How To Earn Real Money From Steam
While most gamers know how to use Steam, the majority do not know how to make money on Steam. Earning money using Steam is a lucrative prospect that many qualified users fail to take advantage of.
Create a steam account and sell it to others. Use YouTube and Twitch to your advantage. Sell games you’ve developed. You can sell other gamers cosmetics crates. Make a profit through Steam trading cards. Sell steam codes. Selling products on eBay and Amazon is the go-to option for people looking to make a quick buck.
The best part about earning money with Steam is that there is a variety of methods to do so. These opportunities are made up of things that they would normally do on the site already. For these reasons, Steam is a great side gig for gamers looking to make a bit of extra money online with little effort. In particular, Steam trading cards are an often-overlooked gold mine that frequent users should know about.
In this post, we will explore some of the ways in which interested gamers can make money on Steam.
How Does Steam Work?
Steam is an online platform for distributing PC games and connecting PC gamers through social networking features.
While Steam was created to host video games from its parents’ company, Valve Corporation, it has since expanded to include third party titles as well. This decision has made Steam a massive player in the video game industry.
One of the unique features of Steam that draws players to the platform is its reward system using trading cards. As players move through games and complete objectives, Steam automatically drops trading cards of varying degrees of rarity into their inventory.
Complete sets of these online trading cards can be exchanged for badges which users can collect. There is, however, a catch. Users can only obtain half of the cards required to make a set simply by playing the game.
In order to complete the set, they must purchase or trade for the missing cards with another player. This system gives value to even the free playing cards, as they are necessary to make up a complete set.
How to Make Money on Steam as a Gamer
How To Earn Real Money From Steam Play
There are a few different ways to earn money on Steam. One is to take part in the video game development process. Such as a programmer, artist, writer or other relevant roles. And also, you can sell a third-party game on the Steam marketplace.
The second is accessible to any gamers with a bit of extra time and knowledge. Gamers on Steam can earn a decent amount of money on the side just by making smart item trades on the Steam marketplace.
Gamers can sell virtual trading cards. And also, in-game items via the Steam Market for credit in their Steam Wallet that they can use on the Steam platform. Unfortunately, this method does not allow you to withdraw money made as real currency. However, it can still be a worthwhile pursuit for frequent users of the Steam site.
Read also:8 Gaming Apps That Let You Earn Real Money
Steam Trading Cards
To begin, it is important to go over some information about the nature of trading cards in Steam games. Each Steam game normally generates three trading cards.
These can be worth anywhere between a few cents to a few dollars depending on demand. These cards are automatically earned once you have invested a certain amount of time into the game. For this reason, the cards earned second and third are generally more valuable. This is because they require users to invest more time into the game to obtain.
Additionally, some games will also deposit in game items into the users account as a free reward for playing. These games vary in rarity and value, with the more popular games on the site generally dropping more valuable items.
As you collect these in game items, you can list them on the Steam Market for purchase. It should be noted that purchases are automatic, so be sure that you are willing to part with an item prior to listing it.
How to Make Money on Steam as a Game Developer
The second method for making money on Steam has the potential to be much more lucrative, but it does require some skill to be successful. Steam allows users to distribute their original third-party PC games via Steam Direct.
Perhaps the best part of this method is that users can receive payment in direct deposit rather than simply being paid through in game currency. There is some financial risk associated with this method. Users will need to make an investment of time and labour in order to develop their game.
This could include hiring costs if they need additional staff to develop a full PC game. Additionally, Steam charges a $100 fee for users to list games in the Steam Direct marketplace.
For this reason, game developers should account for this expense when weighing the pros and cons of developing a game on the site. This can be well worth it if you are confident in your ability to develop fun and compelling games that Steam users will want to purchase.
The potential for profit via selling games on Steam Direct is much higher than simply selling in game items and trading cards. Steam does have guidelines and criteria which describe what is considered acceptable content on the platform.
While these guidelines have become stricter in the recent past, they are fairly easy to meet as long as you make yourself aware of them ahead of time.
How Much Can I Earn Selling Games on Steam?
