How to Get Paid to Play Video Games
Put all your experience playing videos games to work—literally.
Up next in Gaming Tips and Tricks (20 videos)
Attention, gamers: Improve your video game performance with the gaming tips and tricks in this Howcast video series.
You Will Need
- Video game expertise
- Writing skills
- Dedication
- A degree in computer science
Steps
-
Step 1
Enter online tournaments
Enter online tournaments, where you challenge other gamers for money. If you're good, you could win your way to a spot in one of the professional tournaments, which pay big bucks (we're talking five and six figures!).
-
Step 2
Get your foot in the door
Apply to work in customer service for a video game company. Like starting in the mail room, an entry-level job like this could lead to a game-playing position.
-
Step 3
Get a job as a game tester
Apply for a job as a video game tester with a manufacturer. You'll need to be familiar with the many different games and consoles, and demonstrate you can clearly articulate your likes and dislikes.
-
Practice! Professional gamers play between six and 12 hours a day every day!
-
Step 4
Write about video games
Write about video games for a living, either by becoming a game reviewer or working for a publisher that prepares game guides.
-
Step 5
Become a game play expert
Become a game play expert. These are people hired by game manufacturers to go around the country demonstrating new games.
-
Step 6
Become a software developer
Become a software developer; in other words, create your own games.
-
A degree in computer science can help you land a job in game writing, designing, and programming.
-
Step 7
Work hard
Whichever video game job you want, work hard. As you might imagine, the competition for these positions is intense.
-
Seventy-two percent of Americans play video games.
