We’ve all heard the saying that if you find something you enjoy doing, you’ll never have to work a day in your life. Of course, in reality, things aren’t that rosy, and you’ll still have to put in some effort. Still, monetizing your hobby is much more enjoyable than sitting around in an office you don’t like.
Understanding the Gaming Industry
But what is happening with the gaming industry now? Is it still possible to make money from it? In fact, yes. As the market develops, users get more and more prospects. But let’s take things in order.
Overview of the Gaming Market
Before you start making money on games, it is important to know the current market situation. The computer games industry is changing very quickly, so you need to anticipate changes and adapt to them.
- Virtual and augmented reality. This technology adds realism and allows for a completely unique experience. In the near future, we can expect a leap in the development of games with elements of virtual reality.
- Artificial Intelligence. AI is already being successfully used in game development. This technology allows for a more complete gaming experience. NPCs will behave more organically, and it will even be possible to interact with them freely.
- Cloud gaming. This trend has been gaining momentum in recent years. Cloud gaming allows you to play any game on any device without downloading or installing. It also gives access to a large number of games by subscription or on-demand. Cloud gaming lowers the entry barrier for new players and expands the audience for developers.
- Social and cross-platform gaming. Gaming is not only a way to have fun but also to communicate with others. In the future, we will see more games that support co-op play, messaging, video and audio calls, streaming, and other forms of communication. We will also see more games that work across multiple platforms and devices, allowing players to easily switch between them and continue their progress.
Popular Game Genres
The gaming industry is developing by leaps and bounds, and it has become very easy to get lost in it. Virtual worlds allow players to become anyone, anytime, and in any way. Be it a mafioso gangster or a savior of the world from a space invasion. Or maybe just a worker at a construction site? There are more and more types of video games, and we decided to highlight the most popular genres that everyone is growing from.
Role-playing games (RPG)
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Perhaps one of the most popular genres of video games, which can captivate players for hundreds and thousands of hours. Such games are suitable for those who prefer a deep story with lots of dialogues and notes, as well as variability of passage. In a role-playing game, the player controls one or more characters, each of which is described by a set of characteristics, abilities, and skills.
Most often, at the beginning, the player gets the opportunity to create his hero, choosing his appearance, gender, class, and other parameters. Mostly, all classic RPG games are third-person. From the RPG genre come subgenres such as MMORPG, JRPG (Japanese role-playing games), action RPG with an emphasis on dynamic battles, sandbox (sandboxes), in which you can ignore goals and tasks, and others.
Shooter
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Another incredibly popular genre, the main task of which is… to shoot, unsurprisingly. Shooters can be either first-person or third-person, but their essence never changes. There are always many opponents in front of you, and in your hands is a cool gun. Some of the games offer short story campaigns, while others are focused on multiplayer battles with other players.
Racing
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The most understandable and, for many, adrenaline-pumping genre. Just get behind the wheel of a car and go ahead — conquer the peaks of competitions or the streets of the night city.
Strategy
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It is one of the most meditative genres, allowing you to develop tactical and logical skills. It is also a broad term that covers several types of games at once. Among them are turn-based strategies, card strategies, real-time strategies, and several lesser-known subgenres. If we talk about real-time strategies, then all the events on the map unfold right here, and now, while in turn-based strategies, the player is free to do whatever he wants only during his turns.
Action
A complex genre that is usually attributed to others. Distinguishing features: requirements for reaction speed and the ability to fight effectively. Usually, such games are very dynamic and require full concentration. Most genres can be “crossed” with action if you add dynamic battles to them, so they can be called the most extensive in the gaming industry.
Horror
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For those who like to tickle their nerves — this genre is for you. Developers try to scare the player with a variety of methods, from an oppressive atmosphere and screamers to outright cruelty. The main goal is to evade enemies, which are usually maniacs, monsters, or ghosts. In “pure” horrors, the character cannot attack the enemy, but there are different subgenres, such as action horror and survival horror.
Stealth
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This genre is ideal for those who like to act quietly. Carry out a contract killing, track down a dangerous target, steal an important document – all this is within the power of the heroes of stealth action games. They know how to dissolve in the shadows, have excellent acrobatic skills, and are often armed to the teeth with a variety of gadgets.
