PC Gaming
Use a high refresh rate monitor for PC gaming, not a standard 60Hz display.
A competitive gamer felt like his reactions were always a split-second too slow in fast-paced shooters. He had a powerful PC but was still using a standard 60Hz office monitor. His friend convinced him to try a 144Hz gaming monitor. The difference was night and day. The smoothness of the motion made tracking fast-moving targets incredibly easy, and the reduced input lag made his aim feel instantly more responsive. He realized that his expensive graphics card was wasted without a monitor that could actually display the frames it was producing.
Stop doing brand loyalty for your graphics card. Do buy the best card for your budget, regardless of the brand.
For years, a gamer would only buy NVIDIA graphics cards, believing they were inherently superior. When it was time to upgrade, the NVIDIA card in his budget was out of stock. Reluctantly, he looked at the equivalent AMD card. After checking benchmarks from independent reviewers, he was shocked to find the AMD card offered slightly better performance in the games he played, for a lower price. He bought it and was thrilled. He learned that the “best” card changes with every new generation, and blind brand loyalty is a great way to overpay for less performance.
The #1 hack for improving your PC gaming performance that doesn’t cost a dime.
The secret is to turn down the one or two graphics settings that have the biggest performance impact with the least visual trade-off. A gamer was frustrated that her new game was running poorly. Instead of turning everything down to “low,” she did some research. She discovered that settings like “volumetric clouds” and “shadow quality” were consuming a huge amount of her GPU’s power. By turning just those two settings from “ultra” to “medium,” her framerate nearly doubled, while the game still looked beautiful.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about pre-built gaming PCs.
The lie is that pre-built gaming PCs are always a terrible value compared to building your own. A person wanted to get into PC gaming but was intimidated by the idea of building a computer. He was told that pre-builts were a “rip-off.” However, during a graphics card shortage, he found that a pre-built system from a reputable manufacturer was actually cheaper than he could buy the individual parts for. For people who value convenience and a single point of warranty, a well-chosen pre-built PC can be a smart and cost-effective choice.
I wish I knew this about the importance of a good CPU for gaming when I built my first PC.
When I built my first gaming PC, I spent almost my entire budget on the best graphics card I could afford and bought a cheap, entry-level CPU. I was disappointed when my games, especially strategy games with lots of units, would stutter and have low framerates, even with the graphics settings turned down. I wish I had known that the CPU is responsible for the game’s logic and physics. A weak CPU can “bottleneck” a powerful graphics card, preventing it from reaching its full potential. A balanced system is key.
I’m just going to say it: You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to build a great gaming PC.
The internet is full of pictures of extravagant gaming PCs with custom water cooling and multiple top-of-the-line components. This creates the impression that PC gaming is an incredibly expensive hobby. The reality is that for a fraction of the cost, you can build a PC that can play almost any modern game at 1080p resolution with high settings. A carefully chosen mid-range CPU and GPU combination can provide a fantastic gaming experience that is, for most people, indistinguishable from a system that costs three times as much.
99% of PC gamers make this one mistake with their game settings.
The most common mistake is not turning off V-Sync and enabling G-Sync or FreeSync instead. A gamer was annoyed by the input lag in his games, which made his aim feel “floaty.” He had V-Sync enabled to prevent screen tearing. His monitor, however, supported G-Sync. By turning off V-Sync in the game and enabling G-Sync in his graphics card’s control panel, he was able to get a tear-free image and the low-latency, responsive feel of having V-Sync off. It’s the best of both worlds.
This one small action of updating your graphics drivers will change your gaming experience forever.
A gamer was complaining that the latest blockbuster game was running poorly on his PC, even though he had a powerful graphics card. His friend asked him when he had last updated his graphics drivers. The answer was “never.” Graphics card manufacturers like NVIDIA and AMD release new drivers frequently, and these updates often include specific performance optimizations for new games. After taking five minutes to download and install the latest driver, he saw a 30% improvement in his framerate.
The reason your games are stuttering is because of a bottleneck in your system.
A PC gamer’s games had a high average framerate, but they were plagued by annoying micro-stutters that made the experience feel choppy. He had a great graphics card but had paired it with a very small amount of slow RAM. The stutters were happening when the game needed to load new assets and the slow RAM couldn’t keep up. This “bottleneck”—where one slow component holds back the rest of the system—is a common cause of poor gaming performance. A balanced PC, where the CPU, GPU, and RAM are all well-matched, is crucial for a smooth experience.
If you’re still gaming on a hard drive, you’re losing precious loading time.
A gamer was frustrated by the incredibly long loading screens in his favorite open-world game. He would sometimes wait for minutes to load into the game or fast travel. The reason? The game was installed on a slow, mechanical hard disk drive (HDD). He cloned the game to a solid-state drive (SSD). The difference was transformative. The game now loaded in seconds, not minutes. In an era of massive game worlds, an SSD is no longer a luxury for PC gaming; it’s a necessity.
Console Gaming
Use a good pair of gaming headphones for console gaming, not your TV speakers.
A person was playing a competitive online shooter through his TV speakers. He was constantly getting eliminated by enemies he couldn’t hear approaching. His friend convinced him to try a pair of gaming headphones. The difference was immediate. The headphones provided clear, directional audio, allowing him to pinpoint the exact location of enemy footsteps and gunfire. He went from being an easy target to having a massive tactical advantage, all because he could finally hear the full soundscape of the game.
Stop doing the console wars. Do enjoy great games, no matter what platform they are on.
