Duties and Responsibilities of a Video Game Tester

Happiness AbdulLast Updated: November 4, 2023

Duties and Responsibilities of a Video Game Tester: As a video game tester, you play an integral role in the development of new games. Your job is to thoroughly test new and updated games to identify any issues before the final release. You need to have a keen eye for details to spot even the smallest bugs and glitches. Strong communication skills are also essential to properly document any problems you discover and suggest solutions.

While playing new games may sound exciting, the reality of this job requires patience, precision, and persistence. You will play the same levels and scenarios repeatedly to evaluate all aspects of the mechanics, interface, graphics, and overall gameplay. The hours can be long, especially when deadlines are looming. However, for gaming enthusiasts, the opportunity to shape the development of new games is a rewarding career.

Video Game Tester

The success or failure of a new game release can depend heavily on the skills and efforts of video game testers. If you pride yourself on your gaming expertise, enjoy solving problems, and want an unconventional career in the tech field, the role of a video game tester could be an ideal position for you. With the right dedication and experience, you can advance your career as a tester into leadership roles overseeing entire testing teams.

Understanding the Role of a Video Game Tester

As a video game tester, your primary role is to thoroughly test new or updated games to identify any issues before public release.

1. Detecting and Reporting Bugs

Play through games repeatedly to find any bugs, glitches or errors. Note the exact steps to reproduce the issue and report them to developers.
Check that graphics, audio, controls, gameplay, user interface and all in-game features are functioning properly without any technical problems.
Test games on different platforms like PC, console and mobile to ensure compatibility and optimal performance across systems.

2. Evaluating Gameplay and User Experience

Analyze gameplay, levels of difficulty and learning curves to determine if a game is well-balanced, engaging and enjoyable for players.
Provide feedback on the overall user experience including ease of navigation, tutorial effectiveness, reward systems and more.
Compare games against competitors to evaluate unique selling points and potential areas of improvement.

3. Documentation and Communication

Maintain detailed documentation of all tests performed, issues identified, and suggestions provided.
Communicate frequently with developers to clarify any points of confusion, receive guidance and stay up-to-date with changes made to games in development.

Key Responsibilities of a Game Tester

As a video game tester, you will have several key responsibilities to ensure newly developed games meet quality standards before release.

1. Testing Game Play

Your primary role is to test all aspects of gameplay to identify any issues. This includes:

Playing through all levels and modes of the game multiple times to find any bugs, glitches or errors.
Verifying that gameplay mechanics, physics and controls function properly and consistently.
Ensuring that objectives, checkpoints, saves, restarts and win/lose conditions work as intended.
Confirming that difficulty progresses appropriately based on player skill level settings.

2. Evaluating User Experience

You must analyze the overall user experience to determine if it aligns with the intended audience and purpose of the game. This involves:

Assessing if instructions, tutorials, hints and menus are clear, helpful and easy to navigate.
Verifying that the game art style, music, sounds and story are cohesive, appropriate and engaging.
Evaluating if the game is intuitive, immersive and fun to play as a whole.

3. Documenting and Reporting

A major part of your job is to thoroughly document any issues found and report them to developers. This helps ensure that problems get addressed before the game launches. You must:

Record details of each issue like steps to reproduce the bug, frequency of occurrence, severity, etc.
Track issues to confirm they get resolved in subsequent builds.
Provide well-written reports and feedback to aid developers in fixing issues and improving the overall game.

Testing Game Playability and Functionality

As a video game tester, one of your primary responsibilities is ensuring the playability and functionality of the game. This includes:

1. Testing Game Mechanics and Controls

You will test how the core mechanics and control schemes of the game function. This includes movement, camera controls, combat, AI, etc. Check that the controls are intuitive and responsive, mechanics work as intended, and everything flows smoothly. Report any issues with the gameplay or controls not performing properly.

2. Identifying Software Bugs and Glitches

Thoroughly play through sections of the game to uncover any bugs, glitches or errors in the software or code. Look for visual anomalies, crashes, freezes, save file corruptions or anything else impeding progress. Document how to reproduce the issues so developers can fix and patch them.

3. Completing Challenges and Objectives

Progress through the goals, missions, levels and objectives in the game to confirm they can be achieved as designed. Check that achievements/trophies unlock when they should. Provide feedback on difficulty, pacing or balance. Report any roadblocks preventing advancement.

4. Testing for Different Gaming Platforms and Setups

If the game is multiplatform, test the game on the different systems it will release on to make sure there are no performance issues or compatibility problems. Also, test the game on different display setups (TVs, monitors) and with different peripherals (controllers, keyboards, virtual reality headsets, etc.) to identify any potential user experience issues.

5. Providing Overall Feedback

Give your general thoughts on the enjoyment, engagement and overall experience of playing the current build of the game. Note what works well and not so well. Suggest any improvements to the art, sound, story, multiplayer, virtual reality integration or other elements that could enhance the game. Provide input to help polish and perfect the final product.

