Gaming: Making Money from Games You Play and Build

Gaming as an eSide hustle means earning from games, either by creating them or by using your skill as a player. Creators build games, maps, items and assets for platforms such as Roblox, Fortnite, itch.io and Steam Workshop. Skilled players coach others or sell in-game items, currency and services on player marketplaces. Each route pays very differently, and some carry real risks.

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Streaming your gameplay is covered in our Video Creation guide.

In this guide

1. What earning from games means
2. How gaming platforms work and how you get paid
3. What gaming really pays
4. The kinds of gaming platforms
5. How to choose a platform
6. Your first steps
7. Costs, taxes and risks
8. Red flags to watch for
9. How to build your skills
10. Recommended resources
11. Owen’s take
12. FAQ

1. What earning from games means

There are three main ways to earn from games online:

• Creating for platforms. You build games, islands, maps, avatar items or mods inside platforms that share revenue with creators.
• Selling your own games and assets. You publish games, art packs, music or tools on open stores.
• Selling your skill and time. You coach players, or sell in-game currency, items, accounts and services on player marketplaces.

Creating pays when players enjoy what you made. Coaching pays for your expertise. Trading items and accounts pays for time spent in a game, but it often conflicts with game publishers’ rules.

Who it suits

Creating suits people who enjoy building, designing and learning tools such as Roblox Studio, Unreal Editor for Fortnite or game engines. Coaching suits highly skilled players who can explain clearly. Trading suits people who know a game’s economy well and accept the risks that come with it.

2. How gaming platforms work and how you get paid

Creator platforms pay through their own systems. On Roblox, players spend Robux in your experiences, and you can exchange eligible Robux for real money through its Developer Exchange. On Fortnite, creators earn from engagement payouts and in-island purchases. On Steam Workshop, accepted items in some games earn a share of sales.

Open game stores such as itch.io let you upload and sell games and assets, set your own price and choose how much revenue to share with the platform.

Coaching marketplaces let you set rates, publish a profile and take bookings for lessons, reviews of replays or group sessions. The platform handles payment and takes a fee.

Player marketplaces let you list in-game currency, items, accounts and services. Buyers pay the platform, you deliver in the game, and the platform releases payment minus a commission once the order is confirmed.

Making your first Roblox or Fortnite game

Both platforms provide free editors, templates and tutorials. Start by changing a template: adjust the map, add a simple goal and publish it. Then add one new feature at a time, such as a reward, a leaderboard or a new level. Small, finished games teach publishing, testing and updating far better than one large unfinished project.

3. What gaming really pays

Earnings range from nothing to life-changing, with most people earning little at first.

Roblox exchanges Earned Robux for cash through its Developer Exchange at a standard rate of $0.0038 per Earned Robux, which is $114 for 30,000 Earned Robux, the minimum you need to cash out. Creators must be at least 13 and meet other requirements, including tax forms.

itch.io lets creators choose what share of each sale goes to the platform, with a default of 10%. You can set it anywhere from 0% to 100%, and payment processing fees are charged separately.

A few patterns hold:

• A few hits earn most of the money. On creator platforms, popular games take most of the revenue.
• Building a following takes time. Players find games through updates, events and word of mouth.
• Coaching pays for skill and teaching. Ranked players who can explain decisions earn the most.
• Trading margins are thin and risky. Commissions, chargebacks and bans can wipe out profits.
• Platform rules change. Revenue programmes and exchange rates change over time.

Why most creators earn modest amounts

Thousands of new games and items launch every week. Without regular updates, good thumbnails and a reason for players to return, most projects get little traffic. Treat your first projects as learning, not income.

4. The kinds of gaming platforms

Creator platforms

• Roblox Creator, earning Robux from games, passes and avatar items, then cashing out through DevEx
• Fortnite Creators, building islands with UEFN for engagement payouts and in-island sales
• Steam Workshop, paying creators when items are accepted into paid Workshops for certain games

Open game stores

• itch.io for selling games, assets and tools with an adjustable revenue share

Coaching

• Metafy, where skilled players coach others in 200+ games

Player marketplaces

• Eldorado.gg for in-game currency, items, accounts and services
• PlayerAuctions, a long-running marketplace for accounts, currency and items
• G2G for currency, items, accounts, top-ups and gift cards

5. How to choose a platform

Ask five questions first.

