7 Important Steps to Becoming a Gaming Influencer

  If you’ve always had a passion for gaming and would like to use this to help you make a little extra cash on the side, you could consider becoming a gaming influencer. Influencer marketing is very effective in the gaming industry and this is why many brands promote their new games in this way. You’ll have the opportunity to be paid to reach out to other gamers and share your recommendations. Becoming a gaming influencer takes a lot of time and hard work, however, so you need to be sure you can commit. Here are seven important steps you need to take. Find your focus In influencer marketing, it’s advisable to go as niche as possible. This way you can focus on a specific target audience and build up a name for yourself as an authority on a particular type of game. You can also choose the best way to post content online. These include live streaming, posting game reviews, writing game tutorials, and more. You also need to find your platform. Some of the most popular streaming platforms for gaming influencers include Twitch, Mixer, and YouTube Gaming. Here’s how to find a niche for your Twitch stream, for example. The important thing is to do what you enjoy the most as this will help you stay motivated.   Create a strong personal brand You also need to build a personal brand and promote this online. Clearly outline the personality you want to represent. This could depend on the lifestyle, habits, and preferences of your target audience as you’ll want to appeal to these. You may also decide to create an avatar for your personal brand so think about this carefully. The most important thing is to remain consistent throughout. Your personal brand should use the same tone of voice, image, and represent the same values across all marketing channels. Improve your digital marketing skills If you want to build a name for yourself as a gaming influencer, you’ll need to promote your personal brand across a variety of platforms to boost your online presence. Be active on social media such as Instagram, for example. Keep your accounts up to date and post engaging and relevant content. It may also be worth brushing up on your digital marketing skills. If you want to create appealing content for Instagram, for instance, here’s how to add music to instagram story. Stick to a streaming schedule You’ll need plenty of time to practice, especially if you want to put in the streaming hours. Don’t overdo it, however, as this will leave you fatigued and frustrated. Set a schedule for streaming, for example, and stick to it. Plan your gaming influencer tasks into your daily or weekly timetable so you can fit them in comfortably around your work or personal commitments. These tactics will help you if you decide to become a professional gamer one day, as you’ll need to spend a lot of time practicing. Network with other gamers It’s always useful to network with other gamers and gaming influencers. This way you can share experiences, tactics, and advice. Becoming a gaming influencer will give your opportunity to be part of a larger international community, so make the most of this. It’s also a good idea to collaborate with other influencers as well to help increase brand exposure for each other. Social media is a great tool and there are plenty of online forums to explore as well. Use analytics tools You need to monitor your performance to ensure you’re using the best strategies to reach out to more followers and brands. If you’re streaming on Twitch, you could take advantage of some of the best analytics tools for Twitch, for example. These will help you find the right metrics to measure your performance whether it’s number of subscribers, views, or content performance. This way you can optimize your strategies and focus time and money on the most profitable areas. Reach out to more brands As a gaming influencer, you need to reach out to the right brands to ensure you continue to make a profit from your business. One way to do this is to use gaming influencer marketing platforms. These provide a secure location for game brands and influencers to get in contact with one another. There’s a lot of competition out there, so if you really want to get ahead in the market these will help you appear professional. This way you can build an online presence as a reputable gamer.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrafice Gets Xbox Series X|S Upgrades Today

Concerning the current work that is underway at developer Ninja Theory is expanding greatly. For one, the highly-anticipated sequel Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is underway. Announced back in December 2019, the team has yet to press much else on the project. However, Microsoft did confirm that the team is utilizing Unreal Engine 5 for the coming follow-up. Additionally, Ninja Theory has other internal projects underway. One titled ‘Project: Mara’: the studio describes the title as “an experimental project and showcase of what could become a new immersive storytelling medium.” In a recent developer diary for the game, Ninja Theory shared that the setting apartment for the game is a real-time location that was artificially scanned specifically for the experience. Atop of that, Ninja Theory in a new video unveils that other projects from it includes an Xbox Series X|S enhancement for Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. You can watch the full trailer in the video below: “Relive Senua’s journey and experience her world through new eyes in Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, now optimised for Xbox Series X|S. Available now with enriched visuals, DirectX Raytracing, resolution mode and more,” the description for the video shares. Already, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice already was boosted by default from the new system’s internal components which delivered 4K resolution with 60 frames per second performance. In a recent statement from Ninja Theory, the team announced to be shutting down further work for its melee PvP experience, Bleeding Edge. The studio explained that the decision was made to further work on other projects that are still underway from Ninja Theory. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you planning to return to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice on Xbox Series consoles? Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is out now for PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X|S; playable via backwards compatibility for PlayStation 5.