Two friends spent all their time online arguing about whether PlayStation or Xbox was better. They were so invested in the “console war” that they refused to play games on the “enemy” platform. They were missing out on dozens of incredible, award-winning games. A different gamer owned both consoles and simply chose to play the best games, regardless of which box they were on. She experienced a much richer and more diverse range of games because she wasn’t limited by pointless brand loyalty.
The #1 tip for getting the most out of your new console.
The single best tip is to immediately subscribe to the platform’s game subscription service, like Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus Extra. A new console owner was about to spend $70 on a single new game. Instead, for the price of a few months’ subscription, he got instant access to a library of hundreds of high-quality games, including many new releases. This is, by far, the most cost-effective way to play a huge variety of games and discover new favorites without having to buy each one individually.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about console “exclusives”.
The lie is that “exclusive” games will forever remain on a single console. A gamer bought a specific console just to play a highly anticipated exclusive title. A year later, he was frustrated to see that same game get a release on PC and, eventually, on the competing console. In the modern gaming industry, true, permanent exclusives are becoming increasingly rare. Many console exclusives are now timed, meaning they will likely come to other platforms in the future.
I wish I knew this about the difference between performance mode and quality mode on modern consoles.
When I got my first modern console, I just started playing games with the default settings. The games looked beautiful but sometimes felt a little sluggish. I wish I had known about the graphics options. In the game’s settings, I found a choice between “Quality Mode,” which prioritizes resolution and graphical effects, and “Performance Mode,” which lowers the resolution slightly to achieve a much smoother 60 frames per second. For most games, especially fast-paced ones, the responsiveness of Performance Mode provides a much better playing experience.
I’m just going to say it: The subscription model for games is the future of console gaming.
The old model of buying games for $60 or $70 a pop is slowly dying. A gamer subscribed to Xbox Game Pass for a year. In that time, she played and finished over 30 different games, from big-budget blockbusters to small indie gems, all for a flat monthly fee. She was able to experiment and try games she would have never purchased individually. This “Netflix for games” model provides incredible value for consumers and is fundamentally changing the way people discover and play games on consoles.
99% of console gamers make this one mistake with their online privacy settings.
The most common mistake is leaving their online profile and activity public by default. A gamer was surprised when he started receiving harassing messages from a player he had just beaten in an online match. The other player had looked at his public profile, saw his real name, and found his social media accounts. By taking five minutes to go into the console’s privacy settings and changing the defaults to “friends only,” he could have prevented this invasion of privacy and made his online gaming experience much safer.
This one small action of using a wired connection for your console will change your online gaming experience forever.
A gamer was constantly complaining about “lag” in his online matches. His character would stutter around, and his shots wouldn’t register. He was connecting his console to the internet via Wi-Fi from the other side of the house. He bought a long ethernet cable and plugged his console directly into his router. The difference was immediate and dramatic. A wired connection is more stable and has lower latency than Wi-Fi, which is absolutely critical for a smooth, responsive online gaming experience.
The reason you’re losing in online games is because of your high latency.
You have a fast internet connection, but you’re still losing gunfights you should have won. The reason might not be your download speed, but your “latency” or “ping.” This is the time it takes for data to travel from your console to the game server and back. If your ping is high, you are seeing the game a fraction of a second behind your opponents. This is often caused by using Wi-Fi instead of a wired connection, or by playing on servers that are physically far away from you.
If you’re still not taking advantage of your console’s rest mode, you’re losing time on downloads and updates.
A console gamer would fully turn off his console every night. When he wanted to play a game the next day, he would often be met with a massive, multi-gigabyte update that he had to download before he could play. His friend used the console’s “rest mode.” This low-power state allows the console to automatically download game updates and even new games in the background. When he wanted to play, his games were always up-to-date and ready to go instantly.
Cloud Gaming
Use a wired internet connection for cloud gaming, not Wi-Fi.
A person was excited to try a new cloud gaming service. She launched a game over her Wi-Fi connection and was disappointed. The image was blurry, and there was noticeable stuttering. The reason? Wi-Fi is susceptible to interference and instability. She plugged an ethernet cable from her device directly into her router. The experience was transformed. The stream became crystal clear and stable. For cloud gaming, a consistent, low-latency connection is paramount, and a wired connection is the best way to guarantee it.
Stop doing cloud gaming on a slow connection. Do test your internet speed before you subscribe to a service.
A gamer subscribed to a cloud gaming service, excited to play the latest games without a powerful PC. But the service was unplayable for him. He lived in a rural area with a slow, unreliable internet connection. He had wasted his money. Before you subscribe to any cloud gaming service, you must run a speed test. Most services recommend a minimum of 25-50 Mbps download speed for a good experience. If your internet can’t meet that requirement, cloud gaming is not for you.
The #1 secret for a smooth cloud gaming experience.
The secret has nothing to do with your device’s power; it’s all about your home network. A person was having a poor cloud gaming experience, even with a fast internet plan and a wired connection. The problem was his old, underpowered router, which was struggling to manage the traffic in his busy smart home. After upgrading to a modern router designed for gaming, which could prioritize the traffic to his gaming device, his connection became rock solid and his cloud gaming experience was flawless.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about cloud gaming replacing traditional gaming.
The lie is that cloud gaming will make PCs and consoles obsolete in the near future. While the technology is impressive, it is fundamentally limited by the speed of light. There will always be a small but noticeable amount of input lag that is unavoidable due to the distance between you and the server. For casual, single-player games, this might not matter. But for competitive, fast-paced games, the near-instantaneous response of local hardware will always be superior. Cloud gaming is a great supplement to traditional gaming, not a replacement.
