We all love video games. Whether it’s the competitive nature of an FPS like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the casual style of a mobile game like Super Mario Run or the escapism we experience with MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft, we all have our reasons to play video games. However, only the lucky and dedicated among us can turn our passion for gaming into something profitable that can sustain a decent living.
If you’ve ever wanted to work in the video gaming industry, here are some ideas for jobs that’ll appeal to experts and novices alike.
Professional Gaming
Electronics sports have become a global phenomenon with cash prize pools that frequently tip past the $1 million dollar mark. In addition to ridiculous prize money, salaries are also offered to top players so they can focus more on improving their skills as opposed to worrying about income. It’s not unheard of for top players to generate six-figure salaries in a year. Being a top player requires a lot of dedication and skill, so it’s definitely not for the the faint of heart.
However, there are also other opportunities to get involved with eSports, such as commentary, analysis and hosting. If you’ve got a bubbly personality then get yourself out there with YouTube videos and discussions to get involved with the community and show them that you’re more than capable of joining the eSports industry.
There’s also a third avenue for professional gamers to make good income: poker. Sites like netentbigwins.com offer online websites where you can play poker against real players for money. Although many people see poker as gambling, it’s actually very reliant on skill and experience and a disciplined player will always have positive winnings.
YouTuber
If you have a funny personality or you know a lot about various games then creating YouTube video content is a good way to utilise your skills. You could record yourself playing and reacting to new games, you could make informative content such as tutorials and guides, or you could make critique videos about the games industry. Most YouTube income comes from ad revenue, so it’s important to build up a large viewer base if you want to receive regular income. Social media is a great platform to advertise your YouTube channel.
Games Writer
If you’ve got a knack for writing, then perhaps writing for video games is your calling. The easiest games writing industry to break into is journalism. Many startup websites offer budding writers a chance to write as volunteers on their websites. While you won’t get paid much (or anything) at the beginning it’s the perfect opportunity to build up a portfolio and resume. You could cover news, write editorials or even review games—there are many opportunities.
The other option is to write content for video games. It could be character profiles, world building or just lore. This job is much more difficult to get and requires you to have solid experience writing fictional pieces.
