In the last two decades, the game industry went through a complete transformation, when online gaming revamped the way video games were played and opened up many exciting opportunities for gamers, as well as developers and publishers. As players from all around the world were connected through different platforms and games, soon leagues and tournaments came up, which led to the establishment of eSports as an important market within the industry.
Before all that, earning money while playing games was something that players could only dream about. But now, this can be seen as a career and a way to make a living, whether you like playing video games on Xbox and PlayStation consoles, or playing casino and card games like roulette and poker; more than ever before, the industry is rewarding gamers with nice cash prizes. And the inception of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies provided much more freedom, with decentralized and monetized structures, giving players a whole new setting for online gaming.
From Fortnite and FIFA tournaments to casino and poker websites, the options available for those who want to earn some money while playing games is almost endless. These are some of the most popular games in which you can be awarded with cash prizes.
1. Fortnite
Fortnite is an online video game released in 2017 and currently one of the most popular games in the world. It is available in three game modes with the same engine and similar gameplay, the most prominent being Fortnite Battle Royale, a free-to-play battle royale mode in which up to 100 players face each other to be the last person standing. The game is available in multiple platforms, including Windows, Playstation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, and was recently released for next-generation consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Serie X/S.
Since its release, the game became one of the most successful video games in history, attracting more than 120 million players in less than a year, and reached the status of cultural phenomenon, drawing worldwide celebrities in the likes of Drake, Travis Scott and Neymar.
Fortnite also became one of the bastions of eSports. Currently, the game is featured in multiple eSports competitions, and many of those offer big cash prizes to the winners - some high profile players made millions of dollars through the game. There are open events and rank-based tournaments, to which players must qualify by playing in the Arena and gaining hype.
2. FIFA 21
FIFA is a football simulation video game developed and released annually by EA Sports. In the market for about 30 years, its current version is FIFA 21, available in most gaming platforms.
Since its first instalment, released in 1993, FIFA became the best-selling franchise in the world and of the top-selling franchises ever. Praised for accurately simulating the game of football, it features exclusive leagues like Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, and licensed player names and likenesses.
Played by millions of people around the world, FIFA holds many tournaments and competitions and is featured in several eSports leagues. There are short tournaments open to any player, and many weekly and monthly qualifiers to the main leagues. These are held in most platforms and consoles, and offer money prizes to top players.
3. Online poker
Online poker has been around since 1998, when the first real money game was dealt on Planet Poker, and since the 2000s, is one of the most played online games. Today, the list of poker websites is huge and players can choose from many different regulations and cash limits.
PokerStars is the largest real money online poker room, with many daily cash games and online tournaments. There’s also a free play mode for players who want to get a better understanding of the game.
There are many more alternatives, like 888poker and GGPoker, which currently holds several online events and qualifiers to the World Series of Poker, the largest series of poker tournaments in the world.
4. Casino games
Playing games like roulette and blackjack is a great way to earn cash prizes through online gaming. There is a huge variety of websites, with game options ranging from slot machines to baccarat and other classic table games.
As online versions of traditional casinos, these websites provide players with an authentic casino experience from the safety of their homes, an important feature in times of lockdowns and social distancing.
Some online casinos even claim to offer better odds and payback percentages than their brick-and-mortar counterparts, and most of them disclose periodical audits to ensure fairness and unpredictability.
Live dealer games are also offered, specially blackjack and roulette tables. These games depend on real-time results and are streamed from land-based casinos or broadcast studios.
5. Blockchain games
Blockchain games, or crypto games, are gaming experiences based on blockchain technologies, that grants players total control over every aspect of the game. All content is decentralized and owned by the players, and cannot be operated or supervised by the publishers or developers. Players can also monetize content they create to make a profit or even invest in these games marketplaces, with dedicated cryptocurrencies. As blockchains technologies are continuously improved, new games are developed, offering gamers possibilities never seen before.
CryptoKitties is the most popular blockchain game and one of the most lucrative. With a gameplay similar to Tamagotchi, players can collect, breed, buy and sell virtual cats. Their prices usually start at US$20 in the game currency, and a cat’s value can vary depending on attributes and market fluctuations. So far, the most expensive cat was sold for more than US$300,000.
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