How to Get Paid to Play Video Games

Put all your experience playing videos games to work—literally.

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.
TIP: 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.
TIP: 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.
FACT: Seventy-two percent of Americans play video games.