When I tell people about my job, the reaction is invariably excited. That’s because I do what every ten-year-old boy dreams about for a living: I test video games.
Testing as a career can be fun, but it’s very different from what most people expect. If you’ve been contemplating working in video game testing, leave your preconceptions at the door and take a look at some of the most common assumptions people make about the job-and the truths behind them.
“Game testers get to play video games all day!”
False.
If you are serious about becoming a video game tester, you have already heard that there is more to a testing job than playing games. The core tasks of the job are very different from playing a video game for enjoyment. For the majority of the test cycle, a game tester performs repetitive tasks on a set plan to check for bugs. On any given testing day, the tester might be talking to every non-player character (NPC) on a level and logging responses, unplugging and plugging back in controllers at different stages in the game, or counting the number of swear words in the title’s cutscenes.
A tester’s daily tasks primarily depend on the testing plan laid out by his or her project lead. Individual testers have little say in the type of testing they will be doing, and must always pay strict attention to the gameplay to notice, properly research, and document bugs.
Testers also do not get to select the titles they work on. They do not necessarily like the game they have been assigned to, or the game’s genre. A new tester may be assigned to anything from the most anticipated first-person shooter of the year to “Princess Sparkletoes and the Pink Pony Rescue.”
Whether the tester enjoys the title or not, he or she can expect to replay the same levels of the same game, often for long hours. Under these conditions, working through any game can seem like a chore.
Video game testing is a great way to break into the industry.
True… sort of.
Testing can be a good and bad career choice for a hopeful game designer, coder, or artist. Most testers do not get to interact directly with the production team, so the opportunities to make life-changing career contacts are limited. The long hours testers work also make it difficult to find time to job hunt, work on portfolios, take additional classes, or get exposure for demo reels.
Testing is, however, a great way to gain experience in the industry, and will teach novices more about the development process. Game testers can talk the production talk and walk the development walk after a few short weeks on the job.
Extensive work on a title will also earn a tester a spot on the credits of a shipped title, which can be a good resume builder.
Testers who come to love the job for itself also have many new options open up for them in the fields of training, management, and technical testing. Entry-level, black box testers usually go into testing management if they stay in the industry-rarely production. If you’re dead-set on landing a job in video game production, internships directly related to your area of expertise may be a better place to start.
You make a lot of money as a video game tester.
False… most of the time.
Unfortunately, most game testers are paid low hourly wages. Testers can expect to make anywhere from nine to twelve dollars an hour – with an emphasis on the low end of the spectrum.
It is possible to make nearly as much as an office job under certain circumstances. The hours on some projects can be so long that it is not uncommon to work 60 or 80 hour weeks, resulting in large payments of overtime and double-time.
Most testers are also hired on a temporary, per-project basis, which limits earning potential. Game testers may spend a few unpaid weeks off the job after the termination of their project, even if they have performed very well.
Although it is possible to make a decent amount of money as an entry-level tester, you must work long hours to earn it and must be willing to spend anywhere from a few days to months off the job.
Hardcore gamers make the best testers.
False.
Being a skilled gamer helps testers find and reproduce certain types of bugs, and being familiar with a wide range of genres will help a tester during the bug documentation process. However, some of the best testers have barely picked up a controller before taking the job.
Novice players often try things in-game that designers would never expect or prepare for, bringing new bugs to light. Furthermore, hardcore gamers often miss important details because they are caught up in their in-game performance or expect a game to perform a particular way. The most desirable qualities for a potential tester to have are a desire to work hard, the ability to work well with others, effective written and spoken communication skills, patience, and attention to detail.
If you consider yourself a hardcore gamer, you might also want to think about what game testing will do to your favorite hobby. Once you start looking for bugs for a living, you’ll see them everywhere.
Video game testers are antisocial and hard to work with.
False.
When most people think of video game testers, they think of the stereotypical gaming nerd; cans of mountain dew piled up high next to a computer or console, sloppy clothing, and an antisocial personality.
While some testers do fit into this stereotype, they generally do not last long on the floor. Success on the job is highly dependent on individual testers being able to communicate and work together as a team. Some bugs are simply too widespread or too tricky for one person to figure out. When such a bug is found, the tester must discuss it with their teammates and discover if it is appearing elsewhere in the game. It is also necessary to coordinate with the other members of a team to create and carry out effective test plans.
And, of course, working long hours in often cramped workstations turns a testing team into a second family. Even the shyest tester will begin to open up when working thirteen or fourteen hour shifts with the same people every day.
It is true, however, that being a tester wreaks havoc on social lives outside of the floor. Working long and often odd hours makes it difficult to catch up with friends who aren’t on the testing cycle, or who might not understand why you are working so much. If you become a tester, be prepared to wake up one day and realize that most of your friends have spent some time with you on the testing floor.
Video game testing can be a lot of fun.
True.
Although the testing gig falls short of many people’s initial expectations, the job can be a lot of fun. Testers work long hours, but in a casual environment with interesting people who have common interests. During breaks, testers can be found playing 8-person Mario Kart for the DS, having Mortal Kombat tournaments,showing off their skills at Guitar Hero, or just goofing off and having fun.
The testing environment is also very casual. Even lead testers will wear jeans, sandals, and t-shirts to work and can’t resist a challenge to show off their Soul Calibur skills.
The testing job itself can also be rewarding for those who enjoy investigation and taking things apart to see how they work. If you love video games, enjoy solving puzzles, can deal with long hours, and like a casual work environment, video game testing may be a great entry-level career for you.
