How to Launch a Career as a Gaming Content Creator

Gaming content creator careers aren’t like any other industry. Instead of simply applying for a job, you need to invest lots of your own time and effort into carving out a space on your chosen platform. Much like running a business, being a gaming content creator requires command of a large number of skills, and often involves the support of other employees.

At MinMxD, we help gaming content creators and gaming studios to kickstart and grow their online brands. In this article, we’ll go over the essential skills for gaming content creation, discuss how networking plays a role, and offer monetisation strategies to help make the transition from passion project to paying job.

Get started today >

For many, gaming content creation won’t be a job right away. People often start since gaming and making videos are something they enjoy. Over time, this passion attracts an audience, which leads to an opportunity to transition to full-time content creation.

Supporting yourself while you’re not a full-time creator often means having another source of revenue such as a part- or full-time job, which requires extra commitment and time management to ensure you can progress both ventures at the same time.

While time management and dedication are two of the most vital skills to becoming a gaming content creator, there are a few others to consider:

Video Editing. At the start, you’re unlikely to have the funds to outsource your editing to a professional. This means having some idea of the tools to use, and how to use them, is essential to starting your YouTube channel. Editing knowledge can also help instil fundamentals such as how to set up shots, or what content is good for B-roll footage.

Marketplace Analysis. SEO, networking, competitor analysis, and knowledge of the gaming industry as a whole. All of these aspects make up the marketplace that you’re in, and to grow as quickly as possible, you need to be keenly aware of the shifting dynamics involved.

Gaming Skills. A common misconception is that gaming skills are required to become a gaming content creator. This is far from the case, and many creators make it far on their personalities alone – especially in the streaming space, where viewers feel closer than ever to the creators. You can use humour, creativity, storytelling, or anything else at your disposal to make up for where skills may be lacking – or simply blow them all away with a show of talent, if that’s what you prefer.

Brand Personality. One of the main draws of any channel is the unique personality, branding, and ways that a creator tackles challenges and content. Developing a brand-specific personality that’s unique to you is important to standing out among the crowd and gaining recognition.

Find out more about the importance of branding for gaming content creators >

As we touched on, networking is important to succeeding as a gaming content creator. Making connections and collaborating with others in the industry, along with marketing yourself through means like social media, are vital to getting your name out there and growing your channel.

Social Media

Social media is primarily used as a form of marketing for your main channels. Places like Facebook, X, Discord, and Reddit all help you to build and sustain communities. You can provide sneak peeks into upcoming projects and content, deliver insight into your thoughts and lifestyle, or simply connect directly to your audience outside of the comment section.

Networking Events

Networking events often involve meeting up with lots of other content creators, or occasionally fan meetups. Meeting other content creators is a great way to find friends in your field, which can help greatly with overcoming some of the common challenges with content creation.

Cross-Channel Collaboration

Once you’ve made some connections in the industry, either via meeting them in person or reaching out, you can explore the possibility of cross-channel collaboration. Even getting a shoutout can be incredibly valuable in getting people over to your channel, so try and create content and connections that naturally leads to you appearing on other people’s channels.

Find out more about networking in the gaming industry >

Making the transition from passion to job requires more than just dedication. You need to ensure the right revenue streams are in place to support your living costs, along with expenses like marketing and editing.

The first step for any content creator is to decide what platforms to operate on. Typically, this is between live streaming platforms like Twitch and Kick, and more static platforms like YouTube. While all these platforms have options for both streaming and archived videos, choosing your specialism is important to managing your time at the start.

Live streaming can be harder to get going, but once you do, you’ll have access to donations, paid subscribers, advertising, and sponsorships – creating a great number of revenue sources to support your channel.

YouTube tends to be a little easier to start, as the videos can sit there indefinitely to gain views. However, you’re less likely to gain paid subscribers and donations, which could impact your overall revenue.

Learn more about monetisation options for your gaming channel >

Launching a career as a gaming content creator, or starting your own gaming studio, requires dedication, time management, and passion for what you do. Rather than any specific skills, what you need is a love for the craft – the rest can come with time.

Get started sooner by working with a partner you can trust. At MinMxD, we help gaming content creators with a whole host of services like marketing support, networking, brand strategies, and more. Minimise your time commitments and maximise your growth by working with us – contact the team to find out more.

Check out our gamer’s guide to streaming platforms >

Learn how to become a full-time gaming content creator >