Showing posts with label video game tester jobs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video game tester jobs. Show all posts

January 04, 2008

Paid Video Game Testing- Why Should I Become a Video Game Tester?

It's a valid question...why should you, or anyone else for that matter, become a professional video game tester? To figure that out, we should probably go over the benefits of paid game testing. That way, you can decide if a career as a video game tester is something you really want to pursue.

The biggest thing that makes this profession so attractive is the fact that you're playing video games and making money. Whether you want to call it testing, evaluating, analyzing, or helping, you're still playing a video game when you get down to the facts.

If you were to ask any of your friends if they want to get paid to play video games, what would they say? You already know the answer, don't you? You know because you are saying the same thing right now, HELL YES! If you are a gamer at heart, the idea of playing video games for money probably makes you feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. After all, you probably never would have guessed that you could test games from your home and then collect a nice fat paycheck at the end of the week. And when you think about it, that's what being a video game tester is all about, testing the newest and coolest video games from home and getting paid for it.

That actually brings up another good question. How much do game testers really get paid? Well, that's yet another great thing about video game testing...most video game testers are paid quite well. It's true. To be honest, when first starting out with paid game testing, things can be a bit rough; but that usually passes quickly with a bit of time and experience.

Okay, you're probably looking for an actual figure to work with, right? Alright then, heres something for you to mull over: As a professional video game tester, you can literally make up to $120 PER HOUR! I'm sure you've seen this claim on advertisements or websites before, and you were probably thinking that it was just hype or a scam; well, it's not. Admittedly, you won't make that much when you first start, but you can reach that level with more experience and better references. As a new game tester, expect to make anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000 a year; depending on your dedication & work ethic of course. You will only get work so long as you are active and willing to test games constantly. That means if you stop applying for jobs and/or positions, the money will likely stop rolling in.

What other perks are there? Well, aside from the fact that you are testing games from home, you also usually get to keep the games you test. You heard correct, you actually get to keep the video games you test for game companies. And although they aren't technically finished, many of the games are in the final stages of development, which means that there will only be a few bugs to deal with and you're getting the game almost 100% complete. Okay, so it's not exactly perfect, but a free video game is still a free video game nonetheless. Not to mention, you get to play the newest & coolest video games before anyone else; that's got to count for something, right?

So, what's the verdict? Does this sound like a career that you could really enjoy and make money from? If it does, I suggest you get started ASAP. Game companies and developers are always on the lookout for bright, new testers, so just get yourself out there.

If you don't know where to start, you should check out GameTestingParadise.com. It has everything an aspiring game tester needs to get started with professional game testing. Honestly, no video game tester should be without the information they offer. Do yourself a favor and check it out. I guarantee you won't regret it!

December 02, 2007

Video Game Tester Jobs- A Simple Way to Get Paid to Pay Video Games from Home

Remember when you were a little kid and people would criticize you for playing too many video games. Well, now it's time to laugh in their face. With years of being a dedicated gamer, you have, in retrospect, grown your gaming skill level to epic proportions. Because of this, you are now very good at playing many different types of video game, which thereby means you're a perfect candidate for a video game tester job.

Here's basically how a video game tester gets paid to play video games at home. First, the company that hired him will send a video game with an attached assignment to it in the mail. Also included is a form the gamer must fill out after they complete their assignment. Second, they test the game thoroughly and according to given instructions. Third, they make their bug/glitch report and then mail it back to the company. 4th, they wait patiently and receive their video game tester check 1-2 weeks later. Generally speaking, thats how the process works from start to finish.

Game testers may be paid by the hour or by the project, depending on the developer whom hired them. They go to work on the game with a keen eye for the details. Their primary objective is to find out if everything is working like it's supposed to be. They might notice something that is out of place; such as a wall is missing in a room. They will take note of this on the form and accurately detail what they saw, or in this case "didn't see". A quick and accurate description may be something similar to this: "wall missing on level 3 in Chapter 5. First room to the right when entering the area (the room that the 3 guards come from)"

After they finish their assignment and complete the bug/glitch report form, they will send it to the video game company. The video game companies will read this report and be able to quickly find the glitches or bugs that were found. Once they do, they will update the game and fix those problems immediately. In these later stages of game developments, most glitches are minor and typically missed by programmers; which is why developers bring on video game testers to get the job done. But then again, occasionally they're major problems that the programmers just missed. For instance, every time your character jumps, the game freezes instantly. How catastrophic do you think that would be for a company if they were to release a game like that? A single glitch like this could turn a game from "outstanding" to "what a piece of junk!" in the blink of an eye. Game developers simply can't put all their hopes into programmers; they NEED professional video game testers.

