I think it’s safe to say that the gaming industry has moved on to become one of the biggest leaders in the field of entertainment. Between A-List actors joining video games to lend their voices and sometimes their image to the game characters, larger than life video game worlds that are open to explore, and state of the art graphics that make these games look more realistic with each and every new technological development, it’s no wonder why gaming has become a big part of our civilization.

One of the things that comes with that level of success is increased prices, more equipment needed to play these games and more time spent in these gaming worlds overall. With all of these factors playing against gamers, sometimes people just need to find shortcuts or easier ways of going about things. Whether that involves renting games rather than buying them outright, or finding ways to organize your various gaming equipment and storage within the gaming console you own, or even finding ways to save money by using one piece of equipment for multiple purposes, gamers around the world are constantly looking for the latest hacks to help them get an edge in their everyday gaming lives.

That’s why today we are going to take a hard look at 30 DIY Gaming Hacks that will improve any gamer’s life. From simple money saving solutions to gameplay hacks and more, these options are going to make gaming life so much simpler and give gamers more time to enjoy the games themselves.

30 Unusual Cord Storage

via Make Magazine

If you are a hard core gamer with either multiple consoles or devices, you know how difficult it can be to keep track of all the cords these devices come with. Keeping them organized is key to a relatively organized gaming experience. Some gamers have found that by using the paper rolls that paper towels or toilet paper come with, they can store their cords into these rolls. As strange as it is, it helps keep these cords organized and untangled from one another.

29 Racing Wheel Hack

via htxt.africa

For hardcore racing game fans, buying a separate add-on device that mimics a car wheel can be quite the expensive purchase. If you simply can’t afford it or are trying to save a bit of cash, there is a way to play these racing games using only your mouse and a stool.

Adjust the sensitivity on your game, put your gaming mouse onto the stool, and watch as every turn of the stool begins to control your car in the game.

28 Charging PS4 Controller With Android Charger

via YouTube (My Mate VINCE)

Yes, you read that right. Android users can charge their PS4 controllers using the same cord as their phone charger. So many times gamers will lose this important cord that keeps your PS4 charged and usable.

Yet if you own an Android smartphone device, you can just plug the USB into the PS4 and charge your controller or even your phone that way. It’s a pretty nifty little hack, and comes in handy in a pinch when you need more juice for that controller.

27 Headsets On The Banana Stand

via Giant Bomb

No, that’s not an Arrested Development joke. We mean it literally. Most gamers usually just toss their gaming headsets on the coffee table or couch when they are finished playing their game. This can put a lot of wear and tear on the headset as time goes on. If you want to keep your headset functioning and in good condition, buy a banana stand with a hook and hang the headset from there. It’ll look clean and organized, and keep the headset functioning properly.

26 Faster Load Time On Nintendo Switch

via Polygon

While not all gamers experience this, some Nintendo Switch gamers have noticed some core games load a bit slower on the console. When searching for a way to improve this, one gamer discovered that by storing the game onto the console’s internal memory base rather than an SD card or standard Game Card, the game loaded about 5 seconds faster than the other gaming options. Just a tip in case you are in a hurry to play your Nintendo Switch.

25 Zip Tie Cords

via Lifehacker

If you are looking for a less strange way of keeping your cords organized, then I have the solution for you. Invest in some zip ties. Using the zip ties, keep your cords not only organized, but untangled from one another. You’ll have to be prepared to cut off the zip tie when using the cord and then secure it with a new one once finished, but this is well worth the effort as it will keep all your cords organized.

24 Free Digital Games

via Windows Central

One thing that gamers, (especially households with multiple gamers), will benefit from is the ability to get free digital games. In order to accomplish this, you will need to have at least 2 of the same console, like an Xbox One. If one gamer purchases a game, let’s say Destiny 2, and then another gamer in that same household wants to play the game as well or play Co-Op, then the first gamer can sign-in to the other gamer’s console, and via the cloud based purchase system, download the game onto that console, allowing both gamers to play together at the same time. It’s not a bad idea, considering how expensive these games can get.

23 Install More Games Onto NES Classic

via CNet

One of the more popular gaming devices released in recent years by Nintendo has to be the NES Classic. This game console was a miniature version of the NES that came with 30 built in games.

However, there was no option to download or add additional games to the NES Classic. That said, gamers discovered a way to bring more of the NES Classic games to that console (and to the SNES Classic.) You can read the step-by-step guide on this hack here.

22 Play Nintendo On PSP

via YouTube (Mega Cotidiano)

Yes, this might seem a bit strange, but it’s actually a big reason the PSP never took off the way Sony hoped. You see, as great as a handheld PlayStation console was, the system itself was really easy for hackers to get into, allowing piracy to run rampant.

One gamer actually discovered a way to download Nintendo and SEGA games onto the device using a simple drag and drop folder option. You can read a step-by-step guide on this here.

