How Much Does a Video Game Tester Make?
How much a video game tester makes is one of the main reasons why most get into the trade in the first place. The main factor of how much you can make as a game tester depends on how much video games you test and who you‘re working for. In this article I’m going to let you in on some of the main pieces of information you’ll need to become a games tester. When a game tester is on his/her first job they normally earn around 10 or 20 USD per hour which is pretty good considering that the minimum wage in the U.S. right now averages at around 8-9 dollars. Companies pay you for all the time you spend playing the game right through, exploring the game extensively searching for glitches and errors which a normal gamer may come across during game play and filling in a report form when finished. Keep track of your time while playing the game and filling in reports, and be honest about how much you have worked because the people who hire game testers are aware that some may try to get a few extra hours pay. Testing an average game could take up to two weeks, working around 6 or seven hours per day allowing for regular breaks needed to rest your eyes and have lunch etc. However as you experience increases, it will take you less time to test a game as you will become aware of where common glitches can be found, allowing you to take on more than one project at one time. With time being a major factor in any job, but especially that of a freelancer, you can use it to your advantage if you prioritize. Also, as your experience increases so will your pay as good companies are always after experienced gamers to test their games in a home environment and don’t mind paying for it either. Soon companies will begin coming to you to test games and will be offering you more and more. The second factor which I mentioned above is who you’re working for. There are hundreds of small gaming companies and only a few big ones. When you’re starting off it’s likely that you will first be contracted to work for one of the smaller, less ‘heard of’ companies. Because they are on a tight budget and will have to deal with the same kind of expenses as the big game companies, the generally can’t afford to pay top buck to their game testers. Most of these small game companies make online games, small console games such as promotional demos for companies to promote a new product or just indie games in general. However don’t despair because testing for these smaller companies allows you to build experience and a portfolio for when you are chasing after a contract for the next GTA or Madden. Once a game tester has a fair few games tested under his/her belt, it’s not unusual to be earning $50-60 per hour for doing what they love; testing games at home.
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Video Game Testing Companies YOU Could Work For:
10Tacle Studios AG
1st Playable Productions
2K Czech
3 Blokes Studios
3DO
3D Realms
42 Entertainment
5TH Cell
7 Studios
7-128 Software
989 Studios
Acclaim Entertainment
Accolade
Acheron Design
Activision
Adventure Soft
Agetec
AJ Square Inc
Aki Corporation
Anino Games
AQ Interactive
Aquadize
Arc System Works
ArenaNet
Artificial Mind and Movement (A2M)
Artificial Studios
Artoon
Ascaron
Aspyr Media
Atari
Atlus
Atomic Planet Entertainment
Attic Entertainment Software
Avalanche Studios
Avalanche Software
babaroga
Backbone Entertainment
Banpresto, acquired by Namco Bandai
Behemoth, The
Bethesda Softworks
Big Fish Games
Big Huge Games
Big Rooster
BioWare
The Bitmap Brothers
Bizarre Creations
Black Isle Studios
Blizzard Entertainment
Blue Byte Software
BSure Interactive
Brøderbund
Bullfrog Productions
Buka Entertainment
Bungie Studios
BVS Development Corporation
Capcom
CD Projekt
Cdv Software Entertainment
Centuri
Cinemaware
Climax Entertainment
Climax Studios
Coded Illusions
Codemasters
Coktel Vision
Coleco
Continuum Entertainment
Core Design
CrazyFoot Gamestudio
Creat Studios
Creative Assembly
Criterion Games
Cryptic Studios
Crystal Dynamics
Crytek
Cyberlore Studios
Cybernetics Game Studios
CyberPlanet Interactive
Cyanide
D3 Publisher
Dark Vortex Entertainment
Day 1 Studios
Deadline Games
Demiurge Studios
Digital Illusions CE
Disney Interactive Studios
DMA Design, now Rockstar North
Double Fine Productions
EDGE Games
Eidos Interactive
Electronic Arts
Engine Software
EivaaGames
Epic Games
Epyx
Eugen Systems
Eurocom
Evolution Studios
Eyecon
F4
FASA
Firaxis Games
Firefly Studios
First Star Software
Foundation 9 Entertainment
Forever Interactive
Frictional Games
Frogster Interactive Pictures
From Software
Funcom
FXLabs
Free Radical Design
Fuzzyeyes Studio
Gearbox Software
Grasshopper Manufacture
Gray Matter Interactive
merged into Treyarch
GSC Game World
Gravity
GT Interactive
GTS plc
Guerrilla Games
HAL Laboratory
Halch
Halfbrick Studios
Harmonix Music Systems
Hasbro Interactive
Hoplon Infotainment
Hudson Soft
Human Head Studios
Humongous Entertainment
Hyperkat Studios
Hyperion Entertainment
id Software
Infinity Ward
Iguana Entertainment
Imagic (Bankrupt)
Incredible Technologies
Infocom
Infogrames
Insomniac Games
Intelligent Systems
Interplay Entertainment
Intuition Games
IO Interactive
Ion Storm Inc.
