Almost all young people enjoy playing games, especially men, many of whom are passionate gamers who are willing to spend all their free time on gaming.
I was also a dedicated gamer in my teens, especially during college. After classes and on weekends, I would spend time playing games at internet cafes. Among all game genres, competitive games were my favorite.
Back then, I couldn’t afford a computer, so I played games at internet cafes. Later, when I started earning money, I bought a computer, games, and various gaming peripherals like keyboards and mice to play at home. I spent a lot on gaming and gaming equipment. Now, as I’ve gotten a bit older, my interest in gaming has decreased significantly.
Gaming holds a crucial position in the affiliate marketing industry. In North America alone, there are about 200 million gamers, and globally, there are over 2.5 billion gamers. Nearly one-third of the world’s population are gaming enthusiasts, making gaming one of the largest revenue-generating markets worldwide.
Contents
- Why Choose the Gaming Affiliate Market?
- How Much Can You Earn with Gaming Affiliate Programs?
- 11 Best Gaming Affiliate Programs 2024
- GameFly Affiliate Program
- Razer Affiliate Program
- SteelSeries Affiliate Program
- Logitech Affiliate Program
- Nintendo Affiliate Program
- Steam Affiliate Program
- NVIDIA Affiliate Program
- PlayStation Affiliate Program
- Amazon Games Affiliate Program
- Epic Games Affiliate Program
- Microsoft Affiliate Program
- Gaming Affiliate Program Summary
Why Choose the Gaming Affiliate Market?
Many people are gamers themselves and have extensive experience and insights into gaming, which gives them a significant advantage in promoting gaming affiliate programs. This gaming experience can help you succeed in the gaming affiliate market.
Gaming is akin to markets like golf in terms of consumer spending. Regular gamers are willing to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars annually on new graphics cards, gaming chairs, and other equipment, making gaming a huge niche market.
According to affiliate network data, the gaming industry is currently worth $120 billion, and it’s expected to exceed $300 billion within the next five years. This immense market potential allows many affiliate marketers in this niche to profit.
Although the gaming niche is highly competitive, I found over 26,000 keywords with a Keyword Difficulty (KD) of 20 or less through Ahrefs, which means that even affiliate marketing beginners can make money through gaming affiliate programs.
How Much Can You Earn with Gaming Affiliate Programs?
The range of products in the gaming niche is vast, and many affiliate programs offer high commission rewards. These include:
- Game software
- Gaming peripherals
- In-game items and skins
- Gaming merchandise
- Game guides and strategy
- Game development tools and software
- Game design and development
For example, using the CJ Affiliate Network platform for gaming peripherals, brands are willing to pay affiliates around 5%-10% commission on each sale. If you promote and sell a $100 gaming keyboard, you could earn $5-$10 in commission.
According to affiliate network data, gaming affiliate marketers have an average monthly income exceeding $10,000. Due to the massive market size, even if more affiliate marketers join, high commission earnings in the gaming niche are still achievable.
In the gaming affiliate market, if you are highly skilled in affiliate marketing, earning over $10 million annually is possible. For instance, Twitch streamer Ninja, a well-known Twitch streamer, earned over $20 million in 2024 through streaming, sponsorships, and promoting gaming affiliate programs. Similarly, PewDiePie, one of the world’s most popular YouTube gaming influencers, makes over $15 million annually from promoting gaming affiliate programs on his YouTube channel.
While it’s challenging to reach the annual income of these top influencers, with continuous learning and mastering more gaming affiliate marketing strategies, earning several thousand dollars monthly through gaming affiliate programs is certainly an achievable goal.
11 Best Gaming Affiliate Programs 2024
GameFly Affiliate Program
GameFly, founded in 2002 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, specializes in video game rentals and sales. Their main products and services include game rentals, game sales, digital game downloads, and subscription memberships.
Users can rent games through a subscription model, choosing between physical mail or digital download. Depending on the subscription plan, prices are $15.95 or $22.95 per month. GameFly’s biggest advantage is its extensive game library, offering both classic and new games, catering to nearly all gaming needs.
The GameFly affiliate program is one of the best in the gaming niche due to its attractive commission rewards. Affiliates earn a 10% commission on each sale, and for every user who registers through your affiliate link, you can earn $5-$20 in registration commissions.
Imagine including a GameFly promotion link in a blog post about a particular game. This could potentially bring you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in revenue.
The cookie duration for the GameFly affiliate program is 30 days.
Razer Affiliate Program
In my younger years, Razer was one of my favorite gaming peripheral brands. I purchased many Razer keyboards, mice, mouse pads, and other gaming equipment, spending a significant portion of my salary. When you’re passionate about something, you’re willing to invest in it. I spent a lot of my monthly salary on gaming equipment.