I wish I knew this about the input lag in cloud gaming when I first tried it.
I launched a fast-paced fighting game on a cloud gaming service. I was pressing the buttons, but my character’s actions on screen felt slightly delayed, like I was playing through molasses. This was “input lag”—the time between me pressing a button and seeing the result. I wish I had known that while cloud gaming is amazing for many types of games, it is not well-suited for genres that require split-second, precise timing. It completely changed my understanding of which games are a good fit for the platform.
I’m just going to say it: Cloud gaming is not for everyone.
Cloud gaming is marketed as a way for anyone to play high-end games. But the reality is that it only works well for a specific subset of people: those who live relatively close to the service’s data centers and have access to a fast, stable, low-latency internet connection. For someone in a rural area, or someone who primarily plays competitive online games where every millisecond counts, the experience will likely be a frustrating one. It’s a fantastic technology, but its viability is entirely dependent on the quality of your connection.
99% of new cloud gaming users make this one mistake.
The most common mistake is trying to play over a congested network. A user will try to use a cloud gaming service while other people in their household are streaming 4K movies, downloading large files, and video conferencing. Their home network is saturated, and there isn’t enough available bandwidth for a stable gaming stream. For the best experience, you should play during off-peak hours or use a router with Quality of Service (QoS) settings to prioritize the traffic to your gaming device.
This one small action of closing other applications on your device will change your cloud gaming performance forever.
A person was experiencing stuttering in their cloud gaming session, even though their internet connection was good. The reason? They had a dozen other browser tabs open and other applications running in the background on their computer. The cloud gaming client needs your device’s resources to efficiently decode the incoming video stream. By closing all other unnecessary applications, you free up your device’s CPU and GPU to focus on that single task, resulting in a much smoother and more responsive experience.
The reason your cloud gaming experience is poor is because of your distance to the server.
Two friends subscribed to the same cloud gaming service. For the friend who lived in a major city, the experience was flawless. For the friend who lived hundreds of miles away, there was noticeable input lag. The reason is simple physics. The further your data has to travel to the game server and back, the higher your latency will be. This is why cloud gaming providers have data centers located in different geographic regions. Your experience is highly dependent on your physical proximity to one of those locations.
If you’re still not trying cloud gaming, you’re missing out on a convenient way to play games.
A person wanted to play a new, graphically-demanding PC game but didn’t have a powerful gaming computer. Instead of spending over a thousand dollars on a new PC, she subscribed to a cloud gaming service for a small monthly fee. She was able to instantly stream the game and play it with maximum settings on her old, non-gaming laptop. Cloud gaming provides a convenient and affordable way to access high-end gaming experiences without needing to own expensive hardware.
Esports
Use a professional esports team as a model for your own improvement, not just for entertainment.
A casual fan would just watch esports tournaments for the exciting moments. An aspiring player, however, watched with a purpose. He would download the replay of a match and analyze it from the perspective of a single pro player who played his role. He studied their positioning, their decision-making, and their communication. He didn’t just watch what they did; he tried to understand why they did it. By treating esports as a subject to be studied, not just a show to be watched, his own skill level improved dramatically.
Stop doing solo queue all the time. Do find a team to play with and practice together.
A player was stuck at the same rank in a team-based game for years. He would only play in “solo queue,” matched with random teammates every game. He finally joined a small amateur team. They practiced together, developed strategies, and learned to communicate effectively. Playing in a coordinated team environment was a completely different experience. His understanding of the game deepened, and he quickly surpassed his old rank because he was finally learning the most important skill: teamwork.
The #1 secret for going pro in esports that has nothing to in-game skills.
The secret is networking and professionalism. There are thousands of players with incredible mechanical skill. But the ones who go pro are often the ones who are easy to work with, have a positive attitude, and actively build connections within the community. A talented but toxic player will be passed over for a slightly less skilled player who is a good teammate. Getting noticed involves being active on social media, networking with other high-level players, and building a reputation as a professional, both in and out of the game.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about the life of a pro gamer.
The lie is that being a pro gamer is just about playing video games all day. A young fan imagined that pro players just had fun and streamed. The reality for a top-tier esports athlete is a grueling, structured routine. Their day is filled with hours of structured team practice, strategy sessions, video-on-demand reviews, and working with coaches and sports psychologists. It’s a highly demanding, full-time job that requires immense discipline and dedication, not just a hobby.
I wish I knew this about the importance of physical and mental health in esports when I was younger.
When I was trying to go pro, I would play for 12 hours a day, fueled by energy drinks and junk food. I ignored exercise and sleep. My performance peaked and then declined. I suffered from burnout and wrist injuries. I wish I had known that the best pro players treat themselves like athletes. They work with nutritionists and trainers, they prioritize sleep, and they practice mindfulness to handle the immense pressure of competition. Your performance in the game is directly tied to your health outside of it.
I’m just going to say it: The esports industry is still very young and has a lot of problems.
The esports world looks glamorous from the outside, with huge prize pools and sold-out arenas. But the industry is still in its wild west phase. There are issues with player burnout, a lack of job security, and organizations that have been known to not pay their players or staff. It’s an exciting and rapidly growing field, but it lacks the established structures, player unions, and regulations of traditional sports. Aspiring players and professionals need to be aware of the significant risks and instabilities that still exist.
99% of aspiring pro gamers make this one mistake.
The most common mistake is blaming their teammates for their losses. A player will lose a match and immediately say, “My team was terrible.” This mindset prevents any personal growth. A player who wants to improve will instead ask, “What could I have done differently to win that game?” Even if their team played poorly, they focus on their own mistakes and what they can control. Taking ownership of your performance is the only way to genuinely improve.
