How to become a Games Tester

£20,000/y

avg. starting salary

Are you most comfortable with a controller in your hands? You should be a Games Tester… A Game Tester’s job is to test the latest games for bugs and glitches before they’re released. This involves repeating the same level for hours or even days at a time, playing out every possible scenario and ensuring that all eventualities have been experienced before the game goes live. Typical duties for a Games Tester include:

Playing a game, or single level of a game, performing hundreds of different scenarios to test for any bugs or glitches
Investigating any bugs which have previously been reported
Writing up specific details on each bug, so they can be looked at in greater detail
Checking all in-game copy for spelling, grammar or formatting mistakes
Providing any feedback or suggestions for improvement to the relevant departments

Aside from natural gaming ability (definitely a thing) and a passion for every platform, you will need patience and excellent problem-solving skills to become a Games Tester. The ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines is also a necessity, especially when testing games prior to a big release. Other key skills include:

Excellent attention to detail
A methodical approach to your work
The ability to work well individually, and maintain focus
A good knowledge of the latest developments and gaming news
The ability to complete all levels of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is not essential, but would be incredibly impressive

Games Tester

Up to £20,000

Lead Tester

Up to £30,000

Game Developer

Up to £35,000

"I've been playing computer games pretty much my whole life (thanks Sega Mega Drive), but never thought I could turn it into a career. Being a Games Tester is great. The hours are long and the job can be repetitive at times, but I actually get paid to play games and tell developers how to make them better. For me, that’s as good as it gets."

Get qualified

It is not a necessary requirement to have a degree to become a Games Tester. However, qualifications specific to the industry would be an advantage when applying for roles.

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