Even now in adulthood, Christmas still brings the opportunity to decompress, and with it comes the competitive chaos of family Mario Kart tournaments, intense marathons of Monopoly, and cold evenings snuggled up with a console in hand. Whether we are children or adults, games have become a staple element of the holidays.

The pandemic was alarming in many respects, but in games, many found the comfort and connection needed in such an isolating time. The numbers show we have continued to play beyond lockdowns in 2022, with an estimated three billion people gaming worldwide, despite a momentary post-COVID decline. There is no doubt that gaming's future is bright - the US games industry surpassed Hollywood and the music sector combined in 2020, and the number of gamers is expected to exceed previous figures by 2023 in the new year.

Alongside this gaming boom came the increase in showcasing gameplay on social media, with creators clipping their experiences and sharing them online. As the gaming industry sees more momentum and engagement than ever before, an increasing number of people are taking to platforms like Twitch and YouTube to share their experiences and love of gaming, and making money in the process.

From TikTokers showing us their favourite cosy games for winter, all the way to Dungeons and Dragons-themed sandwich choices, the industry has reached a point where anyone who games is capable of making money. However, to do this not only do you need to gain traction and grow a decently-sized following but you also need to be able to connect with brands and audiences who match your niche. 

This is where Wehype comes in, helping brands to connect with those who love to game and targeting them by niche and genre, whether their preference lies in first-person shooter games or graphic adventure gameplay. Wehype’s team know all about how important gaming is to people; we understand how to market to gamers, because we are gamers too, and we have to date through more than 9,000 sponsorships with over 4,500 content creators working with brands including the likes of EA, Microsoft, and Ubisoft.

The Wehype platform is directly integrated with YouTube and Twitch, allowing us to collect data from thousands upon thousands of games. This vast bank of data enables our clients to market their games and engage with specific communities, making every campaign unique to its own target audience and goals. 

Unearthing this data means that we can match the best creators, including targeted micro-influencers, with specific brands and games (no matter how niche). We look at which games are performing particularly well with creators and even dig into which genres and gameplay modes work with particular content creators on certain platforms, analysing engagement data from our audiences to elevate this process. 

This match-making works, and generates a constant flow of relevant work for gaming creators; one of our creators has completed more than 70 sponsorships with Wehype since 2019. In a world where social media is only becoming more and more prominent (Twitch currently has 140,000 monthly active users, tripling its numbers from 2015), the idea of monetising gameplay is becoming a more appealing and lucrative prospect by the minute for both brands and content creators. 

We are now in an era where gaming is more than just play; it’s passion, learning, community, and a very viable career option! There is no doubt that it will become even more popular and lucrative over time, with 2023 promising to bring metaverse-oriented gaming and a further explosive growth of mobile games. With these trends, there’ll be even more opportunity to monetise your passion or, in simpler terms, make money doing what you love.