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Thirty years ago, it would have been impossible to earn money from just playing video games. The world of entertainment was very different back then, primarily because the internet barely existed and there wasn’t a global connection that draws people together as we have now. The global entertainment scape has shifted dramatically since video games consoles first came out in the 70s and 80s to the point where now some of the biggest celebrities became famous just for being fun to watch while they play their favorite games.

Over the past decade, the online market has proven that this is no passing fad. Game streaming as a form of entertainment is here to stay. And with hundreds of millions of viewers tuning in to the big gaming tournaments online, there is plenty of room for sponsors and advertisers to have their own slice of the cake. The biggest tournaments also have prizes in the tens of millions of dollars given out to the winning teams, so it’s easy to understand why so many people would be eager to watch these high-stakes matches.

It’s not only professional players that enjoy financial success in this industry. The recent rise of gaming YouTubers and streamers is a direct result of how easy it is to gain access to the internet and the hardware needed for streaming. Technology has advanced to the point where the hardware you need to play, record, upload, and stream your games can be as cheap as only a few hundred dollars. The software needed to properly edit your own videos has gotten so easy to use that even children have their own YouTube channels with videos they made and edited themselves. It’s a market that anyone can enter at any time, and more and more young people are testing out these waters to see if they have what it takes to become an online gaming personality.

Twitch is one of the most successful game streaming services currently in use, and it was recently revealed that top streamers on the website can earn anywhere from $50,000 to $500,000 per month, with even more revenue from external sponsors and advertisers in addition to that. These streamers are not professionally handled athletes - many of them manage their own content and most started their streaming careers with little to no external help and rose to fame simply for being fun to watch. The audience and the financial incentive are there for anyone to try to take.

Like with pursuing any career, hard work and no little amount of luck are needed to survive in this now competitive industry. However, just like with any other career, people - especially younger children - should be commended for having a goal they want to pursue no matter how untraditional it might appear at first glance. There’s real money to be made as a gaming channel on YouTube or Twitch, and it costs very little to try to get into the streaming business if it’s something you truly want to try doing.

About the author: Maldivian Gaming League is a team of e-sports organizers and competition promoters based in the Maldives. For more information, check them out on Facebook or Instagram.