Game development is a major field these days. This multi-billion dollar industry is seeing games released to first day sales of more than $300 million dollars year after year, eclipsing many films and books. So, if you’re looking to get into this booming, mega-growing industry, the first thing to keep in mind is where you want to work.
When Testing is Needed
If you plan on becoming a video game tester, the entry level position at which most developers start, know that experience is a big boon. However, there are only certain genres and types of games that have any form of testing externally.
For the most part, online RPGs and multiplayer shooters are the exceptions to the rule. There are some other console games that have closed betas, but getting access to these discs is not an easy process. So, if you want to be an at home tester, start by signing up for all and any open betas you can find. Games like World of Warcraft have closed betas every 1-2 years when expansions are released while new MMOs often have closed and open betas lasting for months to prepare the game for release.
Don’t just work on these games, however. Make sure you are providing high quality input that goes above and beyond what is expected. Game testers need to provide details about where a bug appears and how it is created, so as a tester your job will be to analyze those bugs and develop a clear understanding of how it can be reproduced.
Other Places to Start Testing
While MMOs are a frequent way to get into game testing, they often employ thousands, making it hard to stand out as a good tester. So, if you really want to drive home how good of a tester you are, you need to get into the closed betas for disc-based games. These are very rare and almost never advertised, but will allow you to show off how effectively you can test for errors.
Of course, there are some risks. A retail machine used to test a beta game disc can be harmed by repeated bugs and crashes. Additionally, you’ll probably be playing a pre-release version of the game with a lot of bugs. If you actually want to enjoy the game later, this can make it a lot less entertaining on the whole.
Ultimately, game testing is a hard field to get into. Short of getting a college degree in game development , you should focus heavily on finding the skills needed to build your portfolio as a tester before applying for an actual position.
Genres of games are as numerous as the stars, but if you really want to be a tester, it’s vital you know the differences, how they are approached and what developers tend to focus on. Learn more about the prep process for getting a game testing job through Beta Gaming Testers. CLICK HERE
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