Video games were viewed strictly as leisure time for the first few decades. Those were distractions, interests, guilty pleasures — never a viable career path. But things have changed. As streaming platforms capture millions of eyeballs with gaming and media centers such as Kodi open the doors for some of the most dynamic content, gaming has developed into an ecosystem. One where players, streamers, and creators are able to create real income.
This change was not triggered by an event. This, in turn, came about through improvements in technology, changes in cultural attitudes, and the choices of gamers themselves. Gone are the days when interactive entertainment and streaming platforms were just about fun; they are literally tools to earn and grow communities today.
Grab Your Beer from Casual Play to Streaming Culture
After all — this was the late 90s/early 2000s, and gaming was not generally associated with money (or capitalism) back then. Some diehard players might participate in local competitions or author community guides, yet the rest played just for kicks. There was no established route to a career through video games.
This began to change as the internet and content platforms started to emerge that would allow gamers to share their content with international audiences. Streaming became the game-changer.
Twitch went live in 2011, allowing anyone with a decent gaming rig, a camera, and an internet connection to stream gameplay, live. It was revolutionary in the sense that gaming had expanded beyond simply playing games, to watching and meeting other players, and interacting with them. It planted the seeds of what is now the streaming economy.
How Streaming Reimagined Entertainment
Gamers transitioned from isolation play into a shared larger entertainment form with streaming. The thing that viewers were not necessarily seeking was flawless gameplay: they sought connection, commentary, humour, reactions, and a community to share in.
In response, streamers started making money via ad revenue, subs, donations, and sponsorship deals. These casual broadcasts then progressed into full-blown careers. Other streamers rapidly turned late-night gaming into six- and seven-figure entertainment empires.
Even YouTube has helped a great deal, with gamers being able to upload highlights, walk throughs and reviews. Only that Twitch — and now other services like Kick — one-upped it by putting it in real-time. Ultimately, this living culture shaped the way services such as Kodi evolved, backing up add-ons and integrations that allow users to view interactive and live-streamed content.
To learn more about the rise of streaming, check out Statista’s streaming industry report.
Hustle #1: Gaming — A Small, But Actual Income
Four — Not every gaming money maker is a massive audience. And at the same time, developers began to understand that time and effort were worth something, and that games could have micro-economies of their own. The introduction of selling digital goods, skins, and sometimes full characters was normalized.
Mobile gaming took this a step further. At a stroke, millions matching that description had access to play — and earn — on their phones. Several apps are directly rewarding users for gaming-style tasks or milestones achieved.
Such as discover games that pay real money and how mobile apps are creating more opportunities for the average gamer. They aren’t always going to be as complete a replacement for a full-time job… but they can be for many, some easy side income, or a fun way to earn rewards while you play video games casually.
When Gaming Becomes Digital Labor
They’re not all glams from the money coming in gaming. In a country such as Venezuela, as well as in the Philippines, a large number of people engage in “gold farming” — hours of playing video games generating in-game currency that is sold to better-off foreign players. This practice conflates play and work from ethics standpoint.
Is it a remote-fair job or a pixel people farm? It depends on perspective. Yet somehow, gaming is bigger than play — it has left the play-time metaphor behind, and became a world-wide labor market on its own.
Content Creation: Beyond the Game
Streamers are one of the larger evolutions of streaming culture. These days, the best streamers and gamers are not only players but brand builders.
They have highlight reels and host interactive sessions or design shows around their personalities. A large number extends into merchandise, podcasts, or partnerships with different industries. They receive live audiences who support them directly through donations, memberships, and live chat.
In other streaming realms, beyond even Kodi communities, this creator-driven economy is mirrored in that independent developers build add-ons and plugins that keep users engaged and provide value for streaming fans. I think we would all like to see the developers and Kodi streamers who contribute monetize their blockbusters, similar to how some gamers monetize their creativity.
To learn more about the economics of content creators, check out Business Insider to understand the creator economy in depth.
Game Studios & Platforms Come into Play
Developers of games and streaming platforms also got used to it. Most of them have turned into something closer to affiliate programs, revenue-sharing models, or creator tools. From player created moments curated for streaming, to monetization leveraged features, developers recognize that gamer supplied content has become part of the fabric of gaming culture.
But that renders creators susceptible as well. Lives can be lost overnight if the income depends on the platform algorithm or the changing policies of the platform. It is a powerful — yet fragile — system.
The Future: Seamless Gaming and Streaming
The biggest change has already been made: Gaming & streaming are considered worth something to people. From making pocket change on mobile apps, using a Kodi-based streaming setup, to creating a bit of community on Twitch, those opportunities are quantifiable.
The million dollar question is: will the ecosystem remain inclusive? Will there still be space for the small creator or will the giants simply win? Will streamers and gamers be able to make a living, or will the economics become less hospitable?
What is beyond doubt is that gaming and streaming are no longer sideline activities. They are core to how folks entertain, make money off of and connect. As tools such as Kodi are developed further in tandem with Twitch and mobile, the chances to make interactive payments will only expand.
The controller — and the remote — are firmly in your hands for the first time.