Your valuable testing and feedback as a video game tester helps shape the development process and results in a better end user experience. By diligently working through the playability and functionality of the games, you play an integral role in their success.

Identifying and Reporting Bugs and Issues

As a video game tester, one of your primary responsibilities is identifying and reporting any bugs, glitches or issues you encounter while playing the game. This helps ensure a high-quality, polished final product that provides an enjoyable user experience.

1. Finding and Documenting Bugs

While playing through the levels and features of the game, note any bugs, anomalies or problems you run into. Document the steps to reproduce the issue, including details on the game state and configuration.

Capture screenshots, videos or screen recordings of the problem occurring to provide visual evidence for the development team. Log each issue, categorizing them by severity, and submit detailed reports on a regular basis.

Double check that the problems you submit are actual software issues, and not a result of improper usage or unfamiliarity with game controls on your part.

Issues like gameplay balance, level design or character performance should be noted separately from actual software bugs. Focus on identifying issues that affect functionality, gameplay, graphics, audio, user interface, and overall stability and performance.

2. Monitoring and Re-Testing

Continuously re-test issues you have reported to confirm if they have been resolved in newer builds of the game. Note any changes to the steps needed to reproduce the problem. Report your findings to help ensure all issues have been adequately addressed before the final release.

As the game nears completion, you may be required to do full play-throughs to double check for any remaining bugs and ensure an enjoyable user experience before launch. Your meticulous testing and documentation can make the difference between a successful, polished release and a frustrating experience for players and reviewers.

Thoroughness, patience, adaptability and communication skills are essential for a video game tester. Identifying and reporting on the various bugs, glitches and problems you uncover helps create the best possible final game for users around the world to enjoy.

Providing Feedback to Improve Overall Game Quality

As a video game tester, providing constructive feedback is one of your most important responsibilities. Your feedback helps identify issues and suggests improvements to enhance the overall quality of the game.

1. Accurately Report Any Issues

Carefully document any problems you encounter during testing, such as software bugs, glitches, or gameplay issues that negatively impact the user experience. Report these issues with as much detail as possible, including specifics to help developers replicate and resolve the problem. Your thorough, well-documented reports are essential for improving functionality and playability.

2. Suggest Enhancements and Changes

Offer thoughtful ideas for enhancing gameplay, graphics, interfaces, and other elements. For example, you might suggest additional missions, characters, weapons, or other features to expand gameplay. You could also recommend modifying difficulty levels or improving the tutorial for better accessibility. Provide rationales to support your suggestions.

3. Evaluate Game Elements

Systematically evaluate key components of the game using standard criteria provided by the developer. Assess elements like graphics, sound, story, difficulty, replay value, and originality. Determine whether each element achieves the intended purpose and identify any areas needing refinement. Your evaluations help ensure all parts of the game meet or exceed quality standards before launch.

4. Rate Overall Game Quality

At certain milestones, you will be asked to assign a rating to indicate your view of the overall quality and playability of the game in its current state. Provide an honest, thoughtful rating on any rating scales supplied by the developer.

Also give a brief summary of your experience playing the current game build, mentioning both highlights as well as any ongoing concerns. Your ratings and feedback help developers determine if the game is ready to proceed to the next phase of development or testing.

With your valuable input, video game developers can release a high-quality product that provides players an engaging and enjoyable experience. By fulfilling your responsibility to give constructive feedback, you directly contribute to the success of the games you test.

FAQS

As a video game tester, you may have several questions about the responsibilities and requirements of the role. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions and their answers:

What are the essential duties of a video game tester? The core responsibilities of a video game tester include:

Playing pre-release versions of video games to identify any bugs, glitches or issues.
Recording and documenting the details of any problems encountered while playing the games.
Providing detailed written reports and feedback about issues to game designers and developers.
Repeatedly testing any fixes or updates to ensure issues have been resolved.
Following a game’s design documentation closely to check that all features are implemented as specified.

What skills or qualities are required? Key attributes for a video game tester include:

Proficiency with different gaming platforms, controllers and hardware.
Strong attention to detail to detect any flaws or inconsistencies.
Excellent communication abilities to describe issues accurately in writing.
Patience and persistence to play games repeatedly.
A systematic and methodical approach to testing.

Do I need a degree to become a video game tester? A degree is typically not required to become an entry-level video game tester. However, some employers may prefer candidates with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in fields like computer science, software engineering, or a related area. Relevant coursework or training in quality assurance testing, programming, and game design can also be helpful.

How much do video game testers earn? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for testers and quality assurance analysts in the video game industry was $54,000 per year as of 2020. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors like experience, education, location, and employer. Entry-level testers typically earn between $30,000 to $50,000 annually.