Best ways to make money from playing video games

Turn your hobby into money.
Image via Repeat.gg

Written in partnership with Repeat.gg.

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Gaming has become an incredibly popular pastime for millions of people. There’s no better fun on the internet than sitting down with your favorite video games, whether it be playing single-player adventures, grinding characters in MMOs, or improving your skills in multiplayer PvP games.

But what if this hobby could earn you a little extra cash on the side? Here are some of the best ways for you to make money from playing video games.

Playing tournaments with Repeat.gg

We know what you’re thinking. “Tournaments? I’m not good enough to be some kind of esports pro.” While it’s true that the top esports professionals are among some of the biggest earners in gaming, there are ways for anyone to make a quick buck off of smaller organized play. One of those ways is by playing with Repeat.gg.

Repeat.gg is a gaming tournament platform that provides seamless access to special tournaments across a number of titles such as League of Legends, Fortnite, DOTA 2, PUBG, Brawl Stars, and Call of Duty: Warzone. Best of all, on Repeat.gg, you don’t actually play against the people in the tournament (no waiting around for people to log on). You simply play the game mode listed for the tournament as you normally would and they automatically count your scores on the leaderboard.

While some events are pay-to-enter, Repeat.gg offers many free-to-play tournaments that also offer site currency and real-life cash rewards. There are no limits to the number of tournaments you can enter, so there is always a chance to win money and gift cards. 

Repeat.gg is incredibly easy to use. Just sign up, find any tournament that catches your eye, and click Enter. All you need to do is connect your account, show up at the listed time, and play. To get started playing and winning big with Repeat.gg, check out its website here.

Streaming

Livestreaming culture has risen alongside gaming culture as a premiere way to find entertainment online. People enjoy watching other people play their favorite games after all. Streamers fill this need by broadcasting their gameplay and commentary to an audience. Twitch and YouTube are the two most popular sites for this, each bringing in tons of live viewers every day.

Now, streaming isn’t just about playing video games in front of an audience. Being a good streamer takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and not everyone can just become the next big thing. But even smaller streamers are able to make a bit of cash via partner programs, advertisements, and donations. No matter what you decide to play, streaming can be an enjoyable addition to your normal gaming routine.

Coaching

If you specialize in a multiplayer game with a competitive ladder and ranks, you might have some valuable knowledge that others could use. As a highly-ranked player, those struggling to get out of lower ranks could learn a thing or two from you. People love playing games like League of Legends, VALORANT, and Fortnite even if they’re not as good as they wish they were. They might choose to hire a gaming coach to help them reach their desired rank. This is where you come in.

Gaming coaches operate in a variety of ways, but the gist is that they take on clients who will pay to help them improve at their favorite multiplayer game. This carries benefits for the client, mainly personal satisfaction and growth or in-game rewards for reaching higher ranks. Coaches can give advice live, assign a training regimen, review gameplay, and more to help the client get to where they want to be. If you have the skills and knowledge, you can find coaching organizations to bring you on, or search for clients yourself.

Trading and selling items

Many games nowadays have in-game economies. While it may sound strange, the rarity of certain items in popular video games helps to create an ecosystem of people willing to buy, sell, and trade for items and real-life currency. The best example is the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive skin economy, but there are plenty of other examples, whether they be in FPS games or MMOs. 

Now, getting to a high level of value takes a lot of time, know-how, and potentially some initial funding. Starting small and moving your way up can be a decent way to make small amounts of profit on trades. Don’t expect a sudden windfall to come your way, hitting that one-in-a-million loot box or boss drop is unlikely at best. Still, trading can be a fun add-on to your gaming experience, especially if you love cosmetics.


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