Yes, it is possible to make money on Twitch by advertising games. Many streamers, especially those focused on gaming, generate income through game sponsorships, affiliate marketing, partnerships with game developers, and in-game purchases. As Twitch is primarily known for its gaming content, the platform provides multiple opportunities for streamers to make money by showcasing, promoting, or reviewing games.

Key Ways to Make Money on Twitch by Advertising Games

Let’s dive deeper into how advertising games on Twitch can turn into a profitable venture.

1. Sponsored Game Streams

One of the most common ways to make money on Twitch by advertising games is through sponsored streams. In these cases, game developers, publishers, or marketers pay streamers to play and promote their games during live streams. Sponsored streams usually require the streamer to talk about the game’s features, mechanics, and experiences in a positive light, while actively playing the game during the stream.

• How It Works: Game companies reach out to popular streamers, asking them to stream their game. In return, the streamers are compensated with money, in-game currency, or free access to the game.
• Types of Sponsorships:
  • New Game Launches: Developers often look for streamers to help promote new games on release day.
  • Seasonal or Update Promotions: Games that release significant updates or expansions may seek streamers to advertise these changes.
  • Influencer Marketing Campaigns: Companies may hire streamers as part of a larger campaign to create excitement about their games.

Income Potential: The income from sponsored game streams depends on the size of the streamer’s audience and their influence in the gaming community. High-profile streamers can earn thousands of dollars for a single sponsored stream, while smaller streamers may start with a few hundred dollars per partnership.

2. Affiliate Marketing with Game Companies

Another way to make money by advertising games on Twitch is through affiliate marketing. With affiliate marketing, streamers promote a game and share a unique affiliate link with their viewers. When someone clicks on the link and purchases the game or in-game items, the streamer earns a commission.

• How It Works: Streamers partner with game developers, digital storefronts (like Steam or GOG), or gaming gear companies to promote their products during their streams. They receive a commission on sales made through their referral links.
• Game-Specific Affiliate Programs: Some gaming companies have built-in affiliate programs where streamers can register, promote the game, and earn a commission from game sales.
  • Amazon Associates: Many streamers promote game sales through Amazon’s affiliate program, earning a percentage of the sale when a viewer purchases a game via the affiliate link.
  • Game Publishing Platforms: Platforms like Humble Bundle, Green Man Gaming, and others offer affiliate programs where streamers can promote game keys and bundles.

Income Potential: Affiliate marketing revenue varies based on the number of conversions (sales) and the percentage commission the affiliate program offers. Streamers with a large, engaged audience may earn several hundred or even thousands of dollars monthly, depending on their promotion strategies.

3. Partnerships with Game Developers or Publishers

Beyond one-time sponsorships, streamers can also develop long-term partnerships with game developers or publishers, creating an ongoing income stream by consistently advertising and promoting their games.

• How It Works: A streamer may enter into a long-term partnership with a game studio, where they are compensated for playing and promoting the studio’s games regularly over a period of time. These partnerships can include exclusive access to new game content, in-game rewards, and even opportunities to be involved in beta testing or providing feedback on the game’s development.
• Exclusive Promotions: Developers may also offer streamers exclusive in-game content or early access to games that can only be obtained through their channels, encouraging more viewers to tune in and possibly make purchases through links shared during streams.

Income Potential: Depending on the game developer or publisher, these partnerships can be quite lucrative. Streamers with large followings in specific gaming niches (like first-person shooters, RPGs, or esports games) can secure long-term deals worth thousands of dollars per month.

4. In-Game Purchases and Microtransactions

For games with in-game purchases, streamers can make money by encouraging viewers to buy in-game content, skins, or upgrades during their streams. Many popular games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, or Call of Duty: Warzone rely heavily on microtransactions for revenue, and streamers can help drive sales by showcasing these in-game purchases.

• How It Works: Streamers may not directly make money from the sale of in-game items unless they have a partnership or affiliate arrangement, but they can promote the purchase of skins, weapons, or other add-ons. Developers sometimes incentivize streamers by offering them special codes or discounts that their viewers can use to make purchases, allowing the streamer to earn a commission from those sales.
• Streamer-Exclusive Content: Some developers offer exclusive in-game items or skins that are only available through specific streamers. When viewers purchase these items, streamers earn a share of the revenue.

Income Potential: Revenue from in-game purchases can be significant if the streamer has a partnership with the game’s developers or is part of an affiliate program that rewards for microtransactions. Depending on the agreement, streamers can earn a small commission on each purchase made by their viewers.

5. Promoting Game Launches via Twitch Bounties (For Partners)

For Twitch Partners, one of the platform’s exclusive ways to make money by advertising games is through the Twitch Bounty Board. The Bounty Board allows streamers to take on paid opportunities from game developers or advertisers to promote specific games or other content.

• How It Works: Twitch Partners can browse available bounties (offers) from game companies and select those they want to participate in. The streamer is then paid based on how many viewers they reach or how well they fulfill the campaign’s objectives.
• Requirements: The Bounty Board is only available to Twitch Partners, so it requires a larger audience and consistent content production to qualify.

Income Potential: Payments from bounties depend on the advertiser’s budget and the reach of the stream. Partners with a large following can earn significant income from bounties, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars per sponsored session.

6. Selling Game Merchandise

Many games have extensive merchandising operations, including clothing, collectibles, and accessories. Streamers can partner with game companies or use affiliate programs to sell official game merchandise to their audience.

• How It Works: Streamers promote the sale of official game merchandise through their Twitch channels. This can include exclusive game-themed items, clothing, and other branded products. Streamers may either earn a commission on the merchandise sold through their referral links or receive a fixed payment from the game company for promoting their products.

Income Potential: Selling merchandise through affiliate links or directly through a partnership can provide a steady income stream, especially if the streamer’s audience is highly engaged with the game being promoted.

7. Game Review and Playthroughs

Another way to advertise games and make money on Twitch is by creating content around game reviews or playthroughs. Streamers who review newly released games, compare them to similar titles, or walk viewers through specific parts of a game can attract viewers interested in learning more before making a purchase. Game companies may sponsor these reviews or offer early access to the game in exchange for coverage.

• How It Works: Streamers receive copies of new or unreleased games and offer reviews during their live streams. These reviews can help drive game sales, especially when the streamer’s audience values their opinion.
• Early Access: Game developers often give streamers early access to their games, allowing them to showcase content before the official release, which helps build hype around the launch.

Income Potential: Game reviews can be sponsored by developers, generating additional income. This type of partnership can vary widely in terms of compensation, with smaller streamers earning free game copies and larger streamers receiving cash payments or affiliate commissions from game sales.