Founded in 2005, Razer is a global leader in gaming hardware and software, initially focusing on peripherals such as keyboards, mice, headsets, and mouse pads. Over time, the company expanded its product line to include gaming laptops, chairs, and various software and services.
Razer has a large global user base and strong brand loyalty. Although my interest in gaming equipment has waned as I’ve grown older, Razer remains a top choice for affiliate marketing in the gaming niche.
Razer offers up to 10% sales commission for its affiliate program, with a 30-day cookie duration. Joining the Razer affiliate program is essential if you’re promoting gaming peripherals, as missing out could mean losing significant commission opportunities.
SteelSeries Affiliate Program
Aside from Razer, SteelSeries is another one of my favorite gaming peripheral brands. I’ve bought several SteelSeries mice, keyboards, and headsets, particularly valuing their precise control in games.
While Razer attracted me with its flashy design and lighting effects, SteelSeries won me over with its product quality and performance.
SteelSeries, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, originally aimed to provide high-performance gaming gear for esports players and core gamers, particularly known for its headsets, mice, and keyboards. The brand has a high level of user loyalty, with gamers often spending hundreds of dollars annually to upgrade their gear.
SteelSeries products generally have higher prices due to their focus on the high-end gaming market. Headsets are priced between $99-$399, mice between $49-$99, and keyboards between $99-$199. Other accessories, like mouse pads and game controllers, are priced in the tens of dollars.
SteelSeries affiliates can earn up to 8% commission on sales, with a 30-day cookie duration. Despite the lower commission compared to Razer, SteelSeries remains a must-join program due to its high product prices and strong brand reputation.
Logitech Affiliate Program
Since I’ve mentioned SteelSeries and Razer, it’s important to also discuss Logitech. These three brands were once my top choices for gaming peripherals, and I still use Logitech keyboards and mice.
During my peak gaming years, I rarely bought Logitech products, but as my interest waned, I started using their more affordable products for everyday computing.
Logitech products are known for their quality and wide range, covering everything from keyboards and mice to speakers, headsets, webcams, and smart home devices. Logitech offers products from budget to high-end, catering to various price points and user needs.
Globally, Logitech is a major player in office, home entertainment, gaming, and smart home markets, known for its high-quality and user-friendly design.
The Logitech affiliate program offers 4%-10% commission on sales, depending on the product category, with a 30-day cookie duration. While Logitech’s order volume is higher compared to SteelSeries and Razer, its commissions are lower. It’s advisable to promote all three brands on your blog to provide consumers with more options and potentially increase your affiliate income.
Nintendo Affiliate Program
Nintendo is as renowned in the gaming world as Xbox, especially for its consoles and classic games like Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon.
Many of the games I played as a child were developed by Nintendo. Even now, I occasionally revisit classic Nintendo games to relive those childhood memories.
Founded in 1889 and headquartered in Japan, Nintendo’s flagship product is its gaming consoles, particularly the Nintendo Switch, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide since its launch in 2017, boasting a massive and loyal user base.
Despite Nintendo’s prominent role in the gaming console and classic game markets, it’s unfortunate that Nintendo does not have a publicly available affiliate program. Thus, you cannot apply to become a Nintendo affiliate. However, Nintendo collaborates with social media influencers or network celebrities and uses third-party platforms and retailers’ affiliate programs to promote related products.
Steam Affiliate Program
As the largest digital game distribution platform globally, Steam is a significant player in any gaming affiliate program.
Launched by Valve Corporation in 2003, Steam initially aimed to solve game patch distribution issues and provide a digital distribution platform for Valve’s games like Counter-Strike and Half-Life. Over time, Steam evolved into a comprehensive digital content distribution platform, allowing third-party developers and publishers to release games and other software. Today, Steam is the world’s largest digital platform with over 100 million active users.
Unfortunately, as an affiliate marketer, you can’t earn commissions by promoting games on Steam, as Steam does not operate a broad affiliate program. This means you can’t earn direct commissions by sharing Steam links as with other affiliate programs.
To promote Steam games, you might consider joining third-party platforms or partnering with developers through alternative methods. The main ways to profit from promoting Steam games include the Steam Curator system, developer collaborations, and third-party affiliate programs.
NVIDIA Affiliate Program
With the rise of AI in recent years, NVIDIA’s prominence has skyrocketed, and its stock price has surged. NVIDIA is known for its powerful graphics cards and gaming technology, being a leader in GPU technology and at the forefront of AI and data analysis innovation.
As a gamer and affiliate marketer, NVIDIA needs no introduction. Its graphics cards are crucial in the gaming world.
