How to Get a Video Game Testing Job

 

Unless you have connections in high places, it will be difficult for a major game company to come directly to you and offer you a video game testing job.

 

Many of these game studios have staff testers, however any game that hit’s the shelves will have been played at home by a game tester because the publishes will want to have first heard the voice that really matters; yours.

 

This article will show you the best method of living the dream of any gamer; getting paid to test video games.

 

All you need to start is a games console such as a Playstation 2 or 3, an Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Computer or pretty much any other one you can think of no mater how small or big.

 

Secondly, if a computer isn’t already what you have chosen to test games on you’re going to need one anyway.

 

The Internet is the best place to start your search. Do a few internet searches for “game testing jobs” and “game testers wanted”, and you will have hundreds of sites popping up offering you chances to make $100 dollars an hour playing video games.

 

You will have to weed through these until you start to see genuine sites. Many online forums can also direct you to trustworthy sites.

 

Most of these web sites have a small subscription charge which will pay for itself once you get off the ground.

 

The majority will send you newsletters and updates of companies who are looking for game testers.

 

If and when you choose to apply for these jobs, simply e-mail them with a quick cover letter telling them of your gaming experience, if you have ever been a gaming tester before and your rate per hour (its best to keep this low when you’re starting off; around $20/hr).

 

Be casual yet polite and professional about what you do; only giving relevant information and pitching them your service as best you can.

 

In terms of getting a response it will be the same as applying for any other job, it may take some time. However persistence will prevail and after a couple of weeks you should hear back from one or two of these game companies.

 

During the time while your waiting you can build a portfolio by writing small articles about games you have already played, giving the good along with the bad, or even make your own pod cast if you have the time.

 

These little reviews show future potential clients that you can test video games and analyze them in detail. It also looks good on a cover letter to throw in a link to your blog or website.

 

When the big day finally comes and you receive an email asking you to test a game the world has yet to lay eyes on, you’ve gotten you first ever video game testing job. All that’s left now is to get down to work. Or should I say play?

 

 

 

 

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"