This one small habit of reviewing your own gameplay will change your improvement as a player forever.
A player would finish a match and immediately queue up for the next one, never stopping to think about what happened. He was stuck in a cycle of repeating the same mistakes. He adopted a new habit: after every loss, he would take ten minutes to watch the replay of the game from his own perspective. He would identify his mistakes—poor positioning, a missed ability, a bad decision. This simple habit of self-reflection and analysis allowed him to consciously work on his weaknesses and break through his skill plateau.
The reason you’re not getting better at your favorite game is because you’re not practicing deliberately.
A person played their favorite game for hundreds of hours but their skill level never seemed to improve. They were just “playing,” not “practicing.” Deliberate practice involves identifying a specific weakness and focusing all your effort on improving it. For example, instead of just playing matches, a player might spend an hour in a training mode specifically practicing their aim, or a specific difficult combo. This focused, intentional practice is far more effective for skill development than just mindlessly playing the game.
If you’re still thinking that esports is not a real sport, you’re losing touch with a global phenomenon.
A person scoffed at the idea of watching other people play video games. His son convinced him to watch the League of Legends World Championship. He was shocked to see a sold-out stadium, professional commentators, and players exhibiting incredible levels of skill, strategy, and teamwork under immense pressure. He realized that esports requires the same dedication, discipline, and mental fortitude as any traditional sport. With a global audience that rivals many traditional sports, esports is a cultural and economic force that can no longer be dismissed.
Game Development
Use a game engine like Unity or Unreal Engine, not building your own from scratch.
A new game developer, full of ambition, decided he was going to build his own 3D game engine from the ground up. He spent two years writing code for rendering, physics, and audio. He never actually got to the point of making a game. His friend, with the same game idea, used the Unreal Engine. She was able to build a working prototype in a few weeks because the engine provided all the foundational technology for free. Unless you are a large, experienced studio, building your own engine is a great way to never finish your game.
Stop doing feature creep. Do start with a small, achievable game idea instead.
A new indie developer had a grand vision for a massive, open-world RPG with complex systems. As he worked on it, he kept adding more and more features—a crafting system, a relationship system, a procedurally generated world. The project became so large and complex that he became overwhelmed and abandoned it. This is “feature creep.” A better approach is to start with a very small, achievable scope—a single level, a single core mechanic—and build a fun, polished experience around that.
The #1 secret for finishing your indie game project.
The secret is to aggressively cut features and reduce the scope of your game. An indie developer had been working on her dream game for three years and was nowhere near finished. She was on the verge of giving up. She made a painful but necessary decision. She took her massive design document and cut 70% of the planned features. She focused on polishing the one core mechanic that was the most fun. By ruthlessly reducing the scope, she was finally able to finish and release her game.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about the glamour of game development.
The lie is that making games is a fun, creative party. The reality, especially in the big-budget AAA industry, can be a grueling experience of long hours, tight deadlines, and immense pressure, a phenomenon known as “crunch.” A junior developer was excited to work for a famous studio. He spent the last six months of the project working 80-hour weeks, sleeping at his desk, and seeing his health decline, all to meet an unrealistic deadline. The final product might be fun to play, but the process of making it can be anything but.
I wish I knew this about the importance of marketing when I was making my first game.
I spent two years pouring my heart and soul into making my first indie game. I was a programmer, not a marketer. I thought that if I just made a great game, people would find it. I released it on Steam, and it sold 40 copies. I was devastated. I wish I had known that marketing is just as important as development. You have to start building a community, creating a social media presence, and reaching out to press and influencers months before your game is even released.
I’m just going to say it: Making a successful indie game is incredibly difficult.
The indie game dream is a powerful one: a lone developer creates a smash hit like Stardew Valley or Minecraft and becomes a millionaire. While these stories are inspiring, they are the exception, not the rule. For every successful indie game, there are thousands that are released to complete obscurity and financial failure. It’s an incredibly crowded and competitive market. Making a successful indie game requires not only skill and hard work but also a significant amount of business acumen, marketing savvy, and luck.
99% of new game developers make this one mistake.
The most common mistake is starting with their “dream game.” A new developer has a massive, complex idea for a game they’ve been thinking about for years. They try to build it as their very first project. They lack the skills and experience to execute their grand vision, become overwhelmed, and give up. The best way to learn game development is to start by making a series of very small, simple games. A clone of Pong, a simple platformer. Finish these small projects, learn from them, and then gradually work your way up to your dream game.
This one small action of creating a game design document will change your development process forever.
A small indie team started making a game with just a vague idea. Every week, they would argue about the core mechanics and the direction of the game. The development was chaotic. For their next project, they took a week to write a simple Game Design Document (GDD). The GDD clearly defined the game’s core loop, its target audience, and its key features. This document became their north star, ensuring that everyone on the team was aligned and working towards the same, clear vision.
The reason your game is not fun is because you haven’t playtested it enough.
A developer was convinced his game’s new puzzle mechanic was brilliant. But when he finally let other people play it, he discovered that everyone found it confusing and frustrating. He had been working on it for so long that he couldn’t see it from a fresh perspective anymore. The only way to know if your game is fun is to watch other people play it. Early and frequent playtesting is the most crucial part of the design process. It will reveal problems and generate insights that you would never find on your own.
If you’re still not sharing your game development journey with others, you’re losing a valuable opportunity for feedback.