The Falconeer Receives New Edge Of The World DLC

While Tomas Sala’s The Falconeer originally arrived to the Xbox platform as a showcased release for the new Xbox Series X & Xbox Series S consoles, the title eventually made its way to other systems since. With the original listing for ‘The Falconeer” Warrior Edition’, it revealed that PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5 are to expect the game. Additionally, Nintendo Switch was later included with the official reveal for the new version. Aside from the game being included for more platforms, developer Tomas Sala went on to work on post-launch content for the game. The first being ‘Atun’s Folly’, a new experience that opens more opportunity for players to explore and take on pirate adversaries. Recently, Tomas Sala unveiled another add-on for The Falconeer which shipped for Xbox systems. Unveiling ‘Edge of the World’, the new DLC for the game is said to be a new expansion to encapsulates many of what defines The Falconeer with more side missions and locations for players to take on. You can watch the release trailer in the video below: “So, with the new Edge of the World expansion, I wanted to focus on giving those players something new and interesting to explore. This new content literally expands the map and the world building that goes with it, leading you to spectacular new locations on the periphery of civilization,” Sala explains in the blog post. “There are a number of new side mission chains to be discovered that unlock the new content and locations, but the largest story is one that explores an entirely new faction of people called the Mongres. The Mongres are hinted upon in the base game. You will have been able to spot their trading vessels across the world since the previous update, and of course the Mongres Hunter and their Ormir drake mount is available as an existing DLC already. “Now, with the Edge of the World content, players will be able to visit a Mongres Mawspring, a city state beyond the reaches of the imperium, embedded in a literal hole in the ocean, not dissimilar and related to the Maw itself. The Mongres mawspring is an architecturally distinct location within the Ursee, and its people are fiercely independent, something which of course the rival factions would dearly like to change, especially because of their rich resources in gas and chemistry, valuable to the Imperial war machine.” Sala concludes the blog by disclosing ‘Edge of the World’ is to later be followed-up by a free update scheduled to arrive at a later date. What are you most excited about the new add-on for The Falconeer? The Falconeer is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. Source: Xbox Wire

Left 4 Dead Versus Campaign-like Mode is Not Coming To Back 4 Blood, Developer Confirms

Of course, the thirst for a new Left 4 Dead game is just months away from being quenched. More than a decade of waiting and original developer Turtle Rock Studios revealed Back 4 Blood: a modern successor which merges all the beloved attributes of the original Valve series and brings the experience to a new standard. Recently, some players are already sampling part of the game with early access to the coming open beta. Of course, the playtest is out for those that pre-ordered the game or managed to get hands on a code for the open beta. For the general public, players are to expected the floodgates to open wide coming this Thursday, August 12. Additionally, those on Xbox Game Pass are in for a treat as Back 4 Blood will be launching day one for the service at no additional cost to its monthly price tag. However, hopes that Back 4 Blood being a direct descendant of Left 4 Dead will be disappointed. One of the differing attributes that defines Back 4 Blood from Left 4 Dead is that the game will not feature a versus campaign mode, says Turtle Rock Studios’ Design Director Chris Ashton. “We do not have plans to have a campaign versus mode at this time,” the team wrote on its Discord FAQ for Back 4 Blood. Additionally, Ashton explained that the game offers different opportunities in its own right which qualified for the mode not to be included despite the amount of popularity that cultivated around Versus campaign. “We have a lot of defensive equipment and our specials are good at ambushing. Defending worked far better for our game than running from A-B.” Perhaps the choice to not include the mode might prove to be beneficial to the game rather than relying on nostalgia to fuel a spiritual successor. All in all, the team will show how effective the decision will be coming release later this fall. Are you upset there is no Versus Campaign in Back 4 Blood? Back 4 Blood arrives on October 12, 2021 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Source: Reddit

State Of Decay Team Undead Labs Next Xbox Studio To Pick Up Unreal Engine 5 In New Job Posting

