esports player 
• Using pay-to-earn sites like Mistplay

Is It Legal to Play Video Games for Money?

Yes, playing video games for money is legal. 

However, it’s essential to review your state laws and your game’s ToS to avoid legal implications in the future, especially if you want to participate in tournaments and GPT sites. 

Some ways, like streaming your gameplay on Twitch and YouTube, are legal as long as you comply with community guidelines.  

Which Apps Pay You to Play Games?

Some gaming apps that pay you to play include:

• Mistplay 
• Cash Giraffe
• Kashkick 
• Solitaire Cash

Final Thoughts 

Getting paid to play video games may seem far-fetched, but it’s not impossible. Gamers are making thousands of dollars annually doing what they love. 

Some ventures, like using pay-to-earn sites like Mistplay, are side hustles that yield a small amount of cash. 

Others like streaming on Twitch, starting a gaming YouTube channel, and becoming an Esports player are valid full-time gigs. 

Start by identifying your niche and choosing from this list the best way to go about playing games for money. 

Stacking several options is an excellent way to maximize your income!