A developer was working on his game in secret for a year, worried that someone might steal his idea. When he finally revealed it, he got very little interest. Another developer started sharing her progress from day one. She would post screenshots on social media, write blog posts about her challenges, and share early builds with a small community. By the time she launched her game, she already had an engaged audience eager to buy it, and she had received invaluable feedback throughout the entire development process.
Streaming
Use a dedicated streaming PC for the best quality, not just your gaming PC.
A streamer was frustrated because her game would lag and her stream would drop frames whenever she played a demanding new title. Her single PC was struggling to both run the game and encode the video stream at the same time. She invested in a second, dedicated streaming PC. Now, her gaming PC could use 100% of its resources to run the game at maximum settings, while the second PC handled the video encoding. The result was a perfectly smooth game and a high-quality, stable stream for her viewers.
Stop doing inconsistent streaming schedules. Do create a regular schedule and stick to it instead.
A new streamer would go live at random times, whenever he felt like it. He struggled to build an audience because nobody knew when to tune in. He then created a consistent schedule—every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7 PM—and posted it on his channel. Viewers who enjoyed his content knew exactly when to find him and started to make his stream a regular part of their week. A predictable schedule is the foundation for building a loyal, returning audience.
The #1 secret for growing your Twitch or YouTube channel.
The secret isn’t having the best gameplay or the fanciest graphics; it’s being discoverable. A streamer was amazing at his game but was only playing one, highly saturated title. It was impossible for new viewers to find him among the thousands of other streamers. He started creating content on other platforms. He would post his best clips on TikTok, upload edited highlights to YouTube, and be active on Twitter. This “multi-platform” approach drove new viewers from other platforms to his live stream, allowing his channel to finally grow.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about getting rich from streaming.
The lie, perpetuated by stories of a few top streamers, is that streaming is an easy way to get rich quick. A person quit his job to become a full-time streamer, thinking he’d be making a fortune in a few months. A year later, he was making less than minimum wage. The reality is that the vast majority of streamers make very little money. It’s an incredibly competitive field, and building an audience large enough to provide a sustainable income takes years of hard work, consistency, and a significant amount of luck.
I wish I knew this about the importance of community building when I started streaming.
When I first started streaming, I just played my game and didn’t pay much attention to the chat. I was focused on my own experience. My channel didn’t grow. I wish I had known that successful streaming is not a performance; it’s a community. I started actively talking to my viewers, remembering regulars, creating inside jokes, and setting up a Discord server for people to hang out after the stream. By focusing on building a welcoming community, my channel started to grow organically as people came back for the social connection, not just the gameplay.
I’m just going to say it: Streaming is a lot harder than it looks.
From the viewer’s perspective, streaming looks easy. A person is just sitting there, playing a video game and talking. The reality is that it’s an incredibly demanding job. You have to be “on” and entertaining for hours at a time, constantly monitor the chat and interact with your audience, manage all the technical aspects of the stream, and create content for other platforms to grow your brand. It’s a combination of being an entertainer, a community manager, and a technical producer all at once.
99% of new streamers make this one mistake.
The most common mistake new streamers make is having bad audio. A streamer will have a high-quality webcam and a great stream layout, but they will be using a cheap, tinny headset microphone that is painful to listen to. Audio is arguably more important than video for a stream. Many viewers will have a stream open in the background while they do other things. If your audio is poor, they will leave. Investing in a decent USB microphone is one of the most important first steps for any new streamer.
This one small habit of interacting with your chat will change your stream forever.
A new streamer was so focused on his game that he would ignore the messages in his chat for long periods. Viewers would come in, say hello, and then leave when they were ignored. He adopted a new habit: he would make a conscious effort to read and respond to every single message in his chat. This small action completely changed the dynamic of his stream. It went from being a broadcast to a conversation. Viewers felt engaged and acknowledged, and they were much more likely to stick around and become part of the community.
The reason you’re not getting more viewers is because you’re not providing unique content.
A streamer was playing the most popular game of the moment, just like tens of thousands of other streamers. He was a good player, but there was nothing to differentiate him from the crowd. He was a small fish in a massive ocean. He decided to try something unique. He started a stream where he played obscure, retro games that nobody else was playing. He found a small but dedicated audience that was specifically looking for that kind of content, and his channel started to grow because he had found his niche.
If you’re still not networking with other streamers, you’re losing a huge opportunity for growth.
A streamer worked in isolation. She never watched other streams or interacted with other creators. Her growth was slow. Another streamer made an effort to become an active part of the wider streaming community. She would hang out in other streamers’ chats, collaborate with them on special event streams, and “raid” (send her viewers to) other channels at the end of her stream. This networking exposed her to new audiences and helped her build genuine friendships, which were key to her channel’s growth.
Gaming Culture
Use gaming as a way to connect with people, not to isolate yourself.
A person used to play single-player games alone in his room for hours. It was a solitary hobby. He then joined an online guild in a multiplayer game. He started making friends from all over the world. They would coordinate to take on difficult challenges in the game, but they would also just hang out in voice chat and talk about their lives. The game became a medium for genuine social connection, transforming his hobby from one of isolation to one of community.
Stop doing toxic behavior in online games. Do be a positive and supportive member of the gaming community instead.
A player would get angry when he lost and would frequently yell at his teammates in voice chat. This toxic behavior made the game a miserable experience for everyone, including himself. He made a conscious decision to change. He started complimenting his teammates on good plays, offering encouragement after a mistake, and staying positive even when they were losing. He found that not only did his own enjoyment of the game increase, but his teams started to cooperate better and win more often.
The #1 secret for finding a great gaming community.
