Cory Michael doesnt recall the exact moment he realized he could make a living playing video games.

Four years ago, he started streaming his game sessions and commentary on the internet as a hobby.

With that kind of audience, Twitch accepted his partnership software and agreed to pay him to play.

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When the video game Destiny came out, his channel blew up.

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Your metrics are going down when youre not on.

And the game youll usually find him playing when you tune in?

Twitch also splits a portion of the pre-roll video ads that play before viewers can watch the stream.

He also takes a moment to give a shout-out to his long-time supporters.

His 29 million total views and the daily viewer numbers make, Michaels a mid-tier channel.

Compare that to a Twitch streamer like 27-year-old Tyler Blevins, akaNinja.

And thats not counting tips and pre-roll ad revenue.

You cant plan a path for success on Twitch, according to Michael.

Streamers can grind for years before they get their moment in the spotlight, if it ever arrives.

Then theres a constant fight to stay relevant and retain an audience.

Cory was a server and manager while Samantha went to nursing school and waited tables at night.

Those out-of-sync work schedules made it difficult to raise two kids and make ends meet.

During his spare time, Cory played video games.

One of his friends, who was already streaming on YouTube, suggested he give it a shot.

Cory and Samantha talked about his desire to stream on Twitch full time.

It was just something he was passionate about and he really enjoyed, says Samantha, 29.

It was just one of those leaps of faith, like, OK, here we go.

No loss if it didnt work out.

Preparing for Life After Streaming

Popularity on Twitch is a very fickle thing.

Thats why hes already preparing for life after Twitch.

Michael and four business partners started a coffee company in September.

Because of their combined internet following, it has been in the black since day one.

The venture is part of Michaels long-term plan to rely on businesses other than game-streaming for his primary income.

Relevancy [on Twitch] is something thats really stressful to constantly fight for, he says.

Matt Reinstetle is a former staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.

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