Does making video games pay?

The short answer is yes. Money follows value. Many people are in the video game industry because they are mostly passionate about their work. They mostly don’t think about the money but the projects they work on that they do not consider work because they enjoy what they do. They get paid to do what they love, making video games.

Getting paid to play video games is the dream of many young gamers. While it may seem like an impossible dream, there are many people out there making some money – or even a living – off playing video games. The ways people make money playing video games are fascinating, even if you have no desire to do so yourself. From eSport athletes making six figures a year by winning tournaments in front of crowds to game testers making near minimum wage with little appreciation, the field of making money playing video games is a wide, diverse one.

This isn’t a get-rich-quick guide – competition is harsh for many of the methods here. If making money playing video games was easy, every gamer would be doing it. Quitting your job or dropping out of school and diving head first into the video game economy is not recommended.

This depends wildly on your role, experience, skills, and location. There is no standard scale. Google gamasutra game developer salaries to get a better idea of salary ranges. Just be aware that tuition at game development schools can be extremely expensive and your student loan bills can be enormous relative to your salary.