Turning Kills into Cash

You’re the big boss of gaming. N00bs fear your reputation, while grizzled veterans set aside their flame wars and grudgingly acknowledge your exploits every time your name pops up. You have a level 80 Ninja swordsman shaman priest deluxe, and the very sight of you on the battlefield sends entire armies on a rage quit.

Back in the real world, however, you’re still living in your mom’s basement.

So how can you translate your ultimate gaming prowess into other basics, like cash and those distracting things called food and rent? We’ll show you how.

Item farming

Ever since Everquest first came on the scene, a virtual marketplace sprung up catering to in-game items such as rare objects, powerups and customizations.

If you play as much and as long as we do, chances are you’ve accumulated a treasure trove of valuable items, which other players would gladly pay for. Whether it’s a set of stormtrooper armor in Star Wars Galaxies or a bonus health item/ character upgrade / avatar in other games, you can sell your hard-earned trophies for real world cash.

Of course, some readers might find this idea utterly horrible. How can you possibly let go of that Level 1000 shaman stick when you’ve spent eight sleepless months acquiring it? When the landlord is knocking down your door or you’ve resorted to eating half-dead rodents in the basement, that’s when.

Character selling

For hardcore players, even more repulsive than the idea of selling cherished items is the thought of selling their beloved character. You may have invested a lot of time, money, and effort into it. You have the five-year old beard, utterly dismal grades, and lack of a sex life that shows it.

However, you need to balance your much-loved avatar over other realities of life, such as bills not getting paid and the local homeowners council threatening to tear down your house for being the neighborhood eye-sore.

Professional matches

If you’re really, reallyyy good…. who cares about your powerful character? it’s the gamer, not the onscreen avatar.

Use your inner gaming god to climb back up. Then compete in professional matches sponsored by gaming companies. Not only do you get to make big bucks of your gaming addiction, you even win the adoration of other geeks and sexless slobs just like you. Depending on your job industry, you might even be able to put it on your resume, even if you’re just a finalist. Who knows, a gaming trophy could be your ticket to landing that job on the website design company or the Silicon Valley app firm you’ve always wanted.