How to Become a PS3 Game Tester

The Sony PlayStation 3 is undoubtedly the best video game console in the market today, and its success has spawned a whole new domain of game developers, game testers and production agencies that work solely towards testing games for the PS3. There are currently around 700 games available for this platform, and with each passing month more and more developers are also jumping onto this bandwagon.

The video game development process is a very long drawn out process and it involves the synchronization of several teams who perform very specific tasks. Once the conceptualization of the game has taken place, the production process begins. Once the production has been completed, a prototype of the video game is prepared, and this is where the video game tester comes into the picture.

What Does a PS3 Game Tester Do

The job of the game tester is to ensure that the video game works perfectly, it is as simple as that. Naturally, the tester has to be someone who is a seasoned gamer and knows how to recognize the deficiencies in the game, if any. There are no hard and fast rules about the desired qualifications and video game tester requirements, as long as he fits the general description of the targeted audience of a game. Someone with a history in game development themselves will obviously be able to offer more feedback, but generally a person who plays a lot of video games is given greater preference.

Once the tester has played the game himself, he needs to communicate all his thoughts to the developers of the game accurately. Hence his communication skills need to be extraordinary. Not every gamer has a knack of accurately communicating all the facets of the game that need to be changed, so someone with a proven track record of good communication skills will also be of immense value to PS3 game developers.

How to Become a PS3 Game Tester

Since PS3 game testing requires a firm knowledge of gaming and some beta testing experience as well, the best course of action to take is to take as many public beta tests as possible. These are available over the Internet for many upcoming games, and you will slowly need to work your way up the ladder. Taking part in several gaming competitions will also help. These experiences will better prepare you for such a job, and will also give you sufficient experience to allow you to be picked over anyone else vying for the same job. There are several video game testing guides that are also available over the Internet, and you can choose to invest in one of these as well. They will give you a complete breakdown and analysis of what you will be expected to do in your job, and knowledge of certain terms and processes mentioned here will help you get a job as a PS3 game tester.

You will also need to make a good resume and approach the right people when it comes to looking for such jobs. The video game industry is one that is immune from any drastic changes in the economy, and this multi-billion dollar industry constantly requires people who can test their games for them and report any bugs and glitches that may exist in the gameplay and the audio-visuals. You will need to carry out some research about the best PS3 game developers and locate the offices that are nearest to you, and then approach them with a well made resume. Alternately, you can even join a video game testing agency.

The amount you get paid will depend on your age, your experience, the amount of time you will spend testing games, the level of details you will go to and the nature of your employer. There are some developers who prefer to have their games tested by random people from their homes, and such companies will pay you around $500 an hour and then ask you a host of questions. If you are employed by a specialized video game testing agency, then you can expect to make between $35,000 - $70,000 a year. This is a pretty good amount to be paid for sitting around and playing video games all day long.

So it is not all that difficult to become a PS3 game tester. You only need a strong love for video games, good communication skills and you also need to approach the right people with a well made and precise resume.