Computer games tester
Computer games testers play games to check that they work as intended and identify problems or ‘bugs’.
Typical Salary
£24,000 – £36,000
per year
Working Hours
37–42
hours per week
Day-to-day tasks
As a computer games tester you would:
- test different levels of a game on different platforms
- find problems or 'bugs', and record inconsistencies
- write clear bug reports and add them to an online reporting system
- check that fixes to resolve problems work as expected
- report copyright issues and check for spelling mistakes in the game, manuals and packaging
- check a game's accessibility options and gameplay experience
- work closely with developers to meet deadlines
Skills needed
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- analytical thinking skills
- complex problem-solving skills
- the ability to use your initiative
- the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
- excellent verbal communication skills
- the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
- concentration skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to get into this role
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
Career progression
With experience and further training, you could:
- become a quality assurance manager
- move into games marketing
- become a games designer, animator or games developer
If you're fluent in another language, you could check different language versions of games as a localisation tester.