The labour market has gone through changes in the decades and particularly in the current world with technological jobs. This evolution has led to emergence of variety of new jobs that did not exist in the past and these include; jobs related to content, website designer, jobs related to cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence among others.
One of the professions which have come with the establishment of new jobs, are in the field of gaming. Prior to this, the type of positions available in this field were largely confined to game production as programmers and designers. But as the phenomenon of video games developed and gained momentum, we can observe that the occupations, or positions each game performer takes, are rather diverse, and some of them are actually quite exotic.
Yet classic gamin professions, such as programmers or scriptwriters, artists designing a character or a scenario, are still relevant; however, there are new possibilities that do not always need technical education. Currently, gaming is a profitable business that any lovers of games can maintain through different platforms.
A Sector Full of Opportunities
The least sensitive of all these industries is the gaming industry since it poses one of the lowest thresholds in the industry. games out there provide several ways for gamers make money through game development, modification, live streaming, content creation, as well as offering their services to the developers by handling their customer support, technical support, and game testing among others.
As stated by Statista, more than 475 billion dollars in the gaming industry were produced in 2024 and has increased to over 690 billion dollars in the forecasted 2029, which implies more than 200% increase since 2017. Of this revenue, a significant proportion comes from the sale and download of games; virtual in-app purchases in often-addictive games; advertisements played during the long hours of gaming sessions; and new versions of gaming content created in the form of live streams by millions of streamers from across the world.
These varied areas of the industry provide a selection of jobs for people, from positions that demand certain certification to positions that can be obtained by people with little or no skills.
Game Streaming as a Profession in 2024
Of all the possibilities connected with the gaming industry, live streaming has emerged as the most attractive choice for many due to the simplicity of the task and no need for years of schooling to participate in the process. Statista places game streaming income that was received through direct sponsorships, ‘platform-earned’ money from the likes of Twitch or Youtube, and money from viewers at over 15 billion US dollars in 2024.
The opportunity to earn good money is proved by famous streamers such as Richard Tyler Blevins, who works under the nickname Ninja. Ninja is one of the most popular gamers who broadcasts games like Fortnite and Call of Duty; he stated that he received more than 500,000 US dollars per month in 2024. Of course, there are such endemic cases, but most streamers make between $100 and $10,000 each month.
Esports and Gaming Tournaments
We have seen esports and competitive gaming tournaments as attractive sources of revenue. These events with such games as League of Legends, exist internationally, and contain a high-stakes value. Statista revealed that courtesy of tournaments and sponsorship, esports had grossed more than $4bn in 2024.
Success stories cover an Emirati player known as “Soryano” that was able to win more than 34k dollars and an Egypt’s Mohamed Tarik, alias Mohamed Light, who won 900k dollars. Saudi Arabia also had the Esports World Cup, the total value of which was more than $60 million.
Game Testing as a Career
This type of work can be called game testing, and it is rather an exotic, but definitely in-demand profession in the sphere., As testers, users are expected to play games as hard as possible in order to discover bugs in games. That is why many freelance services, such as Upwork, provide information on the available positions for professional testers who can guarantee the high-quality gameplay.
It normally involves technical understanding as it may involve coding languages and comes with very strict securities to uphold regarding the organizations secrets.
Game Modding and Selling Custom Versions
Modding—modifying or improving existing games to create add-ons or enhancements of original games—is now a credible market. Super-users then take advantage of this exposure by fixing up and enhancing their game engines. Most games including GTA 5 and Skyrim are usually known to experience modifications that are sold for other players.
And sometimes modders develop and, using graphic improvements, release new versions of games for sale. There is even proof that some developers seek the best modders to become part of their staff. Both Roblox and Minecraft extend this further in that you can build sub games or worlds and then sell them to people.
Can Gaming Be a Sustainable Income Source?
The answer to this question depends on the player type, the type of income perceived by the player, and the certain position in the company. However, it is true that gaming does not always have to be a hobby, it can turn into a career and earn quite literally millions to players.