The secret is to look for communities that are built around a specific playstyle or a shared set of values, not just a specific game. A player joined a large, generic Discord server for a popular game and found it to be chaotic and full of toxic behavior. She then found a smaller community specifically for “non-toxic, adult players who want to focus on teamwork.” The smaller, more focused community had clear rules and active moderation, which created a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about gamers being anti-social.
The lie, often perpetuated by outdated stereotypes, is that gaming is an anti-social hobby for lonely people in basements. The reality is that modern gaming is one of the most social activities on the planet. A young person who moved to a new city was feeling isolated. He joined a local Super Smash Bros. tournament. He met dozens of other people who shared his passion. The game was the icebreaker that led to real-world friendships and a sense of belonging in his new home.
I wish I knew this about the diversity of the gaming community when I was younger.
When I was a kid, my idea of a “gamer” was based on the marketing I saw: it was a teenage boy. I wish I had known that the gaming community is, and always has been, incredibly diverse. People of all ages, genders, and backgrounds have been playing games for decades. Recognizing this diversity is crucial for creating a more welcoming and inclusive culture, and for moving past the narrow, outdated stereotypes that have held the community back.
I’m just going to say it: The gaming industry has a long way to go in terms of diversity and inclusion.
While the community of players is diverse, the industry that makes the games is still overwhelmingly dominated by a single demographic. This lack of diversity in the development studios is reflected in the games themselves, which often feature stereotypical characters and a narrow range of perspectives. It also contributes to the industry’s well-documented problems with workplace harassment and discrimination. For gaming to truly mature as a medium, it must foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for its creators.
99% of gamers make this one mistake when interacting with others online.
The most common mistake is forgetting that there is a real human being on the other side of the screen. The anonymity of the internet can make it easy to say things to a stranger in an online game that you would never say to someone’s face. A player will type a hateful message to an anonymous username, forgetting that it’s a person with feelings who is receiving it. This dehumanization is the root cause of much of the toxicity in online gaming.
This one small action of reporting toxic behavior will change the gaming community for the better forever.
A player was in a game with someone who was using racial slurs and harassing other teammates. Her first instinct was to just mute them and move on. Instead, she took 30 seconds to use the in-game reporting tool to report the player for their abusive chat. While it might not seem like much, when thousands of players make this same small choice, it provides game developers with the data they need to identify and remove toxic individuals from the community, creating a better experience for everyone.
The reason online gaming can be so toxic is because of a lack of accountability.
In a real-life sport, if a player constantly insults their teammates and opponents, they will be kicked off the team and will develop a bad reputation. In the anonymous world of online gaming, there have historically been few consequences for this kind of behavior. The rise of more robust reporting systems and a cultural shift towards less tolerance for toxicity are slowly starting to introduce a greater sense of accountability, but there is still a long way to go.
If you’re still thinking that gaming is just for kids, you’re losing touch with a massive and diverse culture.
A person thought video games were a childish waste of time. Her adult daughter, a lifelong gamer, convinced her to try a relaxing, narrative-driven game. She was captivated by the beautiful art, the moving story, and the engaging puzzles. She realized that gaming, like film or literature, is a diverse medium with experiences for every age and taste. The average gamer today is an adult, and the medium has matured far beyond the simple arcade games of the past.
Retro Gaming
Use emulation to play classic games on modern hardware, not just hunting for old consoles.
A gamer wanted to replay his favorite childhood games from the Super Nintendo era. He considered buying an old console and the original cartridges on eBay, which was expensive and unreliable. Instead, he learned about emulation. He downloaded a free emulator for his PC and was able to play all of his favorite classic games, often with improved graphics and the convenience of save states. For most people, emulation is the most practical and accessible way to experience the vast history of video games.
Stop doing rose-tinted nostalgia. Do appreciate retro games for what they are, warts and all.
A gamer had fond memories of a specific game from his childhood. He remembered it as a perfect masterpiece. He played it again as an adult and was shocked by the clunky controls, the unfair difficulty, and the cryptic design. His “rose-tinted nostalgia” had colored his memory. The key to enjoying retro games is to appreciate them in their historical context. You can acknowledge their flaws and still celebrate the innovation and creativity they represented for their time.
The #1 tip for starting a retro game collection.
The most important tip is to collect the games you actually want to play, not just the ones that are considered rare or valuable. A new collector spent a fortune buying a sealed copy of a rare game. It sat on his shelf as an investment, but he never actually experienced the game itself. A different collector focused on buying the common, affordable classics that she had always wanted to play. Her collection was less valuable in dollars, but it brought her infinitely more joy because it was a library of experiences, not just a collection of objects.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about the “good old days” of gaming.
The lie is that games were universally better “back in the day.” While there were many masterpieces, the “good old days” were also filled with games that were buggy, incredibly difficult, and poorly designed. Gamers today are often spoiled by modern conveniences like tutorials, clear objectives, and balanced difficulty curves. Many retro games offered none of these things, requiring a level of patience and trial-and-error that many modern players would find frustrating.
I wish I knew this about the different ways to play retro games when I was younger.
When I was a kid, the only way to play a game was on the original console it was released for. I wish I had known about the vibrant world that would emerge later. Today, you can play retro games on their original hardware, on modern “clone” consoles that play old cartridges, through official digital re-releases on modern platforms, or through emulation on a PC or even a phone. Understanding these different options is key to finding the most enjoyable and convenient way to dive into gaming history.
I’m just going to say it: Many retro games have not aged well.
