Gamers are getting more views, and making less money, right now. | Source: Shutterstock
- More people are staying home and watching gaming YouTube videos but creators aren’t seeing the rewards.
- YouTube creators report that their earnings have dropped by around 50% over the last two months.
- Video game content on YouTube has been getting 13% more views compared to last year.
A report by Medium tech publication OneZero reveals that gaming YouTubers are missing out on the stay-at-home gold rush. YouTube adviser Carlos Pacheco told OneZero that overall advertising rates have decreased by around 50% since February.
Pacheco says that the drop in ad rates for gaming YouTubers has not been as severe, but they haven’t been unaffected. This is despite the fact that video game content has been getting 13% more views (in five major European markets) in the last month compared to this time in 2019. Outside of a pandemic, one would expect gaming YouTuber revenue to soar, not drop.
Different Gamers Will Feel the Burn in Different Ways
Not all of YouTube’s top gaming creators will be affected by these drops in the same way. On the Forbes list of the top-earning video game creators , there are six creators who are primarily all about YouTube. The others, like Mixer streamer Ninja, make most of their money from streaming.
YouTubers like the controversial PewDiePie make around $15 million a year while Preston makes around $14 million. Jacksepticeye, who is eighth on the list, makes $11 million.
These are huge figures but their earnings are mostly down to business savvy and not just YouTube ad revenue. PewDiePie also pulls in a large amount of money from his own mobile games and Preston hosts custom Minecraft servers. Many, who are not named on the Forbes list, make money from exclusive streaming deals and sales of merch.
It’s unclear when advertisers will begin spending more money on ads again. However, gaming YouTubers will hope that their news viewers will keep watching then so that they can make money from their growing popularity.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CCN.com.
