Earn Money From Playing Mobile Games

Not only are there different sources for making money, but there are also different ways and formats! You can earn cash rewards by playing mobile games, taking surveys, and shopping online. Nothing is more.

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How Do Mobile Games Make Money? Most Popular Monetization Models

The meteoric rise in mobile device popularity and tech capability has fueled the extremely popular mobile app industry. Mobile games are amongst the most popular types of apps—in 2017, 80% of all app revenue came from gaming apps for both the Apple iOS App Store and Google Play Store. The global gaming market is targeted to reach $115 billion in 2018; the mobile gaming industry accounts for $50 billion dollars in all of global gaming revenue.

It’s clear that the mobile app industry is lucrative and continuing to grow in size each year. How do mobile games make money? Game monetization is the method by which a game product makes money for its developers and copyright owners. There are various revenue models that mobile games use to generate profit.

How Do Mobile Games Make Money? Types of Revenue Models for Mobile Gaming App Monetization

The Mobile Gaming Industry Is Incredibly Lucrative

Mobile games have come a long way since the days of playing Nokia’s Snake on a tiny screen. The first known mobile game was a prehistoric version of Tetris, installed on a mobile phone called Hagenuk MT-2000 in 1994. The launch of Apple’s App Store in 2007 marks the early days of mobile gaming as we know it today. Developers flooded the marketplace with games, many of which were incredibly addictive. Some early hits have faded from memory (Angry Birds, est. 2009), while others remain dominant in popularity (Candy Crush, released in 2012).

Mobile gaming apps have never been more sophisticated and new developments like real-time multiplayer abilities, livestreaming, and cross-device synchronization continue to drive industry growth. Another growth factor is the explosion of social media interest in gaming on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. As of April 2018, top mobile games like Fortnite and Candy Crush Saga earned more than one million dollars in daily revenue on iPhones alone.

The very first gaming apps fell into one of two broad categories: 1. Free Mobile Games (sometimes monetized through ads); 2. Paid Mobile Games (just a single upfront payment). Now, gaming monetization models have become significantly more complex and varied. The lucrative nature of mobile gaming influences game design and development, so creators can profit from their games.

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Methods Used to Monetize Mobile Game Apps

Free Mobile Games

Free-to-Play (F2P or FTP) games are free to initially download, but require payment for various upgrades.

Freemium games are free to download and play but offer small in-game purchases known as microtransactions. The top grossing mobile games in 2018 have all been freemium model games, for example Clash Royale, Fortnight Battle Royale, and Candy Crush Soda Saga.

Microtransactions allow players to purchase additional virtual goods like extra gameplay levels, cosmetic skins, exclusive gear (e.g. armor, shields), loot boxes, or in-game currency. In-game purchases vary – some enhance the player’s power or speed up their progress within the game, while others are entirely cosmetic. An example of a microtransaction for a roleplaying game (RPG) is a player purchasing a limited-edition potion which gives their character special powers that would be otherwise very difficult or time-consuming to obtain via normal gameplay.

Since the purchases are usable within the game, microtransactions are especially tempting for avid, devoted players. Microtransactions can potentially lower the skills barrier needed to progress within the game, which can make the game feel out-of-whack for those who choose not to spend. Game developers must be very careful in designing microtransactions so that don’t significantly unbalance competition between players or worse, make players feel extorted (i.e. feel like they must spend their money to be able to function within the game).

Advertising model games are typically free, but contain ads as a means of revenue.

• Display ads are the most standard type, which can include static ads, dynamic display ads, banner ads, video ads, and pop-up ads. Neko Atsume occasionally inserts dynamic display ads as a small banner at the bottom of the screen.
• Interstitial ads are ads that are shown automatically in intervals. Interstitial ads are common for games with a level-up progression since they can be displayed between levels where there is a natural break in the gameplay, making them relatively unintrusive. For example, Ray-Man Adventure requires the player to watch a 30-second video after beating a level.
• Incentivized ads offer an in-game incentive, like an in-game currency or a boost, in exchange for interacting with an ad (e.g. watching a video ad). Puzzle game Candy Crush will offer to give users a bonus if they watch a short video before beginning a new level.
• Contextual ads are integrated into gameplay, often as branded gameplay objects or branded storefronts within the scenery of a game. Think branded Pokestops in Pokemon Go or billboards on the streets of Grand Theft Auto.