A young gamer, told by her older brother that a certain classic 3D platformer was the “greatest game of all time,” decided to try it. She was horrified by the confusing camera, the imprecise controls, and the empty, lifeless world. While the game was revolutionary for its time, its design had been surpassed by decades of innovation. It’s important to recognize that some games are timeless classics, while many others are historical artifacts that are more interesting to study than they are to actually play today.
99% of retro gamers make this one mistake when playing classic games.
The most common mistake is trying to binge-play a difficult retro game in one sitting, like a modern game. Many classic games, especially from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras, were designed to be incredibly challenging to extend their playtime. A player will get frustrated and quit after dying on the same level for an hour. The way these games were often played back in the day was in short, focused bursts, slowly making progress over days or weeks. Patience is a required skill.
This one small action of using save states will change your experience with difficult retro games forever.
A gamer was trying to beat a notoriously difficult classic game on an emulator. The game had no built-in save system, and he was getting frustrated by having to start over from the beginning every time. He then discovered “save states.” This feature of emulators allows you to save your exact position in the game at any moment. By creating a save state before a difficult boss fight or platforming section, he was able to practice it repeatedly without the frustration of replaying the entire level, making the game challenging but not impossible.
The reason you’re not enjoying that classic game is because you’re playing it with the wrong mindset.
A modern gamer tried to play a classic RPG from the 1980s. He was frustrated because the game didn’t have a map, a quest log, or clear instructions on where to go next. He was playing with a modern mindset, expecting the game to guide him. These old games often expected the player to create their own map on graph paper and to talk to every character to figure out the story. By shifting his mindset and embracing the exploration and discovery, he started to appreciate the game on its own terms.
If you’re still not exploring the rich history of video games, you’re losing out on some amazing experiences.
A gamer only ever played the latest, modern releases. He thought older games were just “bad graphics.” His friend convinced him to try “Chrono Trigger,” a classic RPG from 1995. He was blown away by the incredible story, the memorable characters, and the timeless gameplay. He realized that the core of what makes a game great has nothing to do with graphical fidelity. By ignoring the vast library of classic games, he had been missing out on some of the most creative and influential works in the history of the medium.
Mobile Gaming
Use a good mobile controller for serious mobile gaming, not just touch controls.
A gamer was trying to play a competitive first-person shooter on her phone using the on-screen touch controls. She found it impossible to aim accurately while moving. Her thumbs were covering up the action. She bought a mobile controller that her phone could clip into. The familiar feel of physical thumbsticks and buttons completely transformed the experience. She could now play with the same level of precision as she could on a traditional console, making “serious” gaming on her phone a reality.
Stop doing pay-to-win mobile games. Do look for games that respect your time and money instead.
A player got hooked on a mobile game where he could pay real money to get more powerful items. He soon found that he couldn’t compete at higher levels without spending a fortune. It was a “pay-to-win” game. He quit and found a different type of mobile game: a premium, one-time purchase with no ads or microtransactions. The game was balanced, and his success was based on his skill, not the size of his wallet. He learned to seek out games that provide value, not the ones that are designed to be frustrating money pits.
The #1 secret for finding great mobile games that are not filled with ads and microtransactions.
The secret is to look at subscription services like Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass. A parent was tired of her kids downloading “free” games that were actually filled with inappropriate ads and constant prompts to buy virtual currency. She subscribed to Apple Arcade. For a flat monthly fee, her family got access to a curated library of over 200 high-quality games with no ads and no in-app purchases. It was a safe, high-value way to discover some of the best and most creative experiences in mobile gaming.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about mobile gaming being “casual”.
The lie is that all mobile games are simple, “casual” experiences like Candy Crush. A console gamer who looked down on mobile gaming was shocked to discover that some of the most complex and strategically deep games in the world, like “Genshin Impact” or competitive esports titles like “Wild Rift,” are on mobile. The mobile platform is home to a massive variety of experiences, from quick, five-minute puzzles to epic, hundred-hour adventures that rival their PC and console counterparts.
I wish I knew this about the predatory monetization schemes in some mobile games.
I downloaded a free-to-play mobile game and was having a lot of fun. The game used a “gacha” mechanic, where I could spend in-game currency to get a random chance at a rare character. I started spending real money on it, always chasing that one rare prize. I wish I had known that these systems are literally designed by psychologists to be as addictive as slot machines. I ended up spending far more money than I ever intended on what was essentially a form of unregulated gambling.
I’m just going to say it: Mobile gaming is the biggest segment of the gaming market.
Many “hardcore” PC and console gamers tend to dismiss the mobile gaming market. They see it as being full of low-quality, casual games. The reality is that mobile gaming generates more revenue than the PC and console markets combined. Billions of people around the world play games on their phones every day. From a cultural and economic perspective, mobile gaming is not a niche or a sideshow; it is the dominant force in the global video game industry.
99% of mobile gamers make this one mistake with their in-app purchases.
The most common mistake is making small, impulsive in-app purchases without realizing how much they are adding up. A player will spend $1.99 here and $4.99 there on a mobile game. At the end of the month, they are shocked to see they have spent over $100 on a single “free” game. A better approach is to set a clear budget for any game. Decide upfront how much you are willing to spend, and treat any in-app purchase as a deliberate decision, not an impulse buy.
This one small action of reading the reviews before you download a mobile game will save you from a lot of frustration.
A person saw an ad for a cool-looking mobile game and immediately downloaded it. She was met with an unskippable 30-second ad after every single level. The game was basically unplayable. Before she downloaded her next game, she took 30 seconds to read the user reviews on the app store. The top reviews all warned about the aggressive monetization and constant ads. This one small action of checking the reviews first saved her the time and frustration of installing a bad game.