When a game tester has completed his assignment, the game company will send him a check in the mail. After that, he'll just wait for the next assignment to come in and repeat the process.

How much can you make playing video games from home? Well, It depends on a few things. For instance, the longer you've been a game tester, the more money you can make and the more video game tester jobs you can get. With time, comes experience; and with experience, comes a greater demand fro your testing abilities. Not to mention, your determination will play a large part in how much money you ultimately make. If you sit around and do nothing, you'll get nothing. If you put forth an honest and hardworking effort, then your video game testing career will pay off big time, guaranteed.

If You'd Like To Start Landing High Paying Video Game Tester Jobs, You Should Click Here

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November 22, 2007

Video Game Testing- Can You Make It as a Video Game Tester?

A lot of people fantasize about starting a video game tester career. They might have seen some over-hyped advertisement on the Internet saying they can make $300 an hour of playing video games in your underwear. But is this true? Why would companies pay people to play video games?

In this article, I will tell you exactly why game developers pay good money to video game testers, which should show you the true possibilities of a video game tester career.

First, let's consider the facts -- the gaming industry makes a lot of money every year, $50 billion to be exact. That's a lot of money at stake. Now that you know that, I want you to imagine what would happen if you released a video game that generated $2 million in income for your esteemed company. However, only a week after releasing the game, there was a serious flaw found in the game, which no one spotted before the game's release. As a result, many gamers were angered and wanted an immediate refund.

The outcome? You lose all kinds of sales and investors will not be as confident in your company as they once were; plus, many of the companies employees will begin losing their jobs at an alarming rate. That's not all; it gets worse. If you were the gamer, would you willingly buy from a company again, knowing that games they released in the past crashed and were unplayable? Or, are you more likely to tell your friends and family how horrible the game, and the company that made it, is?

Basically, the point is, one single glitch can end up costing a company millions & millions of dollars. If the company was depending on the success of the game, everything will be a downward spiral from then on, generally speaking of course. Budget cuts, investors pulling out, mass employee layoffs, and possibly an entire company shutdown if nothing changes. And to think, all of this from a single glitch in a single video game.

Luckily though, this can all be avoided by sending the game out to multiple video game testers; as this will ensure that there are virtually no bugs in the game before it is released to the public. Because of this fact, it is very possible to earn a high-paying career as a video game tester. Think about it, the above scenario would happen to every game company if there were no reliable video game testers.

Another reason that video game tester careers are available is because companies want accurate feedback on their games. Let's say you designed an online game that had all these great features and offered all sorts of advantages that your competitors didn't. The only problem, though, it's too complicated and confusing for the player to get into. You can fix this problem by sending it out to reputable video game testers, taking their feedback, and tweaking the interface until it is both easy to use and still holds all those great features.

The fact in the matter is that the basic programmer has so many things they have to keep track of that they can NOT catch all, or even half, of the glitches in the video game. Remember, they approach games from a programming standpoint, not from a gamers point of view.

With all these facts in mind, isn't it time you pursued a career as a video game tester? If you're a serious gamer, you should, at the very least, investigate video game testing jobs further. After all, you could be just what the gaming companies are looking for.

Do You Think You Can Make It As A Video Game Tester? If You Do, Click Here To Find Out

October 31, 2007

How To Become a Professional Video Game Tester in 5 Simple Steps

Step One: Be Proactive!
You won't land any video game tester jobs if you just sit around and wait for a "Game Testers Wanted" ad to appear in the newspaper. It won't happen. So instead of sitting back and waiting for a miracle to occur, just get out there and find the perfect video game testing job for you.

Head straight to the game companies and developers and apply for testing jobs. Since they aren't looking for you, the only logical step is to actively search for them. Once you find them (which shouldn't take too long), apply for a game tester position with them and then repeat the process for as many different companies as humanly possible.

On your application/resume, brag about all of your video game achievements, such as the consoles you own, the games you've played, the games you own, the MMORPGs you are apart of, and anything else that shows how much experience you have with video games. And if you want to help your cause even further, create a website/blog that talks about video games, gives reviews, previews, cheats, hints, tips, etc.

You have to remember that experience and professionalism count for a lot in this industry. Therefore, the more experience you have and the more professional you are, the better your chances are for getting a video game tester job.