21 Save PS4 Controller’s Battery Life

via PlayStation 4 - WonderHowTo

Another great hack for PlayStation gamers comes in the form of the console’s controllers. No gamer wants to be tied down by that very short cord the controller comes with. Yet the lights on the controller drain the controller’s battery life very quickly. So what’s a gamer to do? Your controller can have the light dimmed in the controller settings. While you can’t turn them off completely, by dimming the light and perhaps turning off secondary audio altogether, you can save the batter of your controller.

20 Customize Console Gaming Controllers

via Xbox

One thing that often can be frustrating to gamers is when a developer creates their game with a strange or awkward placement for the actions in the game in comparison to the console’s controller. This is most evident for PS4 and Xbox One gamers.

However these gamers can get around this nuisance by using the console’s internal controller mapping system. Just head into your console’s settings and look for the controller section of those settings. It’s a bit annoying to go back and forth between the console and game settings, but it helps when you have a control preference in mind.

19 Set Up Japanese Gaming Account On Nintendo Switch

via BGR.com

This might seem a bit complicated, but stick with me here. As opposed to the PlayStation Store settings, which require specific addresses to set up an account in another country, the Nintendo Switch is fairly simple. If you wish to access the Japanese Nintendo Store, all you have to do is set up another account with an email and region of preference. The best part is you can have multiple accounts on one Switch device, making it simple to switch back and forth between gaming profiles.

18 PS4 App Hack

via Stuff

While most PS4 gamers use voice chat when playing with other gamers, there are certain times when only text can be used. This makes it difficult to type out your message on the controller using the directional pad and/or the touch-pad. However if you have the PS4 App on either Android or iPhone devices, you can save time by using the app to type out your message. It also allows you to buy games and automatically download them to your console, even if you aren’t home or near your console at the time. It’s a pretty nifty time saver.

17 The Gamer Workout

via Ars Technica

This next hack can be a great way to stay in shape and workout while enjoying that classic gaming experience. Whether it’s a Nintendo 3DS, iPhone or other handheld gaming device, all you have to do is find one of those exercise bikes that they have at the gym. Sit down and begin working out, and with your hands free you can spend your workout time playing games and getting a good sweat at the same time.

16 Custom Xbox One Controller

via OnMSFT.com

Well, this is probably one of the more expensive hacks in this list, but the end result is a truly one of a kind gaming experience. Hard core Xbox gamers know the standard controller for the console is black. Yet in recent years, Microsoft has unveiled the Xbox Labs custom controller.

This allows gamers to design the color scheme of the entire controller, from the front and back to the buttons and even gives gamers the option to add a custom engraving to the device. It’s not cheap, (standard is about $70, not including add-ons like rubber grip handles and more), but for dedicated gamers, it’s well worth it.

15 Headsets For PS4

via Tech-Recipes

I think it’s safe to say a lot of dedicated gamers out there have had this experience. It’s late at night, and you are trying to get an hour or two of game time in before heading to bed. However everyone else in your house is already asleep, and you can’t blast the TV volume. What is a gamer to do?

Well PS4 gamers rejoice, as the PS4 controller has the option to allow any headset to be plugged into it. Just plug in your headset or headphones (yes, headphones people), and mute your TV. This will allow you to hear the game via your headphones and play it as loud as you like without waking up a single person in the house.

via GamesRadar

One thing that has always been a hard thing for modern gamers has been the vast amounts of storage games require, and the limited storage consoles have in relation to those games. The standard PS4 for instance comes with 500GB of storage. After all of the system updates and installations, you’ll be left with about 400.

With each game ranging from 30-50GB of storage, that memory on the console goes fast. The best way to add more storage to your console is to attach an external hard drive to your console, which will not only free up space but is able to be used to play games off of as a secondary storage device.

13 PS Vita Becomes Secondary Controller

via Tech-Recipes

If you are a gamer who often plays on their own but finds themselves having a friend come over once in a while and hoping to play a game together, purchasing a second controller for the PS4 can be quite expensive.

However, if you are looking to save some money and you already own a PS Vita, you can use the handheld console as a secondary controller, much like the Remote Play option we discussed before. This can save you some extra cash when you don’t play with other gamers as often.

12 Game Deals Via Twitter

via Twitter (@videogamedeals)

One of the great things about social media has to be instant information. Thanks to some video game industry insiders and enthusiasts, we can get instant information on the latest in video games.

One way to learn about some great deals on games has to be the Twitter account @videogamedeals. This account brings the latest deals to hit the industry at any given moment, covering flash sales, major sales, and even in-store sales. It is, by far, the most reliable place to get access to sales.

11 Game Rentals

via FlatPanelsHD

A hugely popular hack used by many gamers in this day and age are rental services. Let’s face it, buying games is not cheap these days. With most games costing anywhere from $40 to $60 a piece, being able to play the latest games is not easy. That’s why many gamers take advantage of services like Gamefly, which acts a lot like Netflix and sends out one or two games at a time to gamers for a monthly fee. There’s also services like Redbox, where gamers can rent games and pay a fee per every day you have the game.