Game, Stream, Earn: How much do top gamers make?

Raj 'Snax' Verma recently bought his first 3 BHK apartment—not with a desk job or family wealth, but through gaming. The 24-year-old from Hyderabad grew up in a middle-class household, sharing rooms and wearing hand-me-down clothes. Today, with over 2 million YouTube subscribers and 1.1 million Instagram followers, Raj has turned his passion into a career.

While most entry-level engineers in India earn Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 a month, Raj makes much more doing what he loves. Gaming gave him not just a livelihood, but the pride of buying a home his younger self could barely imagine.

A former esports athlete who represented India at the PUBG Mobile World League, Snax is now a key member of S8UL, one of India’s top gaming organisations. His journey has helped him buy a dream bike, a new car, and meet his idol Virat Kohli through brand partnerships.

Interestingly, Snax is not the only gamer with such an inspiring journey. Reetu Slathia, also known as Blackbird, is a Jammu-based homemaker who streams her gameplay on platforms like Rooter, and has amassed over 5 lakh followers. Reetu, whose journey began with her son introducing her to the world of gaming, now earns over Rs 1.2 lakh annually. 

So, how did these gamers make all this money?

Snax has been streaming regularly on YouTube, often going live once or even twice a day for 3 to 5 hours at a stretch. A major part of his income during these live sessions comes from super chats — where viewers donate anywhere between Rs 100 to over Rs 1,000. The other source of income is via channel memberships. Snax’s YouTube channel offers two membership tiers: Rs 59 per month and Rs 3,999 (also monthly) for exclusive content streamed only for members.

Beyond YouTube monetisation, a large part of Snax’s revenue comes from brand partnerships. S8UL, the esports company managing Snax, facilitates collaborations for him with major brands like the collab with Meta for the Sachin event in the metaverse, another with Star Sports during the Cricket World Cup 2023 and IPL, Amazon, Red Bull India for the Soap Box Race, Gold Medal India, Royal Challenge Packaged Drinking Water, and Intel India, where he was named a gaming ambassador.

For creators like Snax, earning through gaming isn’t limited to one source. It involves a mix of brand deals, community support, and regular content. These combined efforts helped him reach a point where he could buy his first home.

“Building my own house is a dream I’ve had for a long time. This isn’t just my home, it’s a gift to my family who’s supported me from day one,” Snax said. 

“From sharing rooms to now having a space of my own, it feels special. S8UL has been a big part of this journey, not just as a team but as a family that believed in me. I’m thankful for all the love and support that got me here. This is just the beginning. Every brick in this house reminds me of the hustle behind it. I hope it inspires others to chase their dreams, just like I did.”

Gamers’ Era

India now boasts around 590 million gamers across platforms, including mobile, PC, and consoles — a surge from the approximately 300 million less than two years ago. Mobile gaming dominates with nearly 97% market share, making India the world’s second-largest mobile gaming market by downloads.

The economic impact is significant: the online gaming market, valued at about Rs 23,000 crore (US $2.8 billion) in 2023, is projected to grow to Rs 66,000 crore (US $7.6 billion) by 2028 — a CAGR of 14–15%. Real-money gaming will dominate revenue, while in-app purchases will see the fastest growth.

By 2025, the number of paid gamers—those making in-app purchases or playing real-money games—is expected to triple from 80 million (2020) to approximately 235 million.

Indian gaming YouTubers earn primarily through ads (CPV/CPM) and live streams. Average CPMs (cost per thousand views) in India remain low—about US $0.40–$0.50—unless the channel secures international viewers. 

They receive direct income from in-stream donations, ad shares, sponsorships, and platform subscriptions. Casual gamers and mid-tier streamers can earn INR 40,000–75,000 per month, while top esports professionals report incomes of up to INR 1–1.5 lakh/month .