The reason you’re not enjoying mobile games is because you’re playing the wrong ones.
A person said, “I hate mobile games.” What he meant was that he hated the free-to-play, match-three puzzle games that are always advertised. His friend showed him a deep, narrative-driven RPG on his phone, a complex strategy game, and a beautiful, atmospheric puzzle game. He was shocked. He didn’t realize that the mobile app stores are home to an incredible variety of genres. He didn’t hate mobile games; he had just been exposed to a very narrow and often low-quality slice of what is available.
If you’re still dismissing mobile gaming, you’re losing out on a huge and innovative part of the industry.
A game developer who only focused on PC and consoles thought of mobile as a platform for simple clones. He started paying attention and discovered a world of incredible innovation. He saw games that used the phone’s unique features, like the touchscreen and the gyroscope, in creative new ways. He saw developers experimenting with new business models and reaching a massive global audience that he could never reach on PC. He realized that dismissing the largest and most dynamic part of the gaming market was a huge mistake.
The Future of Gaming
Use an open mind to embrace the future of gaming, not just sticking to what you know.
A gamer had played the same series of first-person shooters for a decade. He was comfortable with what he knew and dismissed new trends like VR and cloud gaming as gimmicks. His friend, with a more open mind, was constantly trying new things. He was experiencing the incredible immersion of new VR titles and the convenience of cloud gaming. The first gamer’s hobby had become stale and repetitive, while the second was constantly discovering new and exciting ways to play.
Stop doing fear-mongering about new gaming technologies. Do learn about them and form your own opinion instead.
When a new technology like AI-powered NPCs or blockchain integration in games is announced, the internet is often flooded with fear-mongering and misinformation. A person read a headline and became convinced that AI would ruin games. Another person took the time to read about the technology from multiple sources, watch developer interviews, and understand its potential benefits and drawbacks. She was able to form a nuanced, informed opinion, rather than just reacting to fear.
The #1 tip for staying up-to-date with the latest trends in gaming.
The best tip is to follow a diverse range of creators and journalists, not just the big, mainstream outlets. A gamer who only read the major gaming websites only heard about the biggest blockbuster releases. Another gamer followed smaller, independent YouTubers, niche bloggers, and developers on social media. She was the first to know about innovative new indie games, emerging technologies, and the important cultural conversations happening within the industry. A diverse information diet is key to a broad perspective.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about the “death” of single-player games.
Every few years, a headline will proclaim that single-player games are “dead” and that live-service, multiplayer games are the only thing that matters. And yet, every year, some of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed games are massive, narrative-driven, single-player experiences. Games like “The Witcher 3,” “The Last of Us,” and “Elden Ring” prove that there is a huge and enduring audience for well-crafted, personal adventures. Single-player games are not dead; they are thriving.
I wish I knew this about the potential of new technologies to create amazing gaming experiences.
I used to think that the future of gaming was just about better graphics. I wish I had understood that new technologies would create entirely new kinds of experiences. The procedural generation in “No Man’s Sky” created a universe of unprecedented scale. The haptic feedback in the PlayStation 5’s controller created a new level of tactile immersion. The real excitement in the future of gaming is not just seeing more realistic-looking worlds, but interacting with them in fundamentally new and surprising ways.
I’m just going to say it: The future of gaming is more than just better graphics.
For decades, the primary selling point of each new generation of consoles and graphics cards has been “better graphics.” But we are reaching a point of diminishing returns. The future of gaming innovation will likely come from other areas: more sophisticated AI that creates truly dynamic and unpredictable worlds, cloud-powered experiences that allow for massive-scale simulations, new kinds of controllers that provide richer feedback, and game designs that we can’t even imagine yet. The most exciting future is one that prioritizes new ways to play, not just new things to see.
99% of gamers make this one mistake when thinking about the future of gaming.
The most common mistake is assuming that the future will be a zero-sum game, where one way of playing has to “win” and another has to “die.” They will argue about whether cloud gaming will kill consoles, or whether mobile will kill PC gaming. The reality is that the future of gaming is additive, not subtractive. All of these platforms will likely coexist, each serving a different need and a different audience. The future is not about a single winner, but about a more diverse and accessible gaming ecosystem for everyone.
This one small action of trying new and innovative games will change your perspective on the future of the medium forever.
A gamer was feeling bored with the state of the industry, feeling like every new game was just a sequel or a copy of something else. He made a conscious effort to step outside his comfort zone. He tried a small, experimental indie game that had a completely unique mechanic. He played a narrative game that felt more like an interactive movie. This one small action of seeking out the strange and the new reminded him that gaming is a young and vibrant art form, full of creators who are constantly pushing the boundaries of what a game can be.
The reason you’re not excited about the future of gaming is because you’re not looking in the right places.
A person who only follows the big, AAA marketing cycle might feel like the future is just more of the same. But if you look at the indie scene, the world of academic game design research, or the experimental work being done in VR and AR, you will find a staggering amount of creativity and innovation. The most exciting parts of the future are often not happening on the main stage, but in the smaller, less visible corners of the industry.
If you’re still thinking that gaming is a solved medium, you’re losing out on the exciting things to come.
A veteran gamer felt like he had seen everything. He thought that after 40 years, all the major genres and ideas in gaming had been discovered. He was wrong. New technologies and new generations of creators are constantly reinventing the medium. The emergence of new genres, the blending of existing ones, and the creation of experiences that we can’t even classify yet are a constant reminder that gaming is not a “solved” art form. Its most exciting days may still be ahead.