Become a QA Tester

Even though their role is essential, QA testers (or Quality Assurance testers) are not necessarily the first job that comes to mind when considering a career in video games.

However, QA testers are an essential link in the video game development process, as we will demonstrate in this job description detailing their tasks, role, necessary skills, and training required for this unique profession.

Duties and roles of a QA tester

The role of a QA tester is to detect as many bugs, glitches, and technical issues as possible in a given video game so that they can be corrected by the developers before the final release. The QA tester must therefore thoroughly test all the game’s features, including gameplay, graphics, sound, UI, and stability, in order to make the game as polished as possible for its public release.

Their tasks are therefore varied: they must, of course, test the game at all stages of development to detect bugs, defects, and gameplay issues, but they must also write detailed bug reports when a problem is detected, including screenshots and a precise description of the steps to reproduce the bug. In this context, the QA tester participates in discussions with the development team about bugs and game quality, and suggests improvements to the game’s ergonomics and gameplay.

Next, they must verify that the bugs fixed by the developers have been resolved, retest the affected areas of the game, and verify that the game complies with the technical requirements of the target platforms (console, PC, mobile, or all three), as well as the geographical areas and languages in which it will be distributed.

Finally, once the game has been released, they must be able to analyze player feedback and reviews to identify new bugs or issues, and perform stability and performance tests during new updates, which are increasingly frequent on modern games and available for free, such as Fortnite, to name the most well-known.

Skills and qualities required to be a QA tester

To become a QA tester in the video game industry, you need to have a good range of technical skills, but also a very good ability to communicate in a friendly and constructive manner, even in stressful situations. A good understanding of the video game industry, as well as its different genres, platforms, and game engines, is also essential to fit into the sector.

Beyond this technical expertise and the tools we will detail below, QA testers must also have strong analytical and synthesis skills in order to identify bugs, propose solutions, and communicate effectively with development teams. A complete test must be documented, understandable, and exhaustive, which is only possible if the QA tester has a great deal of patience, perseverance, and a keen analytical mind.

Tools and software used by QA testers

QA testers use both traditional programming tools and development tools dedicated to video game creation, so they must have strong computer and programming skills. Knowing how to use different software, frameworks, and languages such as C#, C++, or JavaScript will allow them to detect bugs more easily, while communicating with developers through a common language.

On the technical side, mastery of game engines such as Unreal Engine and Unity and their dedicated tools (Profiler for Unity) will also enable them to detect graphical bugs, gameplay or environment issues, while also identifying the source of these problems more efficiently.

Today, many of these processes are automated tests, which are integrated into “test frameworks.” . To implement these, QA testers use frameworks such as NUnit, PyTest, Cucumber, and TestNG, which correspond to specific programming languages and enable robust debugging.

There are many testing tools available, and they are constantly evolving, which is why it is essential for QA testers to stay abreast of developments in the sector and continue to develop the skills they have acquired through extensive training.

Which high school diploma should you choose?

To become a QA tester, a scientific or technological high school diploma is the ideal path to this highly technical profession, where computer and digital sciences are an integral part of everyday life. A solid background in mathematics is also recommended.

Training and degrees to become a QA tester

Once you have obtained your high school diploma, pursuing a video game course is the most obvious path to entering the profession and this ever-evolving industry. However, a degree is not everything, which is why video game students should make sure to develop a network through their training and various experiences in order to maximize their chances of finding a job after graduation.

What is the salary of a QA tester?

Average starting salary

Salaries for video game QA testers vary depending on experience, but are generally between €30,000 and €45,000 gross per year for a beginner.

Average salary for experienced testers

With experience, salaries can rise to €50,000 or €60,000 gross per year. Senior QA testers or those in lead positions can even earn up to €70,000 and €80,000 gross per year, demonstrating the importance of this key position within large studios.

Career opportunities

The QA tester profession offers interesting career development prospects. After a few years of experience, it is possible to move into positions with greater responsibility, such as Lead QA Tester, QA Architect (responsible for test architecture and design), or QA Engineer, in charge of framework development or test automation. These are all highly skilled, specialized professions that can also lead QA testers to other related jobs such as project manager, analyst, etc.

Sectors and companies that are hiring

The skills developed as a QA tester (rigor, organization, analytical ability) are valued in many fields. There are therefore many opportunities for those who wish to progress in this career path. QA testers can be found in digital companies, video game studios, software publishers testing applications, tools, and websites, as well as in many tech startups in the fields of AI, cybersecurity, and connected objects, where usability and user experience must be accessible and seamless. Finally, the finance, healthcare, automotive, and aeronautics industries are also regularly looking for QA testers, as their software and applications must meet strict standards and high