Dream job
Spending
long hours in front of a computer screen
isn’t anything unusual these days, even when it comes to playing games. For
most of us gaming is just a hobby, an activity that is supposed to take us away
from stressful reality, for more engaged ones gaming may become the way of
satisfying the need of rivalry or creation (that’s where I belong) . But what
if I tell you there is a group of people
who actually play computer games and get lots of money doing so? Sounds unbelievable but it is real.
Twitch.tv is a web platform oriented towards video streaming, since 2011
mainly devoted to video gaming and e-sport competition broadcasts. It is worth
mentioning because besides You Tube it happens to be the most popular tool for
gamers to earn their living. How does it
work? The only thing that a gamer needs to provide is interesting content in a
form of video stream. To get viewers, streamers not necessarily must present
extraordinary skills, often a witty and interesting commentary is sufficient.
As with YouTube channels, Twitch audience appreciate distinctive personalities.
The most successful players are reworded by the viewers. The Twitch offers two
main options of giving financial support:
 |
| http://www.theawsc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Twitch-Stream.jpg |
We can’t
forget that most of the professional streamers besides streaming on twitch use
other lucrative channels to get to viewers. Among them are YouTube and Facebook
advertising campaigns. Creating a large viewer and fan base often leads to
sponsorship contracts , which are another
source of profit. “Forbes estimated that top streamers can make upwards
of $300,000 a year.”
businessinsider.com says.
As you can
see during last few years a new profession was born. What do you think about
such a way of living? Have you ever imagined playing games as a source of
income? May this phenomenon change your opinion about gaming as a childish
waste of time?
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitch.tv
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jesse-aaron/how-much-can-you-make-str_b_6926362.html
Comments
In my opinion spending time gaming is waste of time and if I have a child I would not let them play more often than just occasionally. As programmer I prefer coding instead of playing and this is my dream job.
our preferences and perspective. I'm sure there are people chasing dream
of becoming pro players and for others it just waste of time, I will not argue : ) You like programming and you probably feel fulfilled while doing this and honestly I believe
you're lucky. It's not that easy to find job which is financially satisfying
and enjoyable at the same time.
For sure gaming career does not last long enough to give up everything else and focus only on it. But this is same story as with sports, you have to love it to take a risk. Gaming testing is quite different story, it's hard job and I'm aware of it. Thanks for your opinion : )
is to create interesting show. Actually I guess the are two main types of
games streamers: the once basing their popularity on skill and charisma and
the second group focusing on interesting and diverse content.
Of course some games develop imagination, creativity. It is good for children. Generally in my opinion people shouldn't spend most of their lives in front of a computer, especially when they are young.
I hope you stick to your own advice and stay from the computer as far away as you can.
Computerization is here for a while now, and it is not going anyway, so its best time to accept it as inevitable part of the life and stop being such a technophobe.
What is important - there is lots of gamers that have a greatly bigger income that devs of the games they play. And that looks unfair. But streamers are entertainers, and just as the TV-stars, they're earning ridiculous amount of money and are treated at least as semi-gods.
For those who think watching video game streams is pointless, there's this.
The most important part of it is that you have to have some back-up plan. Some basic education and goals besides gaming, because it is awesome that you can become millionaire out of that, however, life is unpredictable and there must be something besides games in your life, just to be sure that you will not find yourself unnecessary.
However it's interesting that you can earn so much money by playing games. It definitly seems more fun than going to a normal job but still you have to remember that this is a job. It take a lot of effor to create a lot of content for different channels.
You have to remember that very few people relatively to the number of players in the game earns big money. Most of them doesn't earn anything at all - so if you're planing to be gamer you should also think about backup plan.
On the other hand, it is worth to have dreams and follow them :)
It's hard to measure value of entertainment just as it's hard to value art. Why would it be wrong for someone who brings joy and entertainment to earn thousands dolars by doing what they like to if it's ok for actors or comedians?
Apparently it's what people demand and where demand is supply follows.
Not to mention that the biggest age group among gaming channels youtube followers is still around 13-16 as far as I remember? I know this is probably going to change in the next 5 years or so, but still... That's something to consider as well.