Camming is about providing a space for users to unwind, relax and have fun online. It’s about performing for your fans and helping them to take their minds off their everyday lives. For me, playing games with the chat room is the easiest and most fun way to entertain fans.
I love to cosplay, play video games, play literally any game and hang out with my fans online. Over several years of camming on Chaturbate, I have learned some valuable lessons on how to engage fans with games and get them tipping. From DIY balloon games to apps and bots, there are many ways you can gamify your room to get users engaged.
If I ever need new game ideas, I’ll research party games online and adapt them for my cam room. I’ll see how I can make it sexy or fun so it works for me and my users.
WHY HOST GAMES?
Whether you identify as a gamer or not, everyone loves to play games. Games offer thrills, as well as a sense of accomplishment and mastery. You don’t even need an elaborate video game set-up or an expensive board game. My trick to get users to start playing a game is to make sure they always win in some fashion. No matter the token amount involved, there will always be a prize for playing, like getting me naked, doing something sexy or touching myself — and who doesn’t want to win that? Games get people to unwind and loosen up, and help get shy users out of their shell and interacting with the room.
BALLOON GAMES
It’s easy to create your own games at home with materials as simple as balloons, confetti and paper. in one of my favorite games, I will have a ton of inflated balloons behind me, each filled with confetti and a note with the prize written on it. Sometimes I’ll have a variety of balloon sizes based on the token amount and prize. I’ll have a tip menu with the balloon prices, and when someone tips for one, I physically pop the balloon and confetti will explode everywhere, and then I’ll announce the prize. It’s cheap and easy to get balloons and paper, and fans love to watch the “funfetti” explode. I started doing balloon shows when I first started camming, and still do them to this day.
GREEN LIGHT, RED LIGHT
Green light, red light — like in “Squid Game,” only less bloody — is a super-easy game to play in your room without purchasing anything. The basic premise is that members can tip to make you start and stop masturbating. Choose two token amounts that are close together, like 10 tokens to stop and 11 tokens to go; then users can tip you anytime during your show. It's hilarious when you are about to cum and someone makes you stop. It can turn into a fun game of edging, and your room can watch you struggle as you keep stopping and starting.
PLAYING DICE
Dice games are another fun way to get your shows going for little to no cost. I have a 20-sided die I play with and will set prizes for each side. Users can tip for a dice roll, and then whatever it lands on, I have to do. This is a great example of fans always winning. No one wants to waste their tokens on a roll if they aren’t going to win, and it’s easier to get them engaged when they know they will get some type of show if they play. You can do this with a normal six-sided die or even with apps and bots on certain platforms that will roll dice for you virtually.
VIDEO GAMES
Video games are another way to engage with your fans and get the conversation going. When I first started camming, instead of sitting in my cam room bored waiting for someone to tip or interact with me, I would just play video games on cam. This was a great conversation starter as users would start suggesting what moves I should make, asking about what other games I play and more. Using Open Broadcaster Software, you can livestream a game to your cam room while you are playing it. Sometimes I’ll put a Lush bullet vibe in while I’m gaming so users can watch me try to game while it vibrates. Or I’ll even play a game where I have to listen to the directions from my cam room so if they tell me to go left in the game, I go left. Just make sure you familiarize yourself with camming platform rules that may prohibit secondary streams for compliance, as different sites have different rules.
FINDING NEW GAMES
There are so many ways you can play games with your cam room. The trick is just to get creative. If I ever need new game ideas, I’ll research party games online and adapt them for my cam room. I’ll see how I can make it sexy or fun so it works for me and my users. I’ll also watch other broadcasters’ shows and get inspiration from them. Of course, every cam model is going to do a cam show differently, so borrow ideas from others but make it your own. I’ll also look for inspiration for new games in my own life and what I enjoy doing. I love to draw so I play Pictionary with my fans. Think about what makes you happy and apply that to a cam game.
ASK FOR FEEDBACK
When I come up with a new game idea, I ask my fans directly if they are interested in playing it. I create a poll on Twitter with a description of the games and ask everyone to vote. I’ll then post on Snapchat or Instagram for people to go to my Twitter and vote so I get a response from everyone. This is a great way to get feedback directly from your users before you put time and effort into introducing a new game.
At the end of the day, camming should be fun. And what’s more fun than having a job where you get to play games all day and earn a living? Literally nothing! You should always be excited to get online with your fans. Games are a great way to achieve that, by creating a cam room that you enjoy, where everyone gets to laugh and have fun together.
Crystal Rivers has been camming for seven years and focuses on cosplaying, video games, fetish play and more. She can be followed on Twitter (@Crystal69Rivers), Chaturbate.com/ Crystal69Doll, Peach.com/CrystalRivers and OnlyFans.com/Crystal69Rivers.