Shareware model games will allow you to play a free trial or demo version of a game, but require payment to unlock the full game license. Shareware gives free users limited gameplay compared to the full game – the idea is to entice users to pay for the game once they’ve gotten a taste. This model somewhat outdated as the vast majority of mobile game developers have embraced freemium.

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Paid Mobile Games

Up-front payment model applies to games that are purchased via a one-time payment then downloaded directly onto a mobile device. A few popular examples of paid games include Minecraft, NBA 2K18, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Subscription model games charge a recurring fee to continue playing them, usually on a monthly basis. It’s uncommon for mobile games to use the subscription model – it’s more frequently used for massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) and other video games that require continuous server hosting and administrative overview in order to operate. Mobile games don’t lend themselves to a subscription model in part because they tend to be fleeting in popularity. Consumers tend to grow bored of mobile games, constantly looking for a novel diversion.

That said, chief marketing officer Al Campa of the business intelligence form App Annie predicts “I think you’ll start to see subscriptions making their way into gaming.” The success of media apps like Netflix and Spotify suggest that there’s a market for paying a monthly subscription to access collections of games. “The gaming world needs to continue coming up with new hits all the time,” explains Campa.

Monetizing Mobile Games IRL

Mobile games with a strong brand and fanbase can tap into revenue streams outside of the app itself.

Event marketing hosted by game creators bring together an army of avid gaming fans.From huge conventions like E3 and VidCon to regional competitions, gaming fiends are eager to connect with fellow fans at events. Other in-person events that draw die-hard fans include charity tournaments, festivals, and one-off experiential events. These photogenic, interactive events create photo-worthy moments for selfies, videos, and tweeting, which helps them to amplify the brand’s message beyond those in attendance. There’s significant opportunity to sponsor an event to further establish a gaming brand.

Merchandise is another outlet for mobile gamers to bring in revenue. Zealous gaming fans will don T-shirts and snap up collectible merchandise as an extension of their love of the game. Popular games, as well as cult indie games, can commoditize their brands by producing merch.

Tricks To Push Users to Make Purchases While Playing Addictive “Free” Games

Game developers have come up with truly ingenious tactics to make their games profitable. Leveraging a sizable pool of user behavior data, game creators learn to push the buttons of their gaming community. Game developer companies with a large roster of titles can test out different tricks and dedicate manpower towards marketing various upsells.

Whales, named after high rollers at casinos, are players who spend a disproportionate amount compared to other players. Although gaming apps aim to draw revenue through all of their players, they tend to make the bulk of their earnings from a smaller subset of devotees.

VIP Programs are an emerging tactic to retain power-users who are deeply devoted to the mobile game. Extra bonuses that come with membership can include performance enhancers that give a competitive advantage, elimination of advertisements, customer service support

In addition, some mobile games [World of Tanks Blitz, Poker King, TMNT Legends] offer a monthly VIP or premium tier accounts, which offer gameplay bonuses within a pre-specified timeframe.

Special offers can lure an apathetic player by giving them a strong incentive to make a purchase and get back in the game. Like an e-commerce display ad showing that an item once abandoned in a shopping cart has since gone on sale, special offers are all about timing and knowing one’s audience.

A once avid player hasn’t opened the app in over a month? Offer a discounted starter pack for a hot new game. Is a player grinding to beat a boss? Tempt them with a special booster pack that will help them build skills more quickly. A user is obsessed with customizing their avatar character? Sell them a pack of limited-edition skins or clothing.

Game creators can market offers via emails, push notifications, and in-game banner ads. This makes the messaging almost inescapable to a heavily invested player. In a sense, it’s unsurprising that mobile games are so lucrative. Considering the domestic market alone, 77% of Americans have smartphones and are virtually always with them. People frequently look at their phones out of habit and boredom and mobile games provide an instant dose of entertainment. The industry is ripe with potential for customer loyalty and a large customer lifetime value.

Influencer Marketing for Mobile Games

Mobile games are a great fit for influencer marketing partnerships because they appeal to all demographics and have a low barrier to entry. Since the majority of people own a smartphone and have access to mobile app marketplaces, a game download conversion can happen with just the tap of a smartphone.

Earn Money Playing Games Online

Mobile games lend themselves well to videos and screenshots, meaning that creators can easily develop visually compelling content that will showcase video games in action. More and more video streaming platforms promote gaming as the industry continues to expand. Influencer marketing will continue to play a role in mobile app monetization going forward.

