But what about people who aren't into video game design itself?

Of course, there are thousands of professional gamers, Pro Gamers, as well as streamers in the world on Twitch, YouTube or even Facebook Gaming or other lesser-known platforms, and then there is the universe of the video game tester .

Unlike Pro Gamers and streamers, game testers are not necessarily there to play their strengths as video game professionals. It is therefore not necessary to be the best player in the world or even to have a certain charisma to become a tester.

What does a video game tester do?

The main and primary job of a video game tester is to break games. For this, he will have to ensure a quality control of the product and will work to find bugs, glitches and other problems in the game.

To do this, the tester must interact with objects, characters, and the environment in ways the developers had not intended or anticipated.

To do this, you will have to climb on objects, move backwards on the map, try to pass through textures, try to get stuck in crevices, use the different weapons and see that bugs arise.

Quite often a game tester will be called upon to play a single map from a single game for countless hours over days, weeks, or even months, just to make sure to test everything that is present at the screen.

For example, in a fighting game like Mortal Kombat , if there are 14 fighters and six fighting arenas, a tester might be called upon to complete as many as 1176 fights to ensure that no issues are present. And again, I did not mention the fact that it is necessary to test every movement and blow of all fighters!

1176 fights? But how long does it take to test a game?

Of course, this depends on each game. As testers have to test each combination to eliminate the slightest bug, this can take several hours or even days. As it is impossible to test games 100%, many games happen to come with multiple errors that players report, hence the updates offered.

That said, it is understandable to sometimes find one or more errors. However, it will never be acceptable that a player who has purchased a game cannot enjoy it properly! This is why it is essential that every company that develops video games has a team of experienced testers who will eliminate the most important errors.

When you think about it, spending days sitting around playing Mortal Kombat might sound awesome, right? But what if your mandate is to find all the bugs in the next PAW Patrol ?

The truth behind the job

Video game testers often cannot choose which games to work on. In some cases, you will have the chance to test the one you want. However, it may be something else entirely!

The bigger the game, the more the tasks will be split between various testers in order to be able to ensure adequate quality control. And beware: the most frustrating moment for a tester is not finding a bug, but rather being able to reproduce it again. If you are unable to reproduce it, then reporting it will be futile.

Once the bug is discovered, you will need to report it and be able to provide step-by-step instructions with all the factors causing the bug so that the developers can recreate the error themselves and fix the problem.

A video game tester is not like “playing” the game. They are two completely different things! It's a bit like comparing a video editor who has to join the tapes to make a movie to a movie buff!

Mr. X, video game tester at Ubisoft Quebec

That said, there's nothing stopping a video game tester from having a good time once in a while. It's just not the same as a reviewer who gets the chance to play a full game to review it.

Can anyone become a video game tester?

The essential skills of a good video game tester are:

  • attention to detail;
  • creativity;
  • the ability to work under pressure;
  • great communication

After all, you have to be able to pay attention to all the little details for hours, find a way to break the game, be able to communicate to the developers the steps to recreate the errors and all within an often very tight deadline. since the constraints related to video games are also.

Is it a paying job?

The truth? A video game tester in Quebec makes on average between $26,000 to $39,000 per year depending on your experience. Sometimes it is possible to have a better salary if you are very good or if you have a great privileged relationship with the studio.

In the end, being a video game tester is often a gateway into the studio to eventually want to climb the ladder, especially in the quality assurance or community development sector.

With workloads that can range from 40 to 80 hours per week, your work may be condensed into long, busy weeks.

You will be called upon to work mainly in the studios, in order to avoid any leaks on the projects in progress, with the equipment provided. However, it will be possible to test the games from home at times.