Gaming is the most popular hobby and form of entertainment with advanced graphics, intriguing storylines, and multiplayer capabilities; it’s easy to get sucked into a virtual world for hours on end. However, to access premium features, new levels, special items, and more, to purchase in-game currency. Instead of breaking your immersion to track down a credit card or gift card, you top up your game account balance in just a few quick clicks.

Choose your game service

Online games are tied to a particular gaming service these days. For PC games, the most common ones are Steam, Origin, Uplay, Battle.net, Epic Games Store, and GOG Galaxy. On consoles like Xbox and PlayStation, you would top up your Xbox Live or PlayStation Network account. Mobile games run through the App Store or Google Play. Figure out which gaming service your go-to game runs on before trying to add funds.

Check your balance 

Before adding more currency, check what your current balance is first. There’s no sense adding $20 if you still have $15 left over from your last top-up session. Log in to your gaming platform dashboard and view your wallet or account balance page. Make a note of how much usable currency you still have. If the amount is getting low, it’s probably time to add more funds.

Pick a top up amount

Gaming platforms let you choose how much in-game currency you want to purchase. Some have preset amounts like $10, $20, or $50 or let you enter a custom amount. Think about how soon you will use the currency and whether any specials or sales are coming up top up gim. There is often a bonus when you top up a larger amount like $100. Just don’t add too much otherwise your balance will sit there unused.

Enter your payment details

This step is the most time-consuming part of topping up your game account. To make it faster, try having a payment method already linked to your gaming platform account. Most will let you safely store a PayPal account, credit card, or gift card to use for future purchases. If you already have one configured from a previous purchase, the platform will automatically grab those details at checkout. Alternatively, you might have the option to top up your balance without creating an account at all. In this case, make sure you have a payment card or gift card number handy before you start the process. Platforms like Steam even let you complete your purchase in-game without having to exit or lose progress.

Follow the top instructions

Each gaming platform has a slightly different process to add currency, but the general steps are the same. You will choose the top-up value first, either from preset amounts or a custom value. Next, pick your payment method if you have not already linked one. It might be a prompt to log into a linked account like PayPal or to enter a new card or gift card number.

Finally, confirm all the details – amount to top up, payment method, and account balance it is going into. There is usually an opportunity to change anything that looks incorrect before you finalize the purchase. Once confirmed as correct enter any security codes or prompts as required. After a few quick verification checks, your top-up amount will instantly be credited to your game account.