Although freemium is currently the dominant form of monetization, the ever-changing industry will continue to evolve. It’s possible that subscription to access a library of games (ala Netflix) or a new game-changing monetization model will crop up as mobile gaming continues to evolve.

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It’s probably not the career path your mother would have chosen for you, but maybe it’s time for her to reevaluate.

Video games have become a titan in the entertainment industry over the last few decades, with the market peaking at $35.4 billion in 2019 revenue. For context, that’s more than three times the revenue made by the music industry and 83% of the money made by the movie industry in the same year[*].

You’re probably familiar with some of the ways you can make cash playing video games, with major streamers like Ninja making serious cash and eSports being aired on ESPN, but did you know there are ways you can take your favorite hobby and play video games for cash — even outside of a professional context?

While pursuing a professional career is an option, you don’t have to be a major league gamer to pad your savings account while you’re waiting for your next doctor’s appointment or when standing in line at the DMV.

There are so many ways to make money playing video games, but most of them aren’t worth it. We’ve done our research and pulled out the options that are worth considering. We tell you the honest truth — what you choose to do with it is your decision.

Some of these have the chance to be lucrative, most do not. Some follow more traditional career paths, others involve an entrepreneurial spirit. Some pay you immediately, others require content and time investment.

Take a close read through to figure out which option is best for you.

1. User test video games for large video game developers

It’s not surprising once you stop and think about it, but every game ever released needs to be tested. Think of it like writing a book, except that the sentences aren’t linear. Someone has to playtest every aspect of a game before its release, and companies like Blizzard, EA, and Ubisoft all employ full-time and contracted video game testers.

The money can be better than you think. Video game testers can easily earn $50,000+ a year, but keep in mind this is a demanding, full-time position. You aren’t just lazily playing video games. Here’s an idea of what you would be doing:

• Carefully performing “matrix” tests to “break” a game – e.g. exploiting balancing strengths and weaknesses in a MOAB game.
• Writing down articulate and meticulous thoughts around new versions and the issues you encountered. You can’t say, “The game was choppy”. You’d have to say something more along the lines of, “Version 1.32’s load time between cutscenes clocked in at 12 seconds, which is much longer than the 4-second benchmark we established”.
• Attend meetings and relate your findings to the developer team.
• Staying on top of bug fixes and reminding the team to resolve them.

Another common complaint is the lack of upward mobility. Where do you go from being a user tester? Well, the answer is nowhere concrete.

How to get started

Check out some job boards and see if any positions are available.

Here are some companies that offer user-testing positions:

• Nintendo: How cool would this be? The only catch is you have to live in Redmond, Washington since it’s where their American headquarters is.
• Blizzard: User-testing jobs at Blizzard are hard to find, but you may be able to snag one if you keep a close eye on it.
• Rockstar: Same idea here. These jobs don’t come up often at Rockstar but you may be able to pick one up if you’re lucky. And remember these are legitimate jobs and should be treated seriously.

2. User test video games via smaller third-party testing sites

There are also generalized video game sites where you can sign up to test all sorts of games. Some of these require you to take voice and video recordings as you play them, others don’t. It’s essentially a product testing platform and the jobs depend on the various video game designers’ needs.

How to get started

Earn Money From Playing Mobile Games On

Start enrolling and checking out gigs on a few user-testing sites.

Here are few third-party user testing sites to get you started:

• Beta Testing: Beta Testing was previously known as Erli Bird, and it’s a general platform for businesses to hire users to test their apps, games, and software.
• UserTesting: Similar to Beta Testing, this site has a broad set of user testing opportunities but video game gigs do show up from time to time.
• PlaytestCloud: This is a mobile app testing site, so you can find mobile games to test here. On their site, they mention that pay varies, but they give an example of a $9 test for 15 minutes of playtime.

3. Use Mistplay or other mobile apps

There are a couple of mobile gaming apps that make their cash through ads and user data while paying users for their time. You’ll have to play what they want you to, but if you aren’t too picky then these apps could be good for you. You won’t make more than a few bucks a month, but it’s not a bad way to spend downtime.

Earn Money From Playing Mobile Games

How to get started

Download a few mobile gaming apps and see which one you enjoy the most.

