Video game testing is one of those careers that everyone wants to get in on. After all, what could possible be cooler than getting paid every day to work on a video game. However, many people don't know what is really involved in video game testing and what they should be studying if they want to get into the field.
The first thing that people should learn about when they start down the path toward video game testing as a career is that there are multiple different types of game testers out there – each of them responsible for different parts of the game.
Alpha Testing
The first type of testing is alpha testing – the testing type that is responsible for making sure the initial builds of the game actually work. Alpha testing is part of video game testing in the earliest stages, when the game is still very early on. It will be done by people who work directly for the development studio – the men and women who are hired and paid by the publisher or the developers. They will be required to work in the studio and must go through the game before it is fully operational, looking for bugs that can break the game completely.
Beta Testing
The next stage of video game testing is known as beta testing – the phase that most people are most responsible for. Beta testing may be done either in house or by outsourcers. In some cases, it might even be done by people who are unpaid volunteers – such as in the case of online games where stress tests of servers and basic technology is needed. However, video game testers that get paid are highly involved in this process because of how much detail is needed to determine how the game is operating.
Quality Assurance
When the game is finally in its finished state, video game testers that are lowest on the totem pole will be required to go through quality assurance – the final stage of testing. This stage of testing is where many people will get their first job, and it usually involves running through the same level for hours or days at a time to check for very small glitches and bugs.
For whatever job you're seeking, being a video game tester will start with these three roles. For beginners, expect a career to begin with QA or beta testing. From there, alpha positions or higher roles in the company are possible.
If game testing is the dream career you always pined for, don't waste any more time – check out BetaGamingTesters.com today and learn more about how you can make your way in video game testing.