Step Two: Step Out of Fairy Tale Land and Into Reality
You have to realize that video game testing is a job. Yes, it's a really fun job, but it is still a job nonetheless. This means that you have to treat it as such and take every part of it seriously. Don't merely sit down and play the game to have a good time. Sit down and play the game so that you can collect a paycheck when you're through.

Many "wanna-be" testers believe that being a professional video game tester is a "no work, all play" type of career. Honestly, they couldn't be more wrong. Although there aren't huge amounts of work that a game tester must wade through, there are still a few things that he/she has to complete. For instance, filling out reports. Surprised? Well, most aspiring young testers are when they hear that there is actual work involved with video game testing.

Contrary to what you may have thought, you won't be simply playing games and giving your opinion on whether they are good or not. You will actually be testing them. You will play through a game, find any bugs or glitches, and then fill out reports on any problems that you come across. This is to help the developers and programmers locate and fix those problems. You don't have to be an English professor or a college graduate to write bug reports, but you will have to have basic writing skills. Aside from the reports, you will also be required to fill out numerous questionnaires; which are typically opinion based.

As soon as you accept the fact that you'll be doing actual work as a video game tester, you will have much more success finding testing jobs.


Part 2 Of This Article Can Be Found Below, Or By Clicking Here


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October 30, 2007

5 Steps To Become a Professional Video Game Tester

If You Haven't Read Steps 1-2, You Can Find Them By Clicking Here


Step 3: Practice Makes Perfect!
The best way to become a better video game tester is to practice. You've heard it before, "practice makes perfect". Well, that usually is the case for being a game tester.

You're probably thinking "how can I practice-test video games?" Honestly, the same way you would practice doing anything else; you just do it. While you are in between jobs, do what you always do, play video games. Except this time, play it like you are testing the game instead of simply having fun with it.

Just like with actual testing jobs, go over every game you play with a fine tooth comb and look for any bugs or glitches while you are playing. Obviously, there aren't going to be a significant amount of bugs/glitches due to the fact that the game has already been tested, fixed, & released. However, nobody is perfect and something was bound to be missed.

Will you find anything? Maybe, maybe not. The point is that you are looking, and in doing so you are testing the game as though you were being paid to. This type of mentality & practice will get you prepared for testing jobs. Not only that, but it will sharpen your awareness skills and allow you to spot bugs and glitches much more easily.

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If you are having trouble finding a way to practice, try using one of The Exercises Outlined in the "Beginner's Guide To Video Game Testing". Don't have a copy? Well, then grab a free one by entering your First Name and E-mail Address in the sidebar. -------------------->
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Should you practice 24 Hours a day, 7 Days a Week? Of course not. You should still take time out of your day to just play games and enjoy them with no strings attached. After all, if you just test & test & test, you might find yourself hating video games after awhile. With that being said, it's okay to test the games you play, but don't be afraid to take some time out and genuinely enjoy them.


Step 4: Make Contacts!
Networking is a vital part of any video game testers career. It's possible to be successful without a network of reliable contacts, but it's definitely not as easy. Therefore, you should try to get acquainted with as many people in the gaming industry as possible; testers, developers, programmers, graphics designers, artists, sound/audio specialists, and anyone else who is around games daily.

Your network of contacts can help your career drastically and allow you to land testing jobs a whole lot easier. Whether it be just putting in a good word for you or letting you know when new testing jobs have opened up, a network of contacts is something no game tester should be without.


Step 5: Never Give Up!

No matter what happens, don't give up on your dream of becoming a professional video game tester. You need to keep in mind that things will not always go your way. The job you were absolutely sure you'd get might go to someone else, and the check that you thought was going to be huge might not actually be so big.

There will be times when you have a lucky streak and get testing job after testing job. Then again, there will also be times when you hit a dry spell and get nothing-zippo-nadda for a couple of weeks. But still, no matter how big or small the speed bump happens to be, just do your best to get over it and keep on going.

Don't stress over not landing your first testing job either. The first one is always the hardest to bag. Some people get lucky and get one in their first week, others can go months before getting that first "You're Hired" notification. All in All, you just have to go with the flow and keep working on your video game tester career.


In conclusion, always remember that a professional video game tester has the blessing of having a genuinely fun job. Most people aren't excited about going to work and working a boring 9-5 shift. You, on the other hand, get to do what you love and get paid for it. So, have fun with your career and enjoy the video games you are testing. After all, it really doesn't get much better than being paid to play video games!

Become A Game Tester Now & Make $120 Per Hour. Click Here!