Just a decade ago, boosting services were a rare sight, which only a few enlightened enthusiasts knew about. Now, the niche has outgrown its initial purpose, turning into an entire business model for university students and pro gamers. Tired of constantly coming up against obscenely stronger players and needing help? Then, getting assistance from a booster is the quickest way to deal with the challenge. But how much does it really cost, and is it enough for boosters to make a living? We talked to pro-gaming experts at Skycoach and players who use their services about how boosting stacks up in the new age of the digital and gaming entrepreneurship world:
What is Boosting?
From regaining your ranking position in League of Legends to WoW power leveling, this type of service has earned controversial fame. Still, it has become increasingly prevalent among game enthusiasts who use it to measure player skill.
The Basics of Boosting
Boosting is a service where skilled players, or “boosters,” play for beginners or busy players who don’t have the time. The end goal is to reach a certain level or rank in a short period. To achieve this, the booster logs into your account and levels the character to the desired level or ranking.
The Process and Goals
When placing orders, buyers typically decide on a target rank or rating they want to achieve. The booster then takes over the account and plays matches until they reach that predetermined goal. The process can take from a few hours to several days, depending on the current rank and the desired outcome.
Why People Use boosting
You might wonder why players would opt for this service. Some reasons include:
- Frustration with their current rank
- Desire to play with higher-ranked friends
- Unlocking rank-specific rewards or cosmetics
- Improving their perceived skill level in the gaming community
The Controversy
While boosting can provide quick results, it’s important to note that many game developers and communities consider it cheating. It can disrupt fair play, create unbalanced matches, and potentially violate the terms of service for many games. As a result, using boosting services often comes with the risk of account suspension or banning.
How Much Do Boosters Make?
Boosting is still a growing niche, but some game fans have already turned it into a lucrative business. Whether you take it as a side hustle or a main job, it has a large earning potential. Here’s how much digital athletes can earn on average:
Entry-Level Earnings
For those just starting, boosting can provide a decent side income. Newcomers might earn anywhere from $500 to $1,000 per month, depending on their skill level and the time they invest. This can be an attractive proposition for gamers looking to monetize their passion.
Mid-Tier Boosters
Mid-tier boosters provide the best value for money because they usually strive to win consistently. Meanwhile, they keep their price tags at relatively low levels, which is often attractive for the average boost buyer.
“It’s not just about grinding ranks – I can easily pull in $2-3K monthly as a full-time pro player. I have a lot of student friends who regularly snag a few hundred bucks in their free time doing orders on SkyCoach”, says Jamie, a UK university student and part-time booster.
Top-Tier Specialists
However, real money lies at the top of the food chain. Good boosters, particularly those specializing in high orders, can rake in between $2,000 and $4,000 monthly. These elite players are often in high demand, commanding premium rates for their services.
Factors Affecting Income
It’s crucial to note that these figures are not definitive and represent potential earnings based on the current market demand. Moreover, boosters often vary in individual performance and may show different outcomes based on the competition. Here’s a full list of the factors that can influence a booster’s earnings:
- Skill level and win rate
- Specialization in high-demand rankings
- Hours invested
- Platform reputation and client reviews
What Are the Risks of Boosting
While there’s an increasing demand for boosting services, they still remain in a gray area of uncertainty. In most cases, players and boosters risk being penalized from playing their favorite games. But there are certainly more factors to it:
Compromising Account Security and Integrity
Engaging in boosting requires handing over one’s account credentials. In most cases, boosters are undoxxed, which poses significant risks to the buyers’ security. Such cases are specifically prevalent in platforms with low or mediocre reputations and a high percentage of negative user feedback. Potential dangers may include identity theft or unauthorized purchases. Sometimes, boosters might resort to using cheats or scripts, which could result in your account being flagged or permanently banned by the game developers.
Disrupting Game Balance and Fairness
Since boosting involves pro players, it can severely impact others’ overall gaming experience. Playing at a skill level that’s significantly lower than your actual abilities can create an unfair advantage that can disrupt the game balance. The following can lead to frustration and decreased enjoyment for everyone involved. Even worse, some boosters may engage in toxic behavior or flame other players in chat, further degrading the gaming environment and risking account penalties.
Skill Discrepancy and Psychological Impact
In the end, after boosting your account, you play at a level higher than what you are used to. The sudden increased difficulty might get frustratingly stressful and result in a streak of losses, negating the entire boosting procedure. This would have a depressing effect on the player, as he may feel he is underperforming constantly in games due to pressurizing conditions. You might get hassled or harassed by teammates who, because of your inflated ranking, expect a high degree of performance out of you.
Long-term Consequences for the Gaming Community
boosting is not limited to individual accounts, which poses wider ramifications for the gaming platform. The more players turn to such services, the lesser the sanctity of the ranking system. Consequently, fewer players give credit to players who complete the various milestones genuinely. This is often the reason for the eventual loss of faith in the competitive feature of the game. Ultimately, it’s a repellent for serious-minded players who enjoy fair play.
Why do customers buy boosting?
Despite the general controversy surrounding boosting, it’s still a popular service for players looking to save on time and effort. But what drives game enthusiasts to seek out help from pros? Here are the main reasons behind this growing trend:
Rapid Rank Advancement
You’ve probably experienced the frustration of being stuck in a particular rank despite your best efforts. This is where boosting comes in. By hiring a skilled booster, you can rapidly ascend through the ranks, bypassing the time-consuming grind that often accompanies ranking up. This quick progression allows you to reach your desired rank much faster than you might through solo play.
Securing Season Rewards
“Most die-hard game fans literally crave to make their champs stand out from the crowd with the latest skins, so they come looking for help,” says Dmitriy, a LoL booster from Ukraine.
Indeed, many modern online games have built economic models revolving around seasons and seasonal rewards. The latter are usually available only to players who have obtained a certain rank by the end of the specified period. Of course, all those skins, emotes, and titles are status symbols, and boosting is the quickest way to secure them.
Avoiding the Ranking Grind
Let’s face it: ranking up is always a chore, and we don’t always have the time or patience to do it. Countless hours of gameplay, toxicity from teammates, and frustrating losing streaks are just a few things involved. Sometimes, wants to deal with this grind and instead looks for shortcuts. boosting skips you right to the end, saving you from the stressful journey that might be ahead. Ultimately, you get to enjoy playing at your desired rank, minus the annoying part.
Final Thoughts
Undoubtedly, boosting has massive potential when it comes to making a living. If you’re a true pro, you might even make a small fortune, even though your exact income can vary greatly depending on factors like experience, hours worked, etc. One thing is sure – those who master the craft of boosting can easily pull in six-figure income in less than a year! Of course, boosting has ethical concerns and risks, and game developers are always trying to prevent and punish “cheaters”. If you’re already considering the option, you must carefully weigh all factors that come along with this type of digital service. Good or bad – being a booster is surely a job to love doing!