1. Do you want to build, teach or trade? Each route needs different skills.
2. What are the age and country requirements? Some programmes set minimum ages or limit where you can be paid.
3. How is money paid out? Exchange rates, minimums, fees and tax forms.
4. What do the game’s rules say? Selling accounts or currency breaks many publishers’ terms.
5. How big is the audience? Popular platforms bring more players but more competition.

Many creators learn on one platform, then expand to others once they know what players want.

6. Your first steps

1. Choose a route. Creating, coaching or trading.
2. Learn the tools. Free tutorials cover Roblox Studio, UEFN and popular engines.
3. Start small. A simple game, map or asset pack teaches more than an ambitious project you never finish.
4. Publish and gather feedback. Watch how players behave and what they ask for.
5. Update often. Regular updates bring players back and help discovery.
6. Build a community. A Discord server or social account keeps players engaged.
7. Track your numbers. Visits, retention, purchases and payouts.

Getting started as a coach

Show your rank, achievements and teaching style in your profile. Offer a short first session at a lower price so new students can try you. Prepare a simple structure: review a match, identify two or three key mistakes and set clear practice goals.

Learning from game data

Most creator platforms show how many players visit, how long they stay and where they leave. Use that data to improve your game’s first minutes, since that’s where most players decide whether to stay.

Selling assets to other developers

Not every gaming income comes from players. Many developers buy art, music, sound effects, scripts and tools to save time. If you can make reusable assets, open stores such as itch.io let you sell packs to other creators. Clear licences, good previews and regular updates help these packs keep selling.

Protecting yourself when trading

If you sell items or services on player marketplaces, keep every message and payment on the platform, deliver exactly what the listing says and record proof of delivery. Read the game’s own rules first, because the marketplace allowing a sale doesn’t mean the game publisher does.

7. Costs, taxes and risks

Time investment. Games take many hours to build and maintain before they earn.

Account bans. Selling accounts, currency or boosting services can break game rules and lead to bans.

Scams and chargebacks. Player marketplaces see fraud. Keep every trade inside the platform.

Age rules. Some programmes require minimum ages or parental involvement.

Platform changes. Exchange rates and payout programmes can change.

Taxes. Gaming income is usually self-employment income. In the US, self-employment tax is 15.3% on top of income tax.

8. Red flags to watch for

• Trades outside the marketplace. You lose escrow and dispute protection.
• Buyers asking for account logins in advance. A common scam.
• “Free Robux” or “free V-Bucks” offers. Almost always scams or phishing.
• Services promising guaranteed income from game creation. Hits are rare and unpredictable.
• Requests to pay for “verification” to sell. Legitimate platforms don’t work this way.

9. How to build your skills

• Learn game design basics. Fun loops, progression and rewards.
• Learn the platform’s tools. Scripting, building and publishing workflows.
• Learn basic art and sound. Or collaborate with artists and composers.
• Learn community management. Communicating updates and listening to players.
• For coaches, learn to teach. Clear explanations and structured sessions.

10. Recommended resources

These are listed in our Resources section.

• Coursera for courses in game design and development
• Code Institute for learning programming foundations
• Product Hunt for launching games and tools to early adopters

11. Owen’s take

Gaming can pay, but the steady routes are the ones that build something: games players return to, assets other creators buy, or coaching skills students value. Trading accounts and currency can earn quick money, but it often breaks game rules and invites scams, so think hard before relying on it. If you’re starting out, build small, publish often and learn from what players actually do.

FAQ

How much is 30,000 Robux in real money through DevEx?
At Roblox’s standard rate of $0.0038 per Earned Robux, 30,000 Earned Robux is $114, the minimum cash-out.

How much does itch.io take?
You choose. The default is 10% of each sale, and you can set any share from 0% to 100%.

Can I make money coaching games?
Yes, if you’re highly skilled and can explain decisions clearly. Coaching platforms connect you with students.

Is selling game accounts legal?
It may be legal, but it often breaks the game publisher’s terms and can lead to bans.

Do I need to code to make Roblox or Fortnite games?
Basic scripting helps, but both platforms offer tools and templates for beginners.

Sources

• Roblox Creator Hub, “Developer Exchange”: https://create.roblox.com/docs/production/monetization/developer-exchange
• itch.io, “Open revenue sharing”: https://itch.io/updates/open-revenue-sharing
• Internal Revenue Service, “Self-employment tax (Social Security and Medicare taxes)”: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/self-employment-tax-social-security-and-medicare-taxes

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