Total Gaming (Ajju Bhai)

YouTube Rank: 1st | Subscribers: 44.8 M

Instagram Rank: 2nd | Followers: 6.4M

Ajendra Variya, popularly known as Ajju Bhai of Total Gaming, is the biggest name in Indian gaming, with a YouTube subscriber base larger than many Bollywood stars. His Free Fire content continues to attract over a million views per video, targeting a young, male audience aged 18–24. On Instagram, where he maintains an impressive 13% engagement rate, he shares character updates, visual reels, and interactive posts with fans. While he keeps his identity low-profile (last year he revealed his face), his digital footprint speaks for itself—regional appeal, mass engagement, and strong brand potential. He commands Rs 18-20 lakhs per collab, according to an agency report. 

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Nischay Malhan (Triggered Insaan)

YouTube Rank: 2nd | Subscribers: 24.3M

Instagram Rank: 1st | Followers: 11.1M

One of the few creators excelling across formats, Nischay Malhan blends gaming, roasting, and relatable humor in both long and short formats. On YouTube, he consistently pulls in 9.5 million views per video, while on Instagram, his combination of memes, gaming clips, and life updates has earned him the top rank. With a 6% engagement rate and a loyal Gen Z fan base, Nischay exemplifies what multi-format storytelling looks like in India’s creator landscape. His ability to balance comedy with gameplay makes him brand-safe and audience-favorite at once. His collaborations cost around Rs 25 Lakh. 

Mythpat (Mithilesh Patankar)

YouTube Rank: 3rd | Subscribers: 16.5M

Instagram Rank: 5th | Followers: 3.8M

Mithilesh Patankar, or Mythpat, has carved a niche with his comic takes on Minecraft, GTA, and trending pop culture formats. His YouTube content is widely viewed across India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, pulling in an average of 2.3 million views per video. On Instagram, he supplements his gaming persona with cosplay, meme content, and regional humor that appeals strongly to Hindi-speaking audiences. His mix of entertainment and satire helps him stand out in a sea of gameplay-heavy creators. His brand collaborations cost around Rs 10 lakhs.

Lokesh Gamer

YouTube Rank: 4th | Subscribers: 16.4M

Instagram Rank: 4th | Followers: 7.1M

Lokesh Raj, known as Lokesh Gamer, is a Free Fire creator from Telangana whose content leans heavily on short, fast-paced clips, giveaways, and community shoutouts. While his YouTube views are moderate, his consistency and relatability keep his large subscriber base engaged. On Instagram, his short reels and high-frequency updates help maintain strong visibility with a 5.4% engagement rate. His appeal lies in simplicity—no over-production, just direct engagement with fans.

Payal Dhare (Payal Gaming)

Instagram Rank: 3rd | Followers: 4.1M

A standout in a male-dominated field, Payal Dhare brings a refreshing voice to India’s gaming scene. While not in the top YouTube 5, she has a strong digital presence, especially on Instagram where she maintains a high 15.5% engagement rate—the highest on this list. Known for her Valorant streams, reaction videos, and gaming lifestyle content, Payal blends gaming with confidence and relatability. Her rise is a signal that gender diversity in Indian gaming content is no longer a rarity. She demands approximately 7 lakh for brand collaborations, according to agency reports. 

Assassins ARMY

YouTube Rank: 5th | Subscribers: 12.9M

This channel may be absent on Instagram’s top rankings, but on YouTube, Assassins ARMY maintains a steady fan base, especially in Bangladesh, Nepal, and India. The creator Nayan Shelke focuses on fast-paced gameplay, mobile titles, and high-volume posting, attracting an audience that prefers frequency and action over polish. Their reach shows the growing demand for regional and accessible content.

Creators like Total Gaming, Triggered Insaan, and Payal Gaming are not only pulling millions of views but also commanding premium brand deals, community loyalty, and cultural influence. Whether it's YouTube’s monetisation through livestreams and memberships or Instagram’s short-form engagement, these platforms have given Indian creators the tools to scale their reach and income.

The numbers tell one story—but behind them are creators who’ve turned passion into livelihood. As India’s gaming ecosystem matures, it is clear: this is just the beginning.