Simulator
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The most unusual and sometimes funny genre of video games. It allows you to play a variety of roles – from a surgeon and a truck driver to an animal or an architect who must restore cities destroyed after the war. Sometimes there are very strange games. For example, a simulator of Jesus, bread, or stone.
Fighting
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It was one of the favorite genres of childhood for everyone who had consoles. Those same “fights” in which the most important thing is to beat up the opponent. In most fighting games, the player does not need to move along a long level and cannot go beyond the arena, and the fight consists of a series of rounds. The gameplay is based on the ability to correctly read the enemy’s actions and excellent knowledge of your hero in order to clearly execute combinations.
Arcade
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One of the oldest genres in general. At first glance, it may seem that most games of this type are too primitive, but they almost always amaze with the variability of the gameplay. Sometimes, you just need to run from left to right and jump over opponents, and sometimes, you just need to race around the level and collect special items.
Building Your Brand as a Gamer
As you can see, the gaming market is extremely diverse. Of course, you can study to become a developer or tester and earn money on games. However, in this article, we will touch on a simpler option: promoting yourself as a player.
Creating a Unique Identity
To attract an audience, you must create a unique image. You should not copy the gamers you watch. You need to find your own unique features and bet on them. Firstly, viewers are interested in something unusual. Secondly, it is harder to copy than to be yourself. If you are an emotional person, then do not hold back when recording let’s plays. Many people like to watch other people’s violent reactions. Calm and reasonable people, though, should bet on their qualities. You can build your image around the clear and calm passage of games.
Utilizing Social Media
Don’t ignore social media. This is where your potential audience spends their time. So, you need to use this tool to the fullest. You can agree on collaborations with bloggers and influencers in your field, write useful posts in thematic groups, or even organize competitions on the topic of computer games.
Monetization Strategies
So, you have already decided on the genre and understood how to promote yourself on social networks. All that remains is to talk directly about earnings.
Streaming and Content Creation
Streaming gameplay is very popular. It’s hard for someone outside the industry to understand why someone would want to watch someone else play. And yet, such content is very popular. You can broadcast yourself playing bingo casino, and your audience will feel the excitement as if they were playing the game themselves. So you can create an account on a streaming platform and promote it.
In addition, you can create game-related content, such as game reviews. This is useful information that many people use to choose a game. Therefore, such videos and articles will also find their audience.
Affiliate Marketing and Sponsorships
Popular streamers note that donations are not their main source of income. They receive the greatest profit from advertising. Once you have an audience, you can place promotional materials in your streams or promote brands for a fee.
Merchandising
Another way to earn money is to release your merchandise. To do this, it is important to create a truly unique image. Over time, you will have memes that only your audience will understand. You can use them to create products that people will be happy to buy. You can also promote partner products by showing them in your streams and videos.
Leveraging Popular Games for Profit
Building and promoting a personal brand can take a lot of time. However, there is one factor that will help you a lot — the popularity of the games themselves.
Participating in Tournaments and Competitions
If there are tournaments for your favorite game, then definitely take part in them. Once you achieve good results, the audience will immediately pay attention to you. And if you manage to win, then a massive influx of audience to your channel is guaranteed.
Game Coaching and Consulting
You can also advance by sharing your experience. Modern games are so complex that many people need additional help. By the way, you can build a significant part of your content on this by showing live tutorials or explaining difficult points on video.
Challenges and Considerations
Of course, this area has its own complexities that are worth thinking about in advance.
- The most important thing is the presence of colossal competition. There is a lot of gaming content on streaming platforms. The audience prefers proven streamers and bloggers and often ignores little-known channels.
- It takes time to promote a channel. At the same time, you need to make a living somehow. Combining streaming with work can be very difficult. Most channels close at this stage.
- Popularity can be lost in an instant. You need to constantly monitor what you do and say on air. One careless statement, and you will simply be canceled.
All these difficulties do not mean that you should not try. You need to be prepared for them and carefully plan your strategy. Then, the path to success will be easier and more enjoyable.
Conclusion
The modern video game market offers a wide variety of opportunities to earn money. If you are a great player and can teach others, then you have the opportunity to monetize this hobby. Promote your personal brand, and use the opportunities of social networks and events in the gaming industry. In addition, you need to prepare for possible difficulties and think through an action plan. And then, a new influencer will appear in the world of streaming and video content.
