5 Ways to Make a Living Playing Games

[RebelMan]

by Ben Silverman
June 29 11:08 A.M.

Playing video games for fun is all well and good, but considering the sad state of the economy, you might want to consider getting more out of your pastime than Achievements Points and Carpal Tunnel syndrome. In fact, there are plenty of ways to turn your passion for pixels into cold, hard cash, even without a fancy degree or years of on-the-job training. Here are five ways you can pay the bills with your gaming skills.

1. Testing, testing...

Every game developer needs dedicated people willing to do whatever it takes to make sure their complicated digital product isn't broken. So if the thought of playing video games all day long is your thing, consider a short-term career as a game tester.

Check your ego at the door, however, because if you're looking for glory, you won't find it here. In short, you'll be tasked to play a partially-working version of an unreleased game: a virtual treasure trove of unpolished graphics and bizarre bugs. Expect to play one level over and over again in an effort to root out every last persnickety glitch. The pay is mediocre (roughly $10-$12/hour), the hours are grueling, and the perks are limited to loads of soft drinks and snacks or, if you're lucky, some sort of promotional poster to show off to your buddies.

Now for the good news -- testing is a fantastic way to lodge your foot in the door of a major company, and at the entry level, the requirements are relatively slim. Some companies will request that you have prior industry experience, but many simply want to know you have the wherewithal to spend eight hours walking back and forth down a castle hallway.

2. Sell fake stuff for real stuff.

Anyone who's dipped a toe into a virtual world like World of Warcraft knows that in an instant, it can suck you in and whip you downstream from your real life. But if you want a burly character with the coolest gear, you simply have to put in the time, right?

Wrong. Loads of players have made loads of real dough by doing the dirty work of building a great character or acquiring awesome loot just to sell it off to the highest bidder. Though once generally frowned upon, the practice has found a home at sites like Livegamer.com, which lets players of games like Everquest 2 and Go Pets buy and sell in-game merchandise via a secure server and a Paypal account.

More into creation than acquisition? We've got a job for you, too. While games like Spore and LittleBigPlanet boast millions of pieces of user-created items and levels, the artists themselves don't see a dime. Perhaps they should have taken their knack for knick-knacks to online game destination Whirled. Built by the team behind hit online game Puzzle Pirates, it lets artistic types craft content like avatars, costumes and even games themselves, and then sell the goodies to others for in-game currency, which can then be turned into real-world cashola. Not a bad racket for a gamer.

3. Be a GM.

And we don't mean the kind that requires a bailout.

Secretive, powerful and surprisingly a lot like you, GMs (short for Game Masters) enjoy one of the most sought-after positions for a hardcore online gamer. Technically referred to as an "In-Game Support Representative," a GM acts as a liaison between a game's players and its developers by enforcing game rules, moderating disputes and helping out players who have become hopelessly stuck.

Amazingly, this is not too good to be true. MMO kingpin Blizzard offers paid, full-time GM positions with astoundingly low requirements, although that also means anyone with a computer and a World of Warcraft account could theoretically apply. Which we sincerely hope you just did.

4. Put your money where your mouse is.

Tired of playing for points? Then consider taking it to the next level by checking out a video game wagering site like Bringit.com.

The premise is simple: create an account, shift some money into it via credit card or Paypal, agree to terms with another player willing to drop coin on a game, and have at it. No PC? No problem. The service works for all three console systems, so if you only game on a Playstation 3, you're good to go. Provided, of course, that you win.

But this is just fancy gambling, right? Technically, no, it isn't. According to Bringit, in all but nine states, the games supported by the site are considered 'games of skill' rather than 'games of chance' and therefore aren't governed by gambling laws, although you should check to make sure you don’t live in a state that happens to disagree. And since cash is changing hands, you've got to be over 18 to play. But if you meet all those requirements and have serious faith in your gaming skills -- not to mention the stones to actually pony up dough against other players -- give it a shot.

5. Pro up.

It might not be what mom had in mind when she bought you that second-hand computer for college, but if you've got the fastest fingers in your area code, you could conceivably have what it takes to make it as a pro gamer.

First, a few caveats. Pro players treat gaming like any pro athlete treats a sport, spending countless hours each week perfecting their skills. The superstars, like current gaming kingpin Jonathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel, will put in up to eight hours a day, often focusing on just one game for months on end. If variety is the spice of life, don't tell a pro gamer. This is incredibly serious, challenging work.

But all that effort can have a huge payoff. Falat1ty has earned over half a million dollars playing games, not to mention the myriad bonuses that come through endorsement deals with gaming peripheral companies.

Even if you don't reach his level of fame, however, you can potentially eke out a living simply by playing in tournaments -- provided you're good enough to even get into one. While some of the bigger leagues have unfortunately shut their doors due to the economic downturn, check out Major League Gaming (which recently signed a deal with ESPN) or a general competitive gaming site like GotFrag.