It’s no secret that modern games require heavy computing powers, dozens of gigabytes of storage, and tons of RAM to process large open worlds built by developers. The same goes for game mechanics, level design, and a code system — these elements become complex and intricate, implying a need to engage more QA testers in the workflow.
In particular, a video game tester not only plays the game naturally as ordinary players would but also ensures that each element works according to a game design document. Nowadays, each game testing company houses large teams of experts who spot bugs and run various test types to check a game’s functionality and features.
This article will specify the meaning and value of QA testers for game development studios that aim to create gaming solutions for broad audiences. What is a QA tester for video games, and how can they improve your project? Find out below!
What Does a Video Game Tester Do?
So, who is a QA game tester, and how might they benefit your project? In simple words, QA stands for “quality assurance,” while a person responsible for ensuring product quality is usually referred to as a tester. When learning video games, QA testers detect bugs, feature inconsistencies, and other gameplay aspects that result in unwanted user experience.
The spectrum of QA game tester responsibilities involves finding bugs or glitches and reporting them to developers to fix all the flaws during the initial development stage, making a game playable. Quality assurance testers are accountable for reporting all irregularities and other glitchy elements that prevent users from enjoying levels. That’s why you certainly need a capable QA tester.
Catching bugs is essential not only during the initial development phase because the same procedure is required for updating patches. Logging issues and thoroughly explaining where each spoils the gameplay experience is unquestionably a substantial contribution to developing video games. People involved in creating can’t run multiple tests while producing content.
Simply put, why do you need a team of reliable QA testers? In brief:
- They dig into your game so profoundly that detected bugs may even surprise you;
- Specialists ensure that each level is playable and scripts function as expected;
- Senior QA testers will run sprints of stress tests to ensure your game works perfectly, even under maximum pressure.
Looking for game testers?
How to Find Game Testers for Your Needs?
Irrespective of the types of game testing or the genre you are working with, even a junior QA tester can bring exceptional value at each development stage. Now, as you are mindful of the QA game tester's definition and responsibilities, it’s time to discuss how to spot professionals among them. In theory, the game QA testing specializations include:
Manual testing. In such scenarios, Quality automation specialists act like real players, carefully passing each level and paying attention to every detail.
Performance testing. In this case, QA testers overload the game, ensuring each mechanic works perfectly fine and handles all the user requests without bugs.
Automated testing. Although this specialization chiefly touches on software testing, multiple apps, and scripts already run automated game tests.
Whether you need an offline or online QA tester, the truth remains the same—you either look for QA specialists yourself or rely on your partner, which might prove a more beneficial option for all parties. Equipped with a reliable guide to game testing, professional studios can handle the testing itself and hire specialists for this purpose.
By game testing methods
One possible scenario for looking for competent QA testers implies a search by testing methods. At different stages of game development, you may need a Beta tester or a functional game tester—everything depends on your budget and requirements. Just make sure your candidates are aware of video game testing stages, which, in turn, must resonate with your game development lifecycle.
If you require a video game Beta tester, the testing algorithm may differ in contrast to alpha testing and programming. Keep that in mind. Other methods may involve stress, performance, functionality, ad hoc, compatibility, cleanroom, regression, and other testing techniques or methods. Each of them requires a different approach and skills of a QA expert.
For instance, functionality testing is supposed to check your game's general performance. In turn, combinatorial testing is when QA specialists define how many tests your game will require in the long run. In contrast, the ad hoc technique presupposes error guessing, consisting of bug detection via a random method. Finally, compatibility testing lets you ensure your product works fine across all the needed platforms.
By different platforms
By the way, as for the platforms, in addition to looking for perfect candidates by testing methods, you can also seek professionals based on what technology they utilize during their work. Therefore, testing VR games implies the use of different skills than, say, those needed for running tests on PCs or consoles. A PC tester should understand how such gamers behave and know everything about their preferences.
Mobile QA game testers must also know how, where, when, and in what conditions users will open your app. These parameters are likely to define many testing methods, influencing how your game will look. Game console testers fit your project if it’s developed for PlayStation, Xbox, or other gaming consoles. Consequently, each initiative requires a specific category of specialists for hire, team augmentation, or outsourcing.
