How to Get Paid to Play Video Games With People

If you want to get paid to play video games with people, the most direct route is to become a paid gaming companion: players order you to duo, carry a ranked climb, teach a role or just hang out in a chill lobby. This guide covers the main ways to earn from social gaming, how companion marketplaces like buddie actually work, how to price yourself without underselling, and how to turn one-off orders into regulars.

What "getting paid to play with people" actually means

There's a difference between getting paid to play games and getting paid to play games with people. The first one covers things like streaming solo or testing builds. The second one is about the other person: someone wants your company, your skill or your vibe, and they pay for it.

That demand is real. Lots of players:

• Hate solo queue and want a reliable duo who won't tilt or leave
• Want a teammate who actually plays support, entry or jungle properly
• Want to learn a game from someone better without paying for formal lessons
• Just want good company, someone to talk to while grinding or playing something casual

If you're friendly, reliable and decent at a game (not necessarily top-tier), you can fill one of those gaps.

The main ways to earn by gaming with others

Here's a quick comparison of the common options. None of them is a get-rich-quick scheme, but some are much faster to start than others.

| Option | What you do | How fast you can start | What it needs | |---|---|---|---| | Companion marketplace | Players order you to play with them | Fast, once approved | Reliability, friendliness, some skill | | Coaching | Review gameplay, teach mechanics and macro | Medium | High rank or deep game knowledge | | Streaming with viewer games | Play with viewers on stream, earn from subs and donations | Slow | An audience, consistency, setup | | Community events and servers | Run tournaments or game nights, sometimes with sponsors | Slow | An existing community |

Companion marketplaces

This is the most straightforward way. You list yourself for the games you play, set your own price, and customers order you. You don't need an audience first, because the platform brings the players to you. It's also the best fit if you like the social side: talking, joking around, teaching, or just being a solid teammate.

Coaching

If you're high rank and good at explaining things, coaching pays for your knowledge rather than your company. It overlaps a lot with companion work. Many players who order a duo partner also want tips along the way.

Streaming and content

Playing with viewers on stream can earn through subs and donations, but it takes a long time to build an audience. Think of it as a long-term project, not a quick way to get paid.

How it works on buddie, step by step

buddie is a marketplace where gamers order someone to play with, and sellers are called buddies. Here's the actual process if you want to earn as one.

1. Apply

You need to be 18 or older. You apply on the Become a buddie page, and every application is reviewed before approval. Take the application seriously: it's the first impression you make.

2. Set up your card and games

More than 180 games are listed, from Valorant, League of Legends and Counter-Strike 2 to Minecraft and Roblox. You can browse them on the all games page. Each game has its own page where customers filter buddies by rank and role, so be accurate about both. A customer looking for a Diamond controller main in Valorant wants exactly that.

Many buddies add a voice intro to their card, which customers can play before ordering. If you're comfortable with it, do it. Hearing your voice and energy is often what makes someone pick you over the next card.

3. Set your price

You set your own prices on buddie, either per game or per hour. buddie doesn't set them for you. More on how to pick a price below.

4. Get orders and play

Customers can message you before ordering, which is a good chance to check what they want: ranked grind, chill games, learning a role, whatever. Once they order, a private order room opens with chat, voice call and screen sharing, so you don't need to swap Discord tags to play together.

5. Get paid

Payment on buddie is in credits (1 credit = 1 USD). You're paid after the order is finished. If something goes wrong, the customer can open a support ticket.

When you withdraw order earnings, buddie keeps a 20% fee. For tips, gifts and wishes, the fee is 10%. The minimum withdrawal is 30 credits, and payouts go to a bank account, PayPal or a crypto wallet.

On top of orders, buddies can receive tips, gifts, wishes and fan subscriptions. There's also a store rating and level system, and higher levels get earnings released faster, which is another reason consistency pays off.