The NVIDIA affiliate program offers a 5% commission on each sale. Given that NVIDIA’s graphics cards range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, this means you can earn substantial commissions—sometimes hundreds of dollars per sale. With NVIDIA’s high brand recognition and significant market share in the graphics card sector, you can expect high conversion rates when promoting their products.
Remember, gaming affiliate programs cover various aspects, not just video games or peripherals. Opportunities also exist in promoting graphics cards, computer systems, game design courses, game programming courses, and more.
PlayStation Affiliate Program
If you’re a fan of AAA games, you might have heard of a recent hit, Black Myth: Wukong, created by a Chinese company. Despite being released only two months ago, it has quickly gained global popularity. Although we don’t know its exact sales figures in North America, its widespread discussion in gaming communities suggests high sales.
The popularity of Black Myth: Wukong has boosted sales of the PlayStation 5 (PS5). For a few hundred dollars, you can enjoy this game on a PS5, whereas achieving a similar experience on a PC would cost several thousand dollars.
PlayStation, developed and launched by Sony, is a leading brand in gaming consoles. Since the first PlayStation launched in 1994, the brand has evolved to its fifth generation, with the PlayStation 5 priced at $499.
PlayStation and Xbox dominate the gaming console market. As a gaming affiliate marketer, PlayStation is a must-have affiliate program.
The PlayStation affiliate program primarily collaborates with CJ Affiliate and Rakuten Marketing. According to CJ Affiliate data, affiliates can earn a 3% commission on each sale, with a 15-day cookie duration.
Amazon Games Affiliate Program
Amazon’s affiliate program is a major player in the gaming market, given its vast range of products. As the world’s largest affiliate program, it is a significant resource for game-related products.
Although Amazon’s affiliate commissions may be lower compared to other programs, its strength lies in its extensive product range and high consumer trust. This can lead to higher conversion rates compared to promoting other brands’ official sites.
Amazon’s commission rates vary widely, from 1% to 10%, depending on the product category.
You can learn more by checking out How to Make Money With Amazon Affiliate Marketing (A Step-By-Step Guide).
Epic Games Affiliate Program
Epic Games is a renowned game developer and publisher founded in 1991 and headquartered in Cary, North Carolina. Initially focused on small games and tools, Epic Games rebranded in 1992 and released popular titles like ZZT and Epic Pinball. In 1999, the company became Epic Games and released the milestone game Unreal Tournament, along with the renowned Unreal Engine, marking its entry into game development and engine technology.
Epic Games stands out from other gaming affiliate programs with its “Support-A-Creator” program, offering a unique opportunity for affiliate marketers to engage with influential brands in the gaming industry.
Through the Epic Games “Support-A-Creator” program, creators can earn commissions by promoting games, content, and in-game purchases on the Epic Games Store, which features popular titles like Fortnite and Rocket League. The Epic Games Store has millions of active users and a diverse game catalog, providing a broad market for affiliate marketers.
Affiliates can earn a 5% commission on sales, with a generous 90-day cookie duration—one of the longest in gaming affiliate programs, offering ample time for promotional efforts.
The Epic Games affiliate program is also ideal for community promotion rather than just running a personal blog.
Microsoft Affiliate Program
When you think of Microsoft, you might immediately think of its operating systems, but Microsoft’s Xbox is one of the most popular gaming consoles worldwide.
Launched in 2001, Xbox quickly became a global sensation, with a significant following among gamers. As of 2024, Xbox holds about 35% of the global gaming console market, with particularly high shares in North America and Europe. However, it faces strong competition in Asia, especially in Japan, from Sony’s PlayStation and Nintendo’s Switch.
Joining the Microsoft affiliate program allows you to earn a 7% commission on sales of consoles, games, accessories, and Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. For example, Xbox consoles range from $200 to $500, allowing affiliates to earn $15-$35 per sale. Additionally, Xbox Game Pass services offer a fixed payout per lead—$1.30 for PC and $1.50 for Ultimate.
The cookie duration for the Microsoft affiliate program is 14 days, which may seem short, but given Xbox’s brand impact and market share, promoting Microsoft’s affiliate program is a profitable choice.
Gaming Affiliate Program Summary
These are some of the top gaming affiliate programs I recommend. The gaming niche is vast, with many affiliate programs available. I’ve omitted some brands, like Acer, as I focused on the most lucrative and high-quality programs.
The gaming market is growing rapidly, which means more games and gaming products will likely become available in affiliate programs. This makes gaming affiliate programs an excellent choice, especially for gaming enthusiasts.
Imagine a future where you play your favorite games while earning thousands of dollars monthly from affiliate promotions. This is a dream many aspire to achieve.