Esports experienced a big surge in popularity over the last decade or so. While video game tournaments used to be considered a nerdy activity, nowadays most people play at least one game for fun.
Whether it’s tending a farm in Farmville or killing enemies in Counter-Strike, there are a lot of ways for gamers to entertain themselves. The growing popularity of gaming has contributed enormously to the explosion of the esports industry.
Streaming services like Twitch ensure that esports fans get their daily fix. Meanwhile, huge tournaments give serious players a chance to walk away with some big money. The International 2018: DOTA 2 Championships, for example, had a purse of over $25 million. That’s not small change by any means.
If you’d like to learn even more interesting stats about the industry in general, the infographic by NJ Games at the bottom of this page is a great place to start.
It is packed with information that is going to blow your mind. It shows, for example, how much money professionals in this industry earn and the different ways they earn it.
Professional athletes operating in this sphere can make a packet on endorsement deals, merchandising, media rights, and so on. They get paid to play video games, and we are sure you’ll agree that this is one of the best jobs in the world.
But what about the small-time streamer who is playing games on the internet and trying to build a name? Does he have a shot at making a full-time living?
Can I Make a Living as a Streamer?
That’s a difficult question to answer. If you’re willing to spend a lot of time and effort in creating a strong brand for yourself and building up a loyal following, you could definitely make money in this industry.
Maybe not so much by streaming – most sites out there don’t offer any rewards for the streamers. But if you create a brand, you could move on to where the real money is, with endorsement deals and merchandising.
Is Streaming Then a Waste of Time?
If you look at it purely from the side of the profit that you make from it, it might seem like a waste of time. But let’s be honest here, that can be said of YouTube as well. Even successful YouTubers agree that the money earned through YouTube’s advertising program is not going to pay the rent.
And it’s certainly not the highest-paying gig if you consider how much work goes into producing a YouTube video. That said, YouTube can be monetized in other ways. You can use it to promote affiliate products, offer paid promotions, or sell your products.
Cent for a cent, the advertising revenue that you earn per views is not a lot, but if you consider all the other potential monetization options, you can make a fair amount of money.
The big advantage of streaming your play is that you can start to build a name for yourself and start attracting a loyal fanbase. The bigger the audience you have and the better you become, the higher your chance of cashing in. And of course, you get to improve your skills while playing, so that’s not quite a waste of time, is it?
To check out our other guest posts, including ones from a streamer, please click HERE.