Where Can You Look for a Qualified Game Tester?
It’s worth mentioning that you’ve got two options here. First, you can have your in-house recruiters search through tons of websites and assemble a team of people who don’t know each other, not to mention you don’t know them at all. Second, you can merely entrust the search campaign to a capable development and testing company with hundreds of successful commercial projects behind it.
Whether you need Android, PC, or console testing services, relying on the shoulders of professionals is always a good idea. They will visit multiple recruiting platforms and sieve the best candidates matching your project. In other cases, such testing companies already have well-prepared teams that perfectly communicate and cooperate. Such an approach is better than seeking QA testers on your own.
However, in case you’ve resolved to do the whole search and research in-house, here are a few practical tips:
- Try out platforms like Beta Family, Alpha Beta Gamer, or PreApps;
- Look through Discord servers, where video game testers usually hang out;
- Aside from informal resources, recruit candidates on LinkedIn;
- Ask your applicants to bring their friends into your project because a team of experts who know one another is better than a bunch of inexperienced strangers;
- Estimate your resources and define at what stage you’ll require game testers.
How Long Does It Take to Test a Game?
Testing may take between 3 and 6 months, depending on your development stage. As a rule, it’s the average time QA specialists need to check a functionality while it’s in Beta testing. Another crucial variable to consider is your project scope. If you elaborate on featuring hundreds of NPCs and characters whose story takes place in a tremendous open world, it can take about a year to carry out all the necessary tests.
Besides, you should also know that QA often occurs at the same time the game is being developed, which is called simultaneous testing. As soon as a developer team finishes one level, testers join the party and run their tests to guarantee that this or that location is perfect, with all the scripts launching when expected. In some instances, you can even involve ordinary players without any testing experience to get their opinion.
Sometimes large projects linger in the Alpha testing stage for quite a long time. For example, the same scenario happened with DayZ on Steam since the game had been in early access for about five years. That’s why game developers must carefully plan all the resources and hire only professionals or outsource their projects to studios. This approach will prevent companies willing to release their game from unwanted lingering.
Keeping In-House Game Testers or Outsourcing Them on Demand?
Whenever you need to finalize a gaming project, it’s always about whether to go entirely in-house, extend your team, or outsource it all to a third-party studio—the same concerns QA testing as an integral part of any development process. Regardless of the scope, genre, target audience, or any other aspect, you’ll indubitably encounter a necessity to run a series of crucial tests, ensuring everything works just fine.
Just like no one can imagine an app being released without quality assurance procedures, games with commercial success also can’t emerge on the market without a touch of experienced testers who know the score. So, what testing option should you opt for? Let’s outline the pros and cons of each model.
In-house testing
- You have total control over everything happening in your QA team, but this decision requires immense investment capabilities.
- Instead of focusing on essential and creative tasks related to game mechanics or backstory, you need to pay attention to hiring new personnel, but, again, you retain control over resources.
- To find a perfect game tester for hire, your recruiters will need to spend a vast amount of working hours, let alone assemble a team and onboard them, though you’ll be able to monitor the processes.
Team augmentation
- By extending your QA team with external experts, you can save costs and optimize the time needed to run all the tests.
- With this option, you can save a lot of money on in-house testers and extend your team with reliable and capable professionals with enough experience to deliver the project on time.
- By augmenting the testing team, you enable your in-house testers to acquire new experiences from external professionals, resulting in the better quality of a final product.
Outsourcing
- You entrust the project to a studio with an impressive portfolio of successfully tested games without worrying about anything.
- Outsourcing all the QA processes, you forget about bug reports and don’t spread your attention among various procedures, being able to work on exclusive content.
- Considering the number of QA game testers needed to finalize even an AA gaming project, it’s more cost-efficient to outsource the work to a reliable testing studio.
Defy Your Game Testing Challenges with Game-Ace
Knowing everything you’ve learned throughout this article, you can effortlessly find a custom game development company wwhose testing services may prove valuable to you. Game-Ace is an experienced, award-winning, and capable studio that houses a team of professional QA specialists ready to accept any challenge. Once our QA testers start working on your game, it will become polished and verging on perfection.
After reading this article, you can contact us for more in-depth information about your future game. Let’s make the gaming industry great again together!
