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Gaming may have been considered a hobby a few years back, but the current generation of gaming enthusiasts has quickly dispelled this myth, allowing gamers to make careers out of their passion. According to esports earnings, professional gamers earn an estimated $1,000-5,000 per month, so if you occasionally trouble gamers with the usual, is there any career in gaming question? The answer is yes. If you are an enthusiast trying to turn your gaming hobby into a full-time career, the following article details how to go about this.
Start Streaming
Streaming is one of the most popular ways that gamers can turn their hobby into a worthy career. Twitch and YouTube are excellent places for this, with these platforms allowing top gamers to earn as high as $1,000,000 annually. The trick to making this work lies in creating a reputable channel, as this is one of the strategies used to pull in massive streams and partner with renowned gaming developers.
For starters, begin by creating an account on either of the above streaming sites. This will help you gain recognition, with these platforms offering credit card processing services that allow viewers to pay for your streaming services. The goal is to get an adequate fan base to ensure you get a sustainable income, so consider getting a personality that speaks to your gaming style or personality. If you lack the attributes of an entertainer, being yourself will also work, but keep in mind that your gaming performance needs to highlight your excellence. For the best results, focus on honing your skills in hand-to-eye coordination and practicing your reflexes based on the games you work with.
Utilize Cosplay
Cosplay is another avenue where gamers can turn their interest into a full-time job, acting as another solution to the question ‘is there any career in gaming?’ Cosplay refers to costume play, and as the name suggests, gamers get to dress up as their favorite game characters. Cosplayers have the room to customize gaming outfits for their characters, which offers the perfect chance to attract game developers in need of such creative ideas. Catchy outfits have been found to create avenues for cosplayers to get paid appearances in events such as Comic-Con, with the added benefit of gamers getting sponsorships to advertise and promote game releases.
In addition to this, cosplayers can also create tutorial videos on how to create costumes and other game components such as spider control rods, acting as another way of getting income from this platform. If your interest lies in this area, you can either target new game releases and enjoy untapped markets or existing target games that could benefit from a fresh perspective of branding.
Since most cosplay often requires players to spend hours in character while entertaining their audiences, ensure that you have adequate knowledge of what your character represents. Make it a point to research each character’s history based on the developer’s point of view to avoid conflicting storylines. Having the correct information will impress gaming brands, opening room for sponsorships and ambassadorial positions that could change your life.
Join a Team
If still in doubt on the question is there any career in gaming, this third tip may be what you need. Becoming a full-time gamer can also come from being a participant in esports game teams. Gaming teams often hold open auditions for both professionals and beginners, meaning you are spoilt for choice when you decide to turn gaming into a full-time job. To get ahead of such opportunities, be on the lookout for online team websites and apps that advertise for open positions. Sign up for as many as you can as these come with the likelihood of getting one or more positive feedbacks. Gaming teams come with the benefit of modest salaries, a factor that often depends on player experiences. If you are a beginner, this is an ideal place for a good foundation, allowing you to scale up your training and transition into a full-time job. In addition to this, numerous organizations also pay for players’ living expenses during their contract, from traveling costs to ensuring you have the proper set of sports team lanyards, allowing you to save enough finances and venture off on your own in the future.
Join Tournaments
Tournaments act as another avenue that will allow you to gain recognition during your early years as a gamer. Research local tournaments and leagues and sign up for those in line with your skillset. Remember to practice adequately beforehand, as this will help you gain an edge over your competitors. Whether you outperform your competitors or face challenges along the way, these opportunities will be crucial in helping you gain experience and go a long way in building your gaming portfolio. Exposure and excellence in these leagues will allow you to attract esports teams to your corner and worthy partnerships that can help you scale up your gaming career.
Alternatives to Active Gaming
Apart from streaming or the above-listed platforms that allow you to play competitively, gaming still provides other areas for full-time jobs. With this in mind comes the next set of answers to your is there any career in gaming dilemma. A few of these alternative avenues include:
Coaching
Just like every other sport, gaming also requires the services of a coach. This makes this the first of ‘is there any career in gaming solutions?’ E-sport teams can significantly benefit from coaching, with most individuals relying on efficient teamwork to outperform their competitors. For this, a strategy coach will be needed, helping analyze game plays for both previous and live events to help teams win matches. In addition to this, where players need individual life coaches in their everyday routines, a personal coach will come in handy. This means you get the chance to enjoy both active gaming and off-work coaching, allowing you to benefit from a full-time career in gaming while also enriching other players’ lives.
Broadcasting
If you prefer to stick to the quieter side of gaming, broadcasting is another avenue to look into. Numerous viewers are often tuned to live gaming events such as League of Legends, and while some may have a gaming background, some will not understand the basics of such games. As a gaming enthusiast, your knowledge will come in handy here. Voice hosting services allow experienced gamers to break down the jargon of the gaming world to viewers, allowing audiences to follow the action without any hiccups. However, keep in mind that broadcasting may need a good grasp of communication skills, so make it a point to train before applying to such offers.
