Gaming is a hobby developed from a young age and carried into adulthood despite parents worrying about the side effects. This technological development has helped a lot of people kill boredom and connect with friends across the world.
Even though parents are concerned about games, a study of 2,000 children discovered that those who play video games perform better on cognitive skills tests than their counterparts who have never played video games.
Games need not be solely for entertainment; the love for this hobby can also be leveraged for business. Fun fact, the gender gap for gamers is almost equal. Therefore, you can start a business targeting both male and female gamers.
The market is big enough. In 2023, the number of gamers in the United States is estimated at about 217.68 million, and it is projected to be 237.85 million by the year 2027.
If you are interested in not just being a gamer and ready to make money from your passion, below are some small business ideas you can execute from the comfort of your home.
Host game talk show
Gamers always seek online content to keep them entertained, especially when not battling an enemy with their gamepad. If you are the kind that could talk about a game-related subject for a long time, it is time to use your passion to make money.
You can create a podcast where you review a new game. Invite professional or experienced gaming enthusiasts as guests on the show.
If your program is interesting and well-organized, you will eventually gather many regular listeners. Over time, you can leverage your listener base to get sponsorship opportunities.
Offer game tutorial
Gaming is a competition, and many people want to get better at it. They want to be the champion among their friends. If you have already hacked the tricks of a game and winning is guaranteed, irrespective of who your opponent is, consider teaching others your tricks by offering a game tutorial.
For instance, new gamers cannot wait long before they start playing like professionals, hence their readiness to sign up for a gaming tutorial. Your students do not necessarily have to be present at your place physically before you can train them. The classes can be conducted virtually.
Host game tournament
Although games are designed to entertain, competition makes them more fun to play. One way to spice up the competition is by hosting a game tournament. Imagine a sports league, but you are the organizer in this case.
Interested players will be required to pay a certain fee to participate, and the winner will receive a prize. As the organizer, you deduct your expenses and profit from the total money made from the sales of forms to participants.
Sell customized gifts
The market for customized gifts is bigger than the gaming community. Some non-gamers usually search for the perfect gift for their hardcore gamer friends.
You can create an e-commerce website to sell customized jackets, caps, polos, sweatshirts, and t-shirts.
Some companies offer customizable union clothing, which allows you to include different game characters on geeky clothing gifts for gamers.
Sell game accessories
As a game enthusiast, you can start selling game accessories you consider better than other available options in the market.
You can also sell accessories you no longer need, especially if you have upgraded. This business idea can also include buying similar items from fellow gamers and reselling them with a profit margin.
Start a gaming blog
This is a perfect small business idea for gamers with writing skills. You can write about gaming tricks, solutions to game problems, and reviews of a newly released game. The blog can also include content about installing game software on different consoles.
You can also create a gaming forum where you and your friends can share ideas about a new game and problem solutions. If the forum’s content is helpful, it can get picked up by Google and other search engines. This can significantly increase the website’s traffic, which can eventually be leveraged for digital adverts to make money.
Rent out games
Gamers generally do not have the luxury of buying all games. Some will prefer renting to evaluate the experience before getting one for themselves, while some may not be able to afford the cost but still want to play it game regardless.
This is a business opportunity. Buy these games and rent them out at an affordable fee.
Offer console and gaming equipment repair service
If you are skilled at repairing consoles and other gaming equipment, make a business out of it.
Few technicians specialize in this kind of repair; plus, you are already part of the gaming community. To publicize your business, start with your friends and offer to repair their faulty gaming equipment for free or a small token. They will surely recommend your service to others if you do a good job.