How much you can earn selling games on Steam? It will depend on two factors: the popularity of your game, and how much you list it for. Steam also pockets 30% of the selling price as commission. So it is important to keep that in mind when determining profitability.
Another factor to note is that the $100 deposit is not eligible for refund unless you exceed a payout limit of $1,000 by Steam. If you have an interest in game development and want to maximize profits selling games via Steam Direct, there are a few different ways to go about this.
First and foremost, you should prioritize creating a fun game that will garner good reviews. Word of mouth is the best way to generate sales on Steam.
Going out of your way to enhance the presentation of your game on Steam. Direct is another way to increase sales. Including things like a well-made game trailer and a collection of in game screenshots will help potential customers understand your game and make them more likely to purchase it.
In addition to selling your own original games on Steam Direct. Users can also work for hire for other independent game developers. Independent game developers are constantly on the lookout for skilled programmers, artists and more to assist them with their creative pursuits.
Finally, users can also make money on Steam by using third party apps like:
These sites allow them to obtain Amazon gift cards which can be exchanged for Steam currency.
In Conclusion
All in all, there are many ways to make money on Steam both as a player and as a game developer. If you are a motivated gaming enthusiast with a bit of time on your hands, try out these methods for earning money on Steam today.
Steam has prevented users to cash out CSGO skins due to money laundering issues in the past.
Steam is an online video game distribution service by Valve and was created to facilitate automatic updates for their games. Over time, the service has gained massive traction and eventually also included third-party publishers to list their games on the popular game client.
Today, there are over 30,000 games, including Valve’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), DOTA 2 and many more game titles on the platform. However, in spite of its massive success in the game industry, Steam has enforced a strict guideline that disallows withdrawals of funds from the built-in Wallet. One of the main concerns that Steam officials have is their worry of bad actors using the platform as a way for money laundering. Hence, any funds or earnings made from items like CS:GO skins will be stored permanently in the Wallet.
As a result, the CSGO community has voiced discontent with the way Steam “trapped” their funds for use only in the Steam Market. If you have spent on the official market before, you might be one of those who do share similar sentiments on the policy that deposited funds cannot be withdrawn out of the Wallet. This is especially frustrating for players who are trading weapon skins, one of the most lucrative virtual assets built by the company.
Fortunately, there are various workarounds with Steam’s core trading mechanism such that it is now possible to withdraw your earnings from your accounts. For CS:GO skins traders, using reputable third-party skins marketplaces right from the start seem to be the most ideal way to ensure that none of your funds are locked within the confines of the Steam Market.
In this article, we will dive deeper into the process and alternatives for you to cash out CS:GO skins, and understand the benefits and risks involved in doing so.
Read: What is the Steam Web API scam and how to protect your CSGO skins?
How does the Steam Wallet work?
Steam Wallet, as the name suggests, is a virtual wallet that is used within the community market. It allows you to deposit real money through a variety of options such as credit cards, PayPal or even Cryptocurrencies (e.g. Bitcoin and Ethereum). These credited funds are to be used only on games, software, skins, weapons and anything that can be purchased on the Market. Users are also able to transfer their funds to other players in order to create a sustainable economy. But how the Wallet works is unlike other digital wallets like PayPal and Skrill, as credited funds are automatically converted into an equivalent of Steam credit. This action ensures that the platform is not operating as a digital bank or a financial entity, while continuing to encourage spendings within the Market, something that Valve Corporation is largely against due to potential money laundering concerns.
Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Compliance
In the past, many game publishers offered the option for their players to buy or sell virtual items with real money, including the withdrawal of their earnings in the form of cash or cryptocurrencies. Unfortunately, the gaming industry was targeted by bad actors and criminals as they saw the liquidity in virtual items like CS:GO skins. Moreover, no KYC verifications were required in Steam Market. This is presented as an attractive options for Drug dealers, scammers and hackers to wash their “dirty money” through the lucrative CS:GO skins economy, because these virtual items are tagged with real money value, as seen from transactions like the AWP Dragon Lore and the record-breaking deal of the StatTrak M4A4 Howl. Eventually, this feature was removed entirely, leaving players who are legitimately in need of withdrawing their earnings for their daily expenses and other real-life matters with no choice but to resign to fate.
