The New Economy of Video Games – HOW THE ULTIMATE 90s TIME-WASTER IS TODAY’S MONEY-MAKER

You know the stereotypical image of video gamers as lazy and not amounting to anything, right? That old trope of the basement-dwelling loser, covered in Dorito dust, who spends all of his inverted-sleep-schedule waking hours on his computer?

That’s all changing now. Many gamers have turned their hobby into a cash cow by finding ways to monetize the act of playing video games (a distinctly different trend from monetization of the game itself, which has always been profitable). Here are a few ways people are turning their hobby into a dream job.

MOBA & eSports

The most obvious example of this phenomenon is in the MOBA genre of video gaming – games like Dota 2 and League of Legends. MOBA stands for “multiplayer online battle area,” and it’s characterized by intense, fast-paced strategy. Players must rely on a multitude of skill sets for success, including teamwork, attention to detail, quick thinking, and fast reaction time.

The biggest payoff for top players is prize money. A few have earned upwards of $1,000,000. The best players and teams are frequently offered sponsorships from computer hardware companies or other related industries – another pocket-liner for the best of the best.

In MOBA games, players are pitted against other players of their skill level using a classic ranking system called an “elo rating.” The term “elo rating” comes from the last name of a master-level chess player, Arpad Elo, and the score refers to the predicted likelihood that a player will win a game against another player (whose elo score is also factored into the calculation). Serious players covet positions in the highest-ranked tiers, which require higher elo ratings, and spend a great deal of time and energy trying to improve their gameplay to attain the higher ranking. In games such as League of Legends and Dota 2, dedicated players can, and do, pay for professional coaches to aid in improving their games.

If the player is serious about getting to a high tier of play, but they’re impatient, they may pay to have an elo boost professional log in and boost their account manually by absolutely crushing opponents until their elo rating is higher. Elo boosters are typically top-tier players who can be certain that their effort will result in an elo score increase for the customer. This can mean big bucks for the elo booster – all for playing video games.

Some sites also sell guides and eBooks written by professionals or hard core players. This is money in the pocket for players who are also writers.

In addition to these methods of earning money for MOBA players, gameplay broadcasts have become popular viewing among the gaming community, which brings us to…

Twitch.tv, & YouTube

Many video gamers maintain channels where they broadcast gameplay to an eager fan base. These channels are all over the web, but YouTube and Twitch.tv are the preferred platforms. Channels can be monetized with ads, but aren’t the only way to make money with a show – fan donations and sponsorships can also mean regular income.

Channels are run by all kinds of gamers, from folks playing casual games like Minecraft, to the most serious League of Legends player. In the “Let’s Play” style of broadcasting, a player will narrate their experiences in a conversational style as they play – often these are pre-recorded and posted later.

With eSports, players tend to broadcast their epic victories and crushing defeats live. Some channels are hosted by professional commentators, who don’t play themselves, but instead interpret the action for you as it unfolds, not unlike a football announcer.

To develop a fan base that leads to paid ads and sponsorships, a player needs to be able to project a winning personality. People with quirky, funny, brazenly cocky, or wild and rowdy personalities have a much better chance of becoming broadcast sensations. Viewers return to channels that entertain, impress, or offer especially helpful hints for playing.

MMO In-Game Asset Sales

Somewhat dubious, and against many games’ terms of service, is the practice of paying actual money for in-game currency, items, or characters. Online auction houses or shops for virtual weapons, currency, and more are all over the web. The sellers may be players who no longer want their items or currency, or they may spend time acquiring them for the express purpose of making the sale.

For some games, like World of Warcraft, people actually purchase an entire account that has been leveled up by another player. This basically translates to one person paying another to do the dirty or boring work first. The buyer simply doesn’t want to spend time on lower level enemies or quests – often referred to as “grinding” because of the painful, slow process of killing the same AI enemies using the same techniques over and over. However, buyer beware: a seller may be able to recover the sold account after turning over their credentials, leaving the buyer with no recourse, as the sale of an account is usually against terms of service. Letting another player log into your account to level you up can be risky for similar reasons.

Minecraft Builders

A strange new type of request pops up every once in a while in Minecraft forums: people looking for help from professional builders in the game. Server owners might be looking for people to make cool structures or help with some other major project. These jobs don’t appear to pay a lot of money, but there’s no downside to them if you enjoy playing Minecraft anyway.

What’s Next?

All of this points to an exciting future in the video gaming industry – a future where there is enough interest in professional gaming to support entire careers. Although for now it’s only a select few who can manage to make a career out of it, like the wildly popular video game celebrities who are expert entertainers, or simply the eSports champions who are simply the best players around. However, there are growing opportunities for any gamers who is serious enough to become a part of the trend. Sure, it’s a niche, but one that grows year by year – and with each year, the stereotype of video games as a dead-end, outsider hobby dies a little more.

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