Develop Games
Rather than settling for the end product of gaming, you can also specialize in its conceptualization. It, therefore, makes this another alternative to is there any career in gaming dilemma. Game development offers numerous opportunities for gamers, with examples of this being programming, designing, and testing. If you have a background in coding, programming will, for instance, work as a good starting point. Some programming options to consider exploring include model animation, character design, and cinematography. If these skills are amiss, you can still settle for design and offer artwork services, animation voicing, and visuals. Take note that when applying for design work, tailor your creativity to match specific areas. These can be offering design insights in aspects such as historic architecture, cultural armor, or character smile design work. Additionally, suppose your team has opportunities in the financial sector. In that case, you can also help them figure out what is an outsourced CFO on a part-time basis to help them strengthen all areas of their operation.
Tips for Starting a Streaming Channel
Starting a live stream may not be rocket science, but it still requires you to stick to the basics of quality streaming to ensure you get the best out of your channel. For help with these, here are a few tips to consider using as a guide regarding is there any career in gaming question:
Get Good Internet Connection
Good internet connection is the basis of every streaming channel, which gaming can also benefit from. Ensure that your internet can broadcast videos at 720p or better qualities as this is the basis of differentiating yourself from low-quality channels. Check that your bulkhead electrical connectors can also support your increased data and power needs to avoid any streaming setbacks.
Stream Something Unique
Major games such as League of Legends, Mine Craft, and Starcraft may be promising avenues to get streaming viewers, but they will generally require more time and effort to get noticed. Numerous streamers are already streaming these games, meaning your channel will likely be swallowed up by thousands of other competitors. Create a list of some matches that interest you and do a quick review of the number of people streaming them. If these have more than 25 streamers, consider other games that have low streams.
Get a Quality Microphone
Most people will sign up to your channel for the entertainment you offer with unique attributes such as reactions to your gaming and the type of commentary you make, differentiating you from the rest. Your audience needs to hear every bit of action and will, therefore, require you to have a working microphone. You do not need to purchase a state-of-the-art microphone for this, but rather, a simple microphone will work just fine. However, ensure that it does not produce unnecessary static, and elements such as your air conditioner maintenance are in check to allow you to get appropriate voice clarity. Earbuds will also come in handy in eliminating external noises, as will a headset.
Get a ChatBot
Even with the massive help that your viewers will provide in helping you get your streaming to a full-time job, some opportunists may occasionally have ill intent for joining your channel. Dangerous links containing viruses could cut short your steaming and jeopardize your reputation, causing a disastrous turn of events. To avoid this, get a chatbot that will help you check your streams for any malicious content. It will guarantee you smooth sailing during your stream, allowing you to get the best of every view.
Be Persistent
Before you can say yes to is there any career in gaming and reap the benefits of a full-time job from your gaming, some days may prove challenging than others, a factor that often comes with the risk of quitting. If you barely get enough views to sustain a profitable income or get challenges during your setup, remember to keep going even when things do not seem favorable. Numerous top-tier gamers attribute passion and persistence to their success, traits that will also come in handy for your journey.
Buy a Webcam
Your audience is there to view you during your streaming, making a webcam another essential gaming component. For proper interaction and engagement, make it a point to get a webcam that provides at least 720p to allow you to get quality videos. Grooming will also be essential in retaining your viewers, so ensure you take care of the basics, such as getting dental treatments before starting your streaming.
Have Consistent Streaming Schedules
Viewers love channels that offer consistency in their schedules, as this is one way that helps them plan their day and streaming needs. If you have part-time or full-time work elsewhere, consider streaming when you have ample time to do so, with weekends being the best time for such needs. Ensure that you keep up with your preferred timeline, as this shows your credibility and commitment to your passion.
Engage Your Viewers
If your streaming channel is a silent zone, people will likely leave, which creates the wrong impression of your capabilities. Interact with your viewers by welcoming them whenever they join your stream. In addition to this, answer questions that your viewers have and create a rapport of friendly back and forth conversations. It also helps to have one or more friends with you during your streaming, whether virtually through video calls or in-person sittings, to help the conversation going before getting enough followers for your channel.
Interact Outside Your Gaming Channels
Apart from interacting with your viewers on your streaming channels, providing insights into your life outside your gaming channel will also help you solve the dilemma of, ‘is there any career in gaming?’ Share your social media handles so that viewers can also get more avenues to interact with you, especially those who may not always have the opportunity to tune to your streaming. Your external social media channels may also be essential in showcasing sponsors your interests you may want to partner with.
Offer Incentives
Another way to keep your audience coming back for more is by offering incentives. Structure giveaways that suit each audience’s needs, with a few examples of this being gift cards during special holidays, custom shirts, and game service subscriptions. Other options can also include access to early gaming content such as streaming and subscriber-only offers with brands you work with. Take note that incentives will often depend on the streaming service you choose, as most come with different rules for giveaways.
Get Adequate Outreach on Esports Media Outlets
Before you can get enough followers to turn gaming into a full-time career, getting noticed will be another component of scaling up your success. Be on the lookout for authoritative outlets in your field, such as esports blogs and online video interviews by well-known gaming enthusiasts. Start by building your online reputation and show the results of your gaming specialty. After this, you can then reach out to your preferred outlets and request interviews. You can also use platforms such as Promo Panda to build your portfolio, helping you create reputable buzz around your name.
With the gaming world creating opportunities for gamers to turn their passion into full-time jobs, now is the time to invest your skills to get the career of your dreams. Make it a point to equip yourself with the above guide if wondering, ‘is there any career in gaming?’ It provides tips on various avenues to get you started for your gaming career while also taking you through ideas of getting a better audience base for your gaming platforms.