While the team has been associated as the State of Decay developer, studio Undead Labs continues to work on the franchise as State of Decay 3 is in the development pipeline. Just last year, the firm unveiled the third in the series with a cinematic trailer, but, leaving out an estimated release window for the newest entry. But, the firm is also busy expanding its efforts at the time as well. Last March, Undead Labs announced to be opening a second division in New Orleans, Louisiana. While the developer appears to be branching out for more development manpower for its projects, the team did not disclose its anticipations for the New Orleans studio at the time. Notably, the firm did explain that it would stand as an entry point for unseasoned developers looking for a way into the industry. Now recently in a discovery over on Undead Labs job listings, it appears that the developer is the next Xbox Game Studios team to be adopting Unreal Engine 5. Just recently, it was discovered that Obsidian Entertainment is also pursuing new hires that is knowledgeable of the next Epic Games proprietary engine. “Collaborate with our Technical Sound Designer to implement audio through Blueprints (UE5),” one staple in the ‘Core Responsibilities’ reads for the Sound Designer job posting. Additionally, the separate ‘Bonus Traits’ does green light applicants that have ‘knowledge of Unreal Blueprints’ which by extension does coincide with familiarity with Unreal Engine 5 as well. Previously, developer The Coalition shared to be transitioning to Unreal Engine 5. The firm did state the move would hinder soon announcements as it begins working with the new engine suite. As a result, the firm last month posted two videos of its progress with test project ‘Alpha Point’ which is a good sign on the team’s current understanding. Elsewhere, developer Ninja Theory is also picking up Unreal Engine 5 as well. During an update on the coming Xbox first-party pipeline, Microsoft addressed that the newest Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II will be utilizing Unreal Engine 5. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you surprised by the new finding for Undead Labs? Source: Undead Labs

Obsidian Entertainment Appears To Be Adopting Unreal Engine 5 According To New Job Listing

In terms of upcoming operations over at Obsidian Entertainment, the developer is currently occupied with multiple projects. Namely titles include the 2020 announced Avowed – an open-world, RPG set within the universe of the Pillar of Eternity saga which is projected to launch sometime in 2022. Additionally, the firm is also on the way with a follow-up to The Outer Worlds as well. Back in June this year, Microsoft & Obsidian Entertainment unveiled The Outer Worlds 2. While only presenting a cinematic trailer for the title, it is uncertain when the game will arrive noting the lack of a provided release window. Atop of the announcement, there is speculation the sequel might be unique to Xbox as previous publisher Private Division confirms the next installment is being published by Microsoft prior to the reveal this summer. According to a new discovery over on Obsidian Entertainment’s job listings, it appears that the firm is adopting Unreal Engine 5 for its new projects. In that, the team asks for a Houdini Technical Artist and mentions its advancements for the new Epic Games proprietary engine is also expected for the candidate’s attributes as well. “Test and debug world-building issues in Houdini and Unreal Engine 4/5,” reads one bullet point from the ‘Responsibilities’ list on the job posting. Elsewhere on the listing under the ‘Pluses’ category asks, but does not require the applicant for “an understanding of the material editor in Unreal Engine, as well as an understanding of new features coming in UE5” also. This is not the first instance of an Xbox Game Studios team grasping towards Unreal Engine 5. Just last month, developer The Coalition presented two rendered videos of its first beginnings with the new engine. You can read the full report by heading here. What are you most excited about Obsidian Entertainment starting to transition to Unreal Engine 5? Source: Obsidian Entertainment

Microsoft Announces Gamescom Xbox Livestream For Later This August, To Feature Updates On Anticipated First-Party Titles

So far this year, Microsoft has effectively established itself leading forward for its platform namely thanks to its performance during E3 earlier in June. During that, the Xbox company and its presentation proved to be one of the most fulfilling showcases that week in contrast to other firms attending. Atop of the following Xbox Games Showcase Extended shortly after, fans were hungry for more on what’s next for Xbox in terms of games and more. As to what is next for the content pipeline, the firm will be present at Gamescom later in August. Previously, organizers for the German event announced that the show will be held in a digital apparatus, however, it will not withhold the impact on information being projected. Later, GAME released a full list of attendees including developers and publishers that will be presenting at the show later this month. In a new announcement, Microsoft is to host a Gamescom Livestream during that week which is to follow-up on anticipated first-party releases already on the way. August is always a very special time for us at Team Xbox. This time of the year we would normally pack our stuff and meet our fans and community in Cologne, Germany at gamescom. This year, however, gamescom will be a 100% virtual experience that you can tune in to from all over the world. The good news is that Xbox will be at gamescom 2021 and you can join with your very own front-row seat as we share the latest updates and gameplay for some of the biggest games coming soon to Xbox. You’ll get in-depth updates from some of our previously announced Xbox Game Studios titles alongside some of our third-party partners, including some of the incredible titles coming to Xbox this holiday, upcoming releases to our monthly subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, and much more. Sandro Odak, Xbox DACH Community Lead Microsoft in addition to the livestream during Gamescom also announces a digitalized Xbox Fanfest is to be held as well for signed users will be held. “We’re happy to announce that we will be hosting a gamescom special edition Xbox FanFest this year – an activity that has had a long tradition during the in person show.” Recently, Microsoft also announced to be hosting its second installment of /Twitchgaming/ID@Xbox Showcase for later this week. The presentations is said to be held on August 10 this Tuesday. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you excited for Gamescom this month? Gamescom Xbox 2021 Stream goes live on August 24, 2021 at 10 AM PST/1 PM EST. Source: Xbox Wire