Game Tester Training Requirements

Being a game tester sounds easy enough. After all, all you really need to do is know how to play video games, right? Well, not exactly. Video game tester training requirements vary from company to company, but there are some things they all agree on. Get these basics down, and you'll have a great chance of landing a job as a game tester.

Know your genre

First and foremost, you must know your video games. You need to know the different genres, the main series in each genre, and have an idea of what's going on in the video game industry. This doesn't mean you have to know the name of every single company or be up on all the latest rumors, but it helps to have an idea of what's going on. You should also be familiar with a range of video games, even if you plan to specialize in one genre. Often, game companies want testers who are willing to play a variety of games rather than simply focus on one type of game.

Second, you have to have an eye for details. One of the things testers must be able to do is catch the tiny little issues in games. Rarely will you come across a game that features huge, glaring errors or problems. The game developers have already dealt with those by the time testers get their hands on the game. Instead, your job as a game tester will mostly be catching the small things that need tweaking. It's up to you to spot all the tiny things that aren't quite right.

Great writing skills pay dividends

Third, you've got to have strong writing skills. In fact, many video game testers have a background in writing or English. The main way you'll communicate with the video game company is via a written report. This is especially true if you're testing video games from home. In fact, you may never actually talk to anyone you're working for - all of your communication may be via email. If you can't write a clear, concise report for the game developers, they probably won't want you testing for them for very long. You have to be able to detail exactly what happened when you were testing the game so that the development team can recreate the error.

Often, before you begin your official training, you'll be asked to submit a writing sample or two. It's important that these samples be error-free and well-written. Companies sometimes place more importance on clear, error-free writing than on how much you know about the video game industry. You can always learn the names, genres, and other industry information, but it's not always easy to learn how to write well.

Another training requirement isn't something you can learn - it's having time to play video games. If you don't have a good amount of time to dedicate to video game testing, you may find yourself stressed over trying to get everything done. Be certain you'll have enough time before you apply to work as a video game tester.