Hola amigo! Do you love gaming? And, do you want to turn your passion for gaming into a side hustle?
If your answer to both these questions is yes, then boy, have you come to the right place. You might already know that one source of income isn’t going to cut it anymore in today’s economy. Luckily for you, I have a solution – Game Development.
It is one of the most cost-effective ways to make a decent side income, and the best part is that anyone can get started on it, with the number of free resources online that can help you get started. Now, what you need to get started working on this side hustle is a decent gaming PC and a fast internet connection.
If you’re looking for an internet provider, you might want to consider Cox for its speed and reliability. As a Hispanic, you’ll be happy to know that they also offer bilingual assistance, so you can reach out to them in Spanish through Cox servicio al cliente.
In this article, I’ll share some ways game development can help you make some extra money, and how you can get started.
Publishing Browser Games
Most websites allow you to upload your unique creations on their platform and offer different payment methods. Some might pay a flat fee, while others may be more long-term and pay you depending on the number of players the game is able to bag.
For example, I uploaded a game on this platform called CrazyGames a while back and made north of 300$ when my game reached over 60K gameplays. There are many similar platforms, all looking for the next unique idea, and you could be the one to deliver it and get a handsome reward.
Publishing Mobile Games
Ever heard of this little game called Among Us? Kind of sus if you haven’t.
The game was developed by a small studio and has made more than $90 million in its lifetime. It’s a simple idea, nothing too complicated. What made the game stand out was how it needed more than one player, a factor which may be responsible for it going viral overnight, besides the pandemic.
Plus, mobile games also have another huge benefit as they allow you to place ads by third parties. These ads may be placed with different goals such as impressions, clicks, or game and app downloads, and each time these goals are met through your game, you receive a monetary benefit. You can create a win-win situation by offering your users a free game, yet making an income through ads.
Selling Game Assets
Whether you create your own game or sell assets to another developer, they can be a great way to make an income.
Gamers like us always look for exclusive in-game items such as weapons, skins, or cars. If you develop a game yourself, you can create another revenue stream by monetizing these cosmetic items. Just make sure it isn’t so high that it drives people away.
You can also create and sell these assets to other developers who may not have the skill or the time needed to create them. You can sell these assets on well-known platforms like the Unity Asset Store, Unreal Engine Marketplace, or other dedicated asset stores you come across. I mean a little extra cash never hurt nobody, did it?
Creating a Game Dev Course
A little further down the line of your game development journey, you can create a course and upload it on multiple online education platforms such as Coursera, Udemy, and edX, to name a few.
You also might want to target some dedicated gaming education platforms, as this can help you beat a lot of traffic and become more visible. GameDev.tv is a good option if you’re looking for one.
You can focus on basic level design courses that guide others on how to get started with game development, or advanced courses that teach integrating tech like AI with gaming. You might want to keep a track of trending technologies and industry developments to make sure your course hits the spot as soon as someone sees it.
So, these are some of the easiest ways you can put your game dev skills to use and make some extra money.
3 Tips to Easily Cash in Your Game Dev Skills
Here are a few tips that you might find useful when getting into game development.
- Keep it Simple: If you take a look at Among Us or Candy Crush, for example, you’ll realize that people like to play simple and easy-to-understand games. Make sure you come up with a unique, but easy-to-grasp concept.
- Create and Share Your Portfolio: Whether you sell games, assets, or courses, you might want to track and share all your creations, as this can level up your reputation in the gamer community.
- Balance Ads with User Experience: The key to an effective ad strategy is to show them in such a way that it doesn’t interrupt the user experience. There are many ad formats you can choose, and you might want to keep this in mind when choosing them.
Game Dev – A Cost-Effective Way to Make Extra Income
If you play it right, game dev can be a low-risk, high-reward way for Latino techies like you to turn their passion into an additional income.
Whether you choose to sell assets, full-fledged games, or courses, remember to stay ahead of industry trends, prioritize user experiences, and use the latest technologies. Who knows? You could be the next big thing in the industry.