The explosive rise of video games over the last couple of decades has given rise to a whole new career of video game testing. Many a young high school student dreams of graduating from college and heading off to find a career which entails endless game-playing fun. Unfortunately, modern video game testing is not merely sitting in front of the game console for a few hours a day and submitting minor bugs.

It is an incredibly detailed and tedious job which tends to pay very little and sees huge turnover. To give you an idea of what you could expect my game testing career, we have provided these three game tester analysis examples. They are not comprehensive by any means, but they should give you a good idea of what the average game tester  goes through.

Example 1: Seth Tests for Compatibility

Seth is a new video game tester who's been given the task of compatibility testing for the first scenario of a new 3-D shooter. Specifically, Seth must test video compatibility. He will determine how well the game responds to a variety of video cards, and complete a long list of predetermined tasks designed to purposely expose bugs. During his testing, he may encounter system crashes. In such a case, Seth must then complete the same actions repeatedly as a means of trying to re-create the crash. He must record all of his actions and see if a pattern develops.

The nature of compatibility testing requires Seth play the same scenario over and over for hours on end. He may also be required to perform certain tasks, like walking through a door and pulling a switch, multiple times. In addition to bugs and system crashes, Seth also must record his observations of game playability and response as it relates to video. This is his first compatibility testing project, and he runs the risk of becoming bored and burned out. If Seth is like many other young video game testers, he may reach the point where he wonders if his low salary and limited benefits are worth the frustration.

Example 2: Dakota Tests for Compliance

Dakota is an experienced game tester and the go-to girl for compliance testing; a process of making sure new games comply with all the technical requirements of various platforms like Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony. Dakota will be testing a brand-new game set to be released on all three platforms. This week, she must run the game through its paces and be sure it meets the technical requirements for a license to publish it for Nintendo. If the game were to be submitted for license with even a single violation of the technical requirements, Nintendo could send it back for a complete overhaul.

Dakota loves her job, specifically because she loves video games, but it does require an awful lot of effort. She must continuously upgrade her knowledge of the technical requirements of all the vendors her company deals with. This requires endless hours of study and research to make sure she remains current. Although not much of an issue, every now and again the pressure gets to her. Overall, Dakota is happy with her career choice and hopes to eventually move into marketing.

Example 3: Philip Tests for Localization

Localization is the process of taking a game written for a specific culture and adapting it to a different culture. For instance, Japanese video game makers lead the world in producing new titles on annual basis. If their games are to be released in North America, localization testers must make sure that scripts, dialogue, and cultural references are adapted to the new audience. Philip has been charged with leading the localization testing of a new Russian RPG.

In his role as a localization tester, Philip will rarely interact with the actual game. Rather, the bulk of his work will be done staring at thousands of pages of text on a computer screen. On the rare occasions he is required to interact with the game; it's only for a brief time as he examines English dialogue. Philip doesn't mind the work, but it's not at all what he expected. He's decided to continue on as a game tester with the hopes of one day being promoted to the position of developer.