Irrational Games
IR Gurus Interactive
Jadestone Group
Jagex
JoWooD Productions
Juice Games
Kalador Entertainment Inc.
Khayal IE
Koei
Konami
Krome Studios
Kuju Entertainment
Kush Games
Kuma Reality Games
Larian Studios
Legacy Interactive
Left Behind Games
Linux Game Publishing
Lionhead Studios
Llamasoft
LKGameStudio
Lobstersoft
Loki Software
Looking Glass Studios
The Loudness Factory,now Outland
Studios
LucasArts
Luxoflux
Mad Catz
Mad Genius Software (defunct)
Majesco Entertainment
Massive Entertainment
Mattel
Maxis Software
Krome Studios Melbourne
Microprose Software (defunct)
Microsoft Game Studios
Midway Games
Mindscape
Mitchell Corporation
Monolith Productions
Monolith Soft
Monumental Games
MP Advanced Multimedia
Mucky Foot Productions (defunct)
Muse Software (defunct)
Mythic Entertainment
now EA Mythic
M-Inverse
Namco Bandai Tokyo, Japan Bandai: 1950;
Namco: 1955;
Namco Bandai Holdings: 2005
NASSONS Entertainment Studios
Naughty Dog
NaclSoft
NCsoft
Nerve Software
Neversoft
Ninjabee
Nintendo
Novalogic
Oddworld Inhabitants
Obsidian Entertainment
Ominous Development
Outland Studios
Out Of the Office Media
Oxygen Games
Oxygen Studios
Pandemic Studios
Papaya Studios
Pax Softnica
Penguin Software
Perceptum Informática
Petroglyph (game studio)
Phantagram
Piranha Bytes
Pi Studios
PixelCubed Game Studios
Playlogic Entertainment
Polyphony Digital
Propaganda Games
Psygnosis
Paradox Entertainment
Pyro Studios
Quantic Dream
Rainbow Studios, acquired by THQ
Rare Limited
Raven Software
Red Hill Games
redspotgames
Reality Pump Studios
Red Storm Entertainment
Reflexive Entertainment
Relic Entertainment
Remedy Entertainment
Retro Studios
Revolution Software
Ritual Entertainment
Rockstar Games
Rocksteady Studios
RZ2 Games
Shiny Entertainment
Sega
San Francisco, California, United States
Sidhe Interactive
Silicon Knights
Sierra Entertainment
SNK Playmore
Snowblind Studios
Software 2000
Soma Games
Sonic Team
Sony Computer Entertainment America
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Sony Online Entertainment
Sora Ltd.
Spectrum Holobyte
Spellborn International
Spiderweb Software
Splash Damage
Square Enix
Stainless Steel Studios
Starbreeze Studios
Stormfront Studios
Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Strawdog Studios
Streamline Studios
Sumo Digital
Sunflowers Interactive Entertainment Software
Swingin' Ape Studios
Taito Corporation
Take Two Interactive
Taxan
Team6 Game Studios
Team17
Techland
Technos Japan Corporation
Tecmo
Telltale Games
Terminal Reality
THQ
Threewave Software
TimeGate Studios
Traveller's Tales
Treyarch
Tri-Ace
Tripwire Interactive
Triumph Studios
Troika Games
Two Tribes
Tygron
Ubisoft
Ultimate Play The Game
Valve Software
Venom Games
Vicarious Visions
Vicious Cycle Software
Vigilant Entertainment Company
Virgin Interactive Entertainment
Vision Park
Visual Concepts
Vivendi Universal Games
Volition, Inc.
VSTEP
W!Games
Wahoo Studios
Wasteland Empire
Wangame Studios
Wanako Games
Westwood Studios
Wideload Games
Wildfire Studios
Wizhands
Working Designs
World Forge
Webzen
Xceed Software Inc.
YUKE's Future Media Creators
ZC Funcraft
ZOO Digital Publishing
Zuxxez Entertainment
Zipper Interactive
All text from the list of video game companies is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of video game companies"