Have you ever wondered whose job it is to make sure that video games are working correctly both during and after being developed? The answer to this question is a game tester. If you are interested in video games or really anything to do with electronics, video game testing might be a great career for you. Nothing beats waking up every day and going to a job that they love. It does not even feel like work at that point, it will feel like a purpose or a passion.
Video game testers can also make quite a bit of money if they land a job with the right developers. It is important to remember that being a video game tester does not only consist of playing a video game and simply telling the developer if you like it or not. You will have to have some level of understanding for programming so that you can inform developers and programmers of errors of glitches in the game.
As stated before, you will have to pay close attention to detail and always be watching for something that could be made a little bit better. Even though it may be hard work, if you enjoy video games being a video game tester can be a great way to make some serious cash while doing what you love. The following chapter will go over the basics of video game testing and will give you some insight on what your responsibilities as a game tester would be.
Game testers go through a game in its entirety and make sure that the game is functioning as it is meant to be. This can be for either online of local play. The main purpose of testing these games is to ensure that there are no glitches or other errors or bugs that will cause undesired results in the game during play. This could include graphic issues where things are not smooth enough or it could include other more serious problems such as bugs that may make the game crash.
It is very important that these issues are taken care of prior to the game being launched. With as easy as it is to spread reviews these days it is important that a game is completely bug free before it is released to the public. Failing to do so will result in bad reviews for a game which can lead to a lot of lost money, time, and effort. Do not let the word game in game tester fool you. This career choice is by no means a bunch of fun and games.
Just as with any other profession, game testers will be tested with challenges and will face tasks that are quite tedious and frustrating. There will be times that you feel like you will not ever be able to fix the problem that you are facing with a game but it is important that you push on. Being a game tester actually requires a great deal of patience. It is not really a career for just anyone, it is one meant for someone who sees video games as a passion.
If you have the drive and determination it takes and also have an interest in video games then you might be interested in hearing the average pay of a game tester. Amazingly, video game testers get paid between $48,000 to $62,000 a year and that is just an average. If you land a job with a top notch company you can expect to make at least double that. Can you imagine how amazing it would be to make that much money while doing something that you love every day?
Well stop imagining and begin turning this dream into a reality. It is possible; you just have to know the right things to do in order to land a job as a video game tester. One thing that will help you a lot when it comes to being a video game tester is being good at video games. Being good at games is not a requirement of being a video game tester but it is definitely something that will help your resume stand out.
Having good controller skills and having top notch hand eye coordination will make this profession much easier and stress free. You have to keep in mind that games have levels that become more and more difficult as you progress. As a video game tester it is important that you are able to beat each of these levels because they should be played with the difficulty that they will be released with in order to ensure that there will be no glitches or other errors.
This career also demands a lot of hours. A lot of game testers find themselves also testing the games while they are home and not only at the office. In most cases, this does not bother the game testers because as stated before, most of the people who choose this career see it as a passion. If you are a person with a lot of discipline and self-control and you also are able to pay large amounts of attention to detail, game testing is probably perfect for you.
It will be important that you are familiar with some software and that you are familiar with different types of gaming consoles. You will also need very good communication skills because you will have to be able to relay information back and forth between yourself and the game developers and programmers. If this sounds like an ideal opportunity for you then you should get started on becoming a game tester right away.
What can be better than doing what you love every day while making some serious cash? Stop wasting your time with a boring nine to five job that you have a hard time getting yourself out of bed to go to every day. Begin doing something with your life that you are excited about every day. Start challenging your mind and your gaming skills and have fun while making cash. All of this is possible by becoming a game tester.
Excerpted from the book Game Tester Triumph.
This excerpt has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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