How to set your price without underselling yourself

Pricing is where most new companions get stuck. A few practical rules:

• Check the game page first. Look at what other buddies with a similar rank and role charge. That's your market, not some number you saw on social media.
• Start a bit lower while you build reviews. Only customers who finished an order can leave a review, so early on your reviews are your proof. A slightly lower price helps you get those first orders.
• Raise it once you have regulars. When people keep ordering again, you've earned a higher price. Raise it gradually rather than in one big jump.
• Pick per game or per hour on purpose. Per game suits shooters and MOBAs where matches have a clear length. Per hour fits sandbox games like Minecraft, or chill hangouts where nobody's counting rounds.
• Price higher where you're rare. A high-rank player in a less crowded role or game can usually charge more than someone in the most common slot.

Remember the fees when you set prices. Your take-home is what's left after the withdrawal fee, so factor that in instead of being surprised later.

How to get your first orders

The first handful of orders are the hardest. After that, reviews and regulars do a lot of the work.

Make your card do the selling

• Use a clear, friendly description: what games, what rank, what you're like to play with
• Say what kind of orders you're best at, like "chill duo", "ranked climb", "teaching new players"
• Record a voice intro that sounds like you on a good day, not a script
• Keep your rank and role filters accurate so the right players find you

Pick your games smartly

Popular games have more customers but also more buddies. Smaller games have fewer of both. A mix works well: one or two big titles like Valorant or League of Legends, plus a game you're genuinely great at that fewer people offer.

Reply fast and clearly

When a customer messages you before ordering, a quick, friendly answer goes a long way. Ask what they want out of the game. That one question tells them you care about the experience, not just the payment.

How to keep regulars coming back

Regulars are where steady earnings come from. Customers who order again, tip, and subscribe are worth far more than a stream of one-time orders.

• Be on time. Showing up late is the fastest way to lose a regular.
• Match the vibe. Some people want callouts and focus. Others want to laugh and not care about the result. Read it early and adjust.
• Stay positive when you lose. Nobody pays to get flamed. Calm, constructive comms make people want to queue with you again.
• Remember details. Their main, their rank goal, the thing they struggled with last time. Small stuff, big difference.
• Teach without lecturing. A quick tip between rounds feels helpful. A wall of criticism feels like homework.
• End on a good note. Thank them, say you enjoyed it, and mention when you're usually online.

Tips, gifts and fan subscriptions almost always come from people who had a genuinely good time, so the experience itself is your best marketing.

Rules and staying legit

Getting paid to play with people only works long-term if you keep it clean. buddie is not a dating site and has no adult content. The guidelines are clear on the key points:

• Nothing sexual or suggestive
• No taking payment outside the platform
• No moving customers off the platform

Those rules protect you too. Payments through the platform mean the order is tracked, you're paid after the order is finished, and there's a support ticket process if something goes wrong. Taking money off-platform means no protection at all if someone refuses to pay.

If you have a problem, support is by tickets through the help center. There's no live chat, so write clear tickets with the details up front.

Realistic expectations

It's worth being honest: this is real work, even if it's fun work.

• Earnings depend on how often you're online, how good your reviews are and how many regulars you build
• The first weeks are usually slow while you collect reviews
• You'll sometimes play with people you don't click with, and you still need to be a good teammate
• Long hours of ranked can wear you down, so set limits and take breaks

The people who do well treat it like a small business: consistent hours, clear pricing, a good card and a genuinely good experience every time.

FAQ

Do I need to be a high-ranked player to get paid?

No. Plenty of customers want a friendly, reliable teammate or someone to chill with rather than a pro. Higher ranks can charge more for climbing help, but personality and reliability matter a lot. Just be honest about your rank and role.

How old do I have to be to become a buddie?

You need to be 18 or older. You apply on the Become a buddie page, and every application is reviewed before approval.

How and when do I get paid on buddie?

You're paid after the order is finished, in credits where 1 credit equals 1 USD. You can withdraw once you have at least 30 credits, to a bank account, PayPal or a crypto wallet. buddie keeps a 20% fee on order earnings and 10% on tips, gifts and wishes.

Can I play with customers on Discord and take payment there instead?

No. The guidelines don't allow taking payment outside the platform or moving customers off it. Every order already has a private room with chat, voice call and screen sharing, and staying on-platform keeps your payments protected.

Is this a dating thing?

No. buddie is a gaming marketplace, not a dating site, and nothing sexual or suggestive is allowed. Customers order a buddie to play games, chat and have a good time, and everything stays safe for work.