Unfortunately starting out as a video game tester is not all that easy. However, the good news is that with time it does get easier. Entry-level pay for video game testers salary can be as low as $15,000 and as high as $45,000. The hourly wage can be anywhere from $8 all the way to $20+. The high competition keeps the wages low. Typically the higher pay comes after having 5 years of experience as a professional video game tester.
If you want to test games for a living be aware that you will work long hours. Work weeks of up to 80 to 100 hours are not uncommon. You can expect that you will be working 12 hour days if you choose this profession. Although arguably it will be the best 12 hours that you ever spent at a job, and if you’re anything of a gamer, you have killed more than a couple of days just sitting and playing video games, so 12 hours is really nothing.
For example, if you have ever started playing a game, and the sun was rising and all of a sudden you look outside and realize the sun has set. A video game testing career might be right down your alley champ.
Also, throughout the 12 hour day you have to be able to stay focused and keep a detail oriented mind on what you liked and what you did not like. Video game testing is not a free pass to play video games, and get paid for it. It is work, the only difference is that it is enjoyable work.
One of the things that video game testers do is they test titles for any glitches before the game can be released. Without beta testers gaming companies would release games with all kinds of glitches and they would lose all credibility as a gaming company.
One of the cons about this job is that a testers salary typically progresses after getting some time on the job.It is also not uncommon to wait weeks or even months in between jobs, so if you’re looking for job stability, just know that you might have to have another job to support you in between jobs. That is, until you have done a few jobs and you get more well known in the field of video games. After your work has been recognized it will be easier to get assignments.
One way that video game testers get video game testing jobs is they network amongst other gamers, or people who are knowledgeable of the video game field. There are a few different ways that you can do this to help you get jobs. Typically, what video game testers do is they go on gaming forums, facebook and other websites making friends, and networking with the people who are knowledgeable of the field. This will help you to get jobs more easily. A quality network will make or break a talented video game tester.
For some reason, video game companies tend to congregate and are only located in certain cities. The common areas that video game tester might have to go to get continual work would be: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Austin and Vancouver. There are also a few small patches of groups in a couple of other cities like: New York City, Miami, Oklahoma City etc.
The secret to doing well in this field is persistence and professionalism. If you’re going to earn a video game testers salary, it is extremely important that you find a way to stand out from the rest of your competition. The competition for this field is stiff, and you will have to do something that sets you apart from the herd. If you do good work you will be sought out by companies after a while. Taking low paying available jobs, until you prove yourself worthy of a higher video game testers salary.
Another thing to know is that you will get job offers for the systems that are the most common. As of right now the common systems are: Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and the Nintendo Wii.
One thing that is great about video game testing is that, most of the time, you get to keep the games that you’re testing. So you might be sitting with a game that is not set to release to the public for a couple of months. It kind of makes you feel good knowing that you got to play the game before everyone else.
A common misconception is that to be a video game tester you need to have a college degree. No, that is not always true. It will vary from job to job. To make a video game testers salary all that you need is to start looking for jobs.