But thankfully, the CSGO community was quick to react to this restriction and soon enough, numerous methods were deployed to facilitate and support the buoyant CS:GO skins economy. Using the publicly available Trade URL and API, third-party platforms utilised these functions to enable players to cash out CS:GO skins outside of the Market, while providing them a way to withdraw their profits instantly and securely.
Instant cashout in third-party marketplaces
How To Earn Real Money From Steam Shop
Although the lack of withdrawal option is one of the most talked about issues in the community, it is very unlikely that the platform would reverse its decision to enable the withdrawal option. Hence, third-party marketplaces serve as a reliable proxy for players to buy or sell CS:GO skins securely, even if the platform did not officially endorse any such marketplace that facilitates cash out CS:GO skins so as to avoid unnecessary troubles with the AML compliance.
SkinCashier is a by-product of this demand existing in the CSGO community, wherein CS:GO skins trade can finally be transacted in real money. As a matter of fact, the additional steps required to connect one’s account to a third-party marketplace like SkinCashier may put off some, most skins traders are willing to spend that extra minutes to set up an account in SkinCashier and to subsequently link their account to the marketplace. There is nothing more enticing than using a trusted and reliable weapon skins marketplace to take advantage of the vibrant skins economy and to cash out weapon skins for their real-world usage.
Since its inception in 2019, SkinCashier has received favorable praises from the community, including active CSGO players and veterans, for their ease of use and pleasant customer service support. Similar to the official market, there is a dedicated support channel for SkinCashier users to contact whenever required. The third-party marketplace is also known to offer one of the best rates for users who wish to sell skins, especially when SkinCashier is poised to be one of the best CSGO skins marketplaces for players who are specifically selling CSGO skins. Within minutes, you may connect your account, select your skins, accept their prices and cash out the CSGO skin in less than an hour.
SkinCashier also has beautifully designed them with plenty of trades done on the platform, further proving the fact that it is favored by CS GO skins traders. Additionally, DOTA 2 players can also use SkinCashier to sell the game’s items for real money, instantly. Another point to note about the platform is that it is designed for gamers, by gamers. The team behind SkinCashier is aware of the needs and concerns of the community, and have therefore built the comprehensive site to ensure the safety and accessibility of its users. For instance, users can only login via the official account’s “Login Client”, instead of inputting their sensitive information like username and Password on SkinCashier.
The precautionary measure was made in response to an increasing number of phished or scam CSGO skins marketplace which claims to be an authentic site, but were actually built to steal users information through the latter.
Another benefit that CSGO skins traders can enjoy is SkinCashier’s wealth of options for payout, in response to the gradual request made by users over the past year. Users of the marketplace can now choose between PayPal, Payeer, ADVcasg, Yandex Money, Qiwi, Bitcoin and Ethereum to cash out CSGO skins instantly. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are included in the cashout option as there are some who value privacy, since setting up and maintaining a Bitcoin or Ethereum wallet do not require you to KYC or verify your identity.
Using SkinCashier’s platform is relatively simple and easy to navigate as well. Apart from the straightforward account connection process, there is no lack of tutorials and updates on CSGO skins, tips and tricks about the game, as well as ample documentation for first-time sellers of CSGO skins.
Read: CSGO Launch Options That Everyone Should Be Using
Limitations should not bind you from earning from CSGO
Despite millions of requests from fans, the platform is always relentless about not letting people out of their Steam Wallet accounts with funds. It is also for this reason that the only way out is through third-party trading platforms like SkinCashier. Third-party marketplaces enable players to truly earn while they play, providing a great opportunity for anyone hoping to sell CS:GO skins. It is easy to join a site that buys skins but you should be careful not to join a scam website.
The platform may stop players from withdrawing funds on the Wallet, due to money laundering concerns. But that should not stop millions of CSGO players who are genuinely seeking a way to earn from their favorite game. If you’re looking for a quick, secure and instant way to convert your rare CSGO skins into real money, SkinCashier is the go-to platform to sell CS:GO skins with a variety of payment methods.