Here are a few mobile gaming app options:

• Mistplay: Play games and earn cash. This is best for mobile gamers who don’t mind opting in to play random games. You won’t get more than a couple of bucks a month, though.
• Bananatic: Online platform where you play for points that you can redeem for gift cards and other offers.
• AppNana: A mobile reward app that gives you rewards for completing small tasks and playing games. You can then redeem them for Xbox gift cards and other prizes.

4. Use sites like Swagbucks or InboxDollars

If you aren’t picky about the video games you play and are interested in a generalized approach to spending downtime, then Swagbucks and InboxDollars are two of the “make money online” juggernauts to consider.

Both services are pretty similar. Basically, you create an account, fill out some basic information about yourself, and then there are a wide variety of ways you can collect “bucks” or “cash”. These options include taking surveys, watching ads, playing games, and much more.

You won’t make anywhere near a liveable income from these sites, but they are good options to have around if you’re bored and looking for ways to gamify your discretionary spending.

How to get started

Fill out an account on either Swagbucks or InboxDollars and start playing some games!

Here are few links to “make money online” sites:

• Swagbucks: The biggest player in the “make money online” space. You can do everything from play games to watch movie trailers to fill out surveys and turn earned points into cash.
• InboxDollars: This service is very similar to Swagbucks, and many people mix and match between the two. Take a look at the video game options on both sites and see which ones are more fun.

5. Make a Youtube channel or Twitch stream

This is the most popular way to make money with video games at the moment. Just like your last Los Angeles Uber driver, you could consider starting your own Youtube Channel or Twitch Stream.

Isn’t that extremely difficult? Well, yes. Of course. Being successful as an online video gamer and streamer requires at least one of these three of these skills, if not all:

1. A particularly good knack for video games.
2. A charismatic personality.
3. A unique spin and/or special attention to production value.

Just opening up a streaming account and starting isn’t enough to get people to stick around. You need a hook. That can either be your ability to play, the way you have fun while you play, the way you present the material or any of the above.

How to get started

Take some time to think critically about how to approach your Youtube or Twitch channel by using the advice below:

Take a close look at existing streamers. What could you do differently? How can you make video games entertaining outside of just playing them? What about you can become your unique value proposition? Think carefully before investing your time here, most people don’t make it.

Here are some major streaming sites to think about starting on:

• Twitch: The ultimate video gaming streaming site. The competition here is difficult, but you won’t find a platform with a wider potential audience.
• YouTube Gaming: YouTube’s live streaming is good but not as robust as Twitch’s, but it also allows you to post compilation/other types of video game content and ultimately build a broader channel than Twitch.
• Dlive: A newer blockchain streaming service that focuses on audience building and community rewards. This one is bound to be less saturated than the others.

6. Enter tournaments

One skill-based opportunity is playing in tournaments. Large games like Overwatch, Apex Legends and Fortnite regularly host tournaments.

If you are aiming (wordplay intended), for a skill-based entry into the video game market, then you need to prove to others (and yourself), that you have what it takes to win. Start training and start competing. If you don’t see meaningful progress and aren’t seeing results after a period of pursuit, consider moving on.

My advice on this is two-fold:

1. Choose a game with longevity to invest in. Considering how long StarCraft II has been around, there is a decent chance StarCraft II will fizzle out over the next few years. That means it’s probably not the best time to start skilling up.
2. Choose a game that has existing hype or the potential for growth. Ideally, you will catch a wave like Ninja did with Fortnite.

How to get started

Find an upcoming tournament with players you know are around your level, start practicing, and get to work.

Here are a few video game tournament sites:

• Battlefy: BattleFy hosts a bunch of Rocket League, League of Legends, and Hearthstone tournaments, but it also has a lot of depth with the types of tournaments you can enter in. The competition is tough but the prizes are high!
• Gfinity Esports: Gfinity tournaments are extremely competitive and run by a well-respected company within the gaming world.
• WorldGaming: WorldGaming is a huge network of tournaments that has a variety of smaller and big tournaments you can compete in. If you want to get your feet wet, this is a good choice.

7. Consider becoming a video game coach

If you have some sort of professional record in the video games space, have an entrepreneurial spirit, don’t mind selling yourself, and are a good teacher, then you could look into becoming a video game coach.

The niche is small but growing, and if you can position yourself around certain video games and also build in essential networking and life-skills training apart from the pure “wins” results, then you may have a business opportunity on your hands.

