How Gaming Websites Make Money Without Charging You
Most big gaming sites stay free using ads, affiliate links (Amazon, Best Buy, GMG), and sponsorships—not paywalls.
We’re doing the same, plus our Play & Support actions right on our site, which can earn dollars per supporter (not pennies per view).
Last updated: 2025-10-25
Why Play & Support Helps Us Punch Above Our Weight
Ads usually pay about pennies per view. Play & Support actions can pay dollars per participant.
- 1,000 readers see a post → ads alone might earn $7–$12.
- If just 2% (20 people) complete a Play & Support action averaging $3, that’s about $60 from the same audience.
- Result: more per user without charging anyone to enjoy the Lounge.
Examples of “Free to Read” Gaming Sites
Ordered from lowest → highest by conservative monthly revenue estimates. All rely primarily on ads, affiliate links, and sponsorships (no reader paywalls).
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1) GoNintendo — Nintendo news blog (small)
How it earns: display ads + occasional affiliate posts.
Topics: Daily Nintendo headlines, rumors, patch notes, quick takes.
Est. monthly visitors: ~0.5–1.0M
Est. monthly revenue: $6k–$11k
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2) Retrododo — retro & handheld buyer guides (small)
How it earns: ads + affiliate-heavy guides (handhelds, accessories).
Topics: Retro handhelds, modding, emulation guides, “best X” lists.
Est. monthly visitors: ~1.0–2.0M
Est. monthly revenue: $7k–$15k
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3) Time Extension — retro history/features (small–mid)
How it earns: ads; some affiliate on retro gear.
Topics: Retrogaming histories, interviews, preservation, features.
Est. monthly visitors: ~0.3–0.7M
Est. monthly revenue: $12k–$22k
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4) My Nintendo News — fast Nintendo headlines (small–mid)
How it earns: ads + some affiliate on hardware/software.
Topics: Rapid-fire Nintendo news, trailers, event recaps.
Est. monthly visitors: ~1.5–2.5M
Est. monthly revenue: $22k–$37k
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5) PCGamingWiki — PC fixes & tweak guides (mid)
How it earns: steady ad impressions across “how to fix it” pages (less affiliate).
Topics: Compatibility tables, bug fixes, ini tweaks, controller support.
Est. monthly visitors: ~2–4M
Est. monthly revenue: $33k–$56k
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6) Gematsu — fast Japanese/console news (mid)
How it earns: ads; occasional affiliate around announcements/hardware.
Topics: JRPG/console announcements, ratings leaks, release dates.
Est. monthly visitors: ~3–5M
Est. monthly revenue: $42k–$72k
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7) Push Square — PlayStation-only site (mid)
How it earns: ads + affiliate on PS hardware/games; strong niche authority.
Topics: PS5 news, guides, reviews, trophy help, deals.
Est. monthly visitors: ~5–8M
Est. monthly revenue: $60k–$100k
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8) Pocket Tactics — mobile/strategy guides (mid)
How it earns: ads + affiliate across phones, tablets, accessories, and games.
Topics: Gacha/build guides, tier lists, mobile RPG/strategy coverage.
Est. monthly visitors: ~4–7M
Est. monthly revenue: $75k–$130k
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9) Shacknews — long-running news & community (mid)
How it earns: display/video ads, some affiliate posts, events/community sponsorships.
Topics: General gaming news, livestreams, communities (Chatty), events.
Est. monthly visitors: ~3–6M
Est. monthly revenue: $80k–$140k
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10) Rock Paper Shotgun — PC games & guides (mid)
How it earns: ads + affiliate buyer’s guides; long-form reviews and how-tos.
Topics: PC reviews, guides, indies, opinion pieces.
Est. monthly visitors: ~6–10M
Est. monthly revenue: $100k–$170k
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11) VG247 — general news & guides (mid–large)
How it earns: ads, affiliate roundups, sponsorships.
Topics: Multi-platform news, how-tos, seasonal live-service guides.
Est. monthly visitors: ~8–12M
Est. monthly revenue: $110k–$190k
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12) Nintendo Life — Nintendo news/reviews (mid–large)
How it earns: ads + strong affiliate on Switch hardware/games.
Topics: Switch reviews, guides, indie highlights, eShop roundups.
Est. monthly visitors: ~10–15M
Est. monthly revenue: $120k–$210k
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13) Eurogamer — reviews, features, tech breakdowns (mid–large)
How it earns: ads via a large ad stack, affiliate in guides, sponsorships.
Topics: Reviews, DF-style tech analysis, features, news.
Est. monthly visitors: ~8–12M
Est. monthly revenue: $120k–$200k
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14) PC Gamer — PC hardware & game guides (large-ish)
How it earns: ads plus heavy affiliate commerce (buyer’s guides, “best X” lists).
Topics: PC gaming news, hardware roundups, how-to guides, reviews.
Est. monthly visitors: ~12–20M
Est. monthly revenue: $130k–$230k
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15) TheGamer (Valnet) — lists, guides, entertainment (large)
How it earns: scaled ad inventory + affiliate-friendly listicles; branded campaigns.
Topics: High-volume guides, entertainment lists, fandom news.
Est. monthly visitors: ~20–35M
Est. monthly revenue: $224k–$383k
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16) Polygon (Valnet) — features, culture, guides (large)
How it earns: ads, affiliate commerce, branded content.
Topics: Culture/features, reviews, entertainment, guides.
Est. monthly visitors: ~20–35M
Est. monthly revenue: $290k–$490k
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17) Game Rant (Valnet) — high-volume guides/lists (very large)
How it earns: lots of ad inventory + affiliate at scale.
Topics: SEO-driven game guides, lists, trending entertainment.
Est. monthly visitors: ~40–70M
Est. monthly revenue: $630k–$1.1M
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18) GameSpot (Fandom) — huge franchise coverage (very large)
How it earns: heavy display/video ads via a large network, affiliate, sponsored hubs.
Topics: AAA coverage, reviews, guides, big event hubs, deals.
Est. monthly visitors: ~35–60M
Est. monthly revenue: $600k–$1.0M
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19) IGN (Ziff Davis) — category leader (huge)
How it earns: massive display/video ads, IGN Deals affiliate, sponsorships/events.
Topics: Everything: news, reviews, guides, movies/TV, deals, events.
Est. monthly visitors: ~90–150M
Est. monthly revenue: $1.7M–$3.0M
Read & share our posts, and if you’re grabbing gear anyway, use our links or Play & Support. No paywall—just simple ways to help.