From nine-to-five in the bank to full-time Fortnite – meet the New Zealander making the most out of the latest craze sweeping the gaming world.
The world's biggest video game streamer makes more than $435,400 per month by broadcasting himself playing Fortnite, with his income largely from his large subscriber base.
While Tyler "Ninja" Blevins is in the upper echelons, professional streamers earn an average of $4400 to $7300 per month playing games for about40 hours a week, reported CNBC.
So you like video games, have a good personality and think you have what it takes to make a living from your home? Here's everything you need to get started with your new career.
GET A TWITCH ACCOUNT
Twitch, owned by Amazon, is the world's most popular live streaming video platform and is the bread and butter for many professional gamers.
Twitch is free to join; all you need to do is build up your profile and then start broadcasting.
You should also make sure all of your broadcasts are archived for people to view if they miss you live. This is done by heading to Settings > Channel & Videos > Archive Broadcasts.
GET A GOOD COMPUTER
Most video game streamers use a computer, although you can also use a console.
At the very least, Twitch recommends users' computers be equipped with an Intel Core i5-4670 processor, 8GB of RAM and Windows 7 or newer.
One of the more impressive options on the market is Acer's $9000 Predator specialised gaming PC or you can always shop around for a cheaper option that will meet your needs.
As gaming and broadcasting can be quite a strain on your computer, some Twitch streamers use a separate PC for each task.
It's also worthwhile to have an upload speed of at least 3MB per second.
BUY A MICROPHONE AND CAMERA
You can use a gaming headset and built-in webcam when you first start streaming, but once you start to grow a following it could be worthwhile upgrading your set-up for a better quality broadcast. Thankfully you don't need to break the bank when buying a new camera and microphone.
We would suggest spending a little more than $350 and getting Razer's Seiren X microphone and Kiyo broadcast camera.
The Siren X and Kiyo camera in action. Photo / Razer
Razer's Siren X reduces unwanted background noise and puts a focus on your voice by recording sound at a tighter angle, plus a built-in shock mount to reduce vibrations.
The Razer Kiyo is a desktop streaming camera with a powerful, multi-step ring light that can dim or brighten on command. It has the ability to handle streams at 60 frames per second for full gaming fidelity and has a fast and accurate autofocus.
GET YOUR BROADCASTING SOFTWARE
To begin broadcasting on Twitch, you will need to decide on what broadcasting application you want to use, with each of the plethora of options having its own pros and cons.
Twitch offers a list of recommended software for broadcasting on its website, ranging from free to more expensive premium options.
All of the software options will require you to input the sources of your stream, layout how they will appear to the viewer and synch with your Twitch account.
STREAMING FROM A CONSOLE
You can stream from both your Xbox One or PS4 using Microsoft's Kinect camera or Sony's PlayStation camera connected to your console.
All you need to do is download the Twitch app and follow the service's guidelines for setting up either an Xbox or PlayStation broadcast.
TIPS FOR ONCE YOU'RE LIVE
With more than 100 million monthly users, there is plenty of opportunity to win fans but you will need to find your niche.