How to get started

Take a hard look at your credentials and see if this path makes sense and if you want to give it a shot. Then, start thinking like an entrepreneur using the advice below.

Your best bet from a marketing perspective is either wealthy college kids or upper-income parents with kids interested in pursuing this full-time. Your approach will need to change according to the demographic you’re pursuing, and always remember whose pocketbook will be paying you.

I’d also pick up some Business 101 books to make sure you understand exactly what you’re getting into.

Here are a few sites you can use to start finding clients:

• Gamer Sensei: You have to apply to be a Sensei and give a bit of your cut to this site, but they will provide you with students if you get accepted.
• Fiverr: Fiverr is a general freelancing site that you can bid for contracts on. Set up your profile and start bidding for jobs!
• Facebook Gaming Groups: After you’ve set up your online site and portfolio via LinkedIn etc., you could join gaming groups, get involved in those communities, and then start making connections with aspiring players.

8. Write video game articles or reviews

This is more of a long play to build an audience, but if you love writing and reviewing games, then you should consider publicizing and monetizing your work. You can do this via two main ways:

• By pitching to existing gaming publications.
• By building up your own channel/brand specifically built around video game reviews.

Each option comes with its own challenges. If you are pitching to publications, you need to send ideas, articles, etc. that are an exact fit for their brand. Remember, people are lazy — the key to networking is to reduce the friction required for anyone to do what you want them to do. If you can pitch an article at the right time that’s perfectly on brand, then you may open some doors and get paid for your article.

To get an idea of how to cold-email journalism sites and land gigs, check out Toby Howell’s incredible cold email sequence, which he used to land a job at one of the most prominent email newsletters out today, Morning Brew. It’s brilliant and well worth the read if you plan on pitching articles to anyone anytime soon.

If you’re looking to build your own channel or audience, whether it’s directly or adjacently related to video games, then there are a few ways to think about it. You either need to:

• Approach video game reviews in a style that feels “fresh” or new. This can involve a certain ploy or brand feature (e.g., always including a video game developer on your reviews) or by having your own video production style.
• Use an approach that’s popular but do it better. This is very difficult to do and requires a lot of expertise or time developing that expertise.

In reality, it’s very difficult to make a significant income writing video game reviews and articles, so your best bet is to look at it as a passionate side hustle.

How to get started

Start writing and reviewing video games publicly and either use them to pitch to existing publications or post them directly on your own platform.

Here are a few publications to pitch to and reviewers to emulate:

• IGN: IGN is a powerhouse player in video games journalism. Remember to make your pitch as specific and actionable as possible. Good luck!
• Polygon: Polygon is an entertainment review and news company that is always up to hear good pitches from freelancers. Use this link to review their submission guidelines.
• Mandalore Gaming: Mandalore Gaming is a great example of a one-person-shop for video game reviews. Check out how well they review games and conduct audience building.
• Gameranx: Gameranx is an even bigger Youtube operation than Mandalore Gaming, and they specialize in compilation and “tips and tricks” videos. Take a look through their top videos to get some inspiration for your own channel.

Bonus: expand your definition of “getting paid to play video games”

What about avenues that don’t directly involve playing video games? As we mentioned, the video games industry is massive, so if you enjoy video games, I encourage you to look beyond strictly playing video games for money.

You could:

• Become a video game story writer
• Edit scripts for video game dialogue
• Conduct research for a team
• Market video games
• Become a video game developer

There are tons of options once you open this angle up. Yes, this doesn’t involve pwning noobs for $100k/year, but on the other hand, the world is your… kirby?

Plus, working alongside your passion instead of in it is often a good way to preserve your joy and love for it. It’s easy to get burned out on something you love once it’s your actual job — just ask any musician after a long touring leg!

The bottom line on getting paid to play video games

If you’re looking to make a few extra bucks in your downtime, then there are definitely options for you to make money playing video games. Check out sites like Swagbucks and Mistplay and use them to pick up some extra cash in time you’d normally be wasting anyway.

Heck, you could even use the money you earn from those to buy major releases you’re really looking forward to playing.

And if you’re looking to make it big in video games, that’s fine to pursue — just make sure you’re strategic about it and recognize that most people aren’t able to make a living playing video games. Fortunately, there are all sorts of fun and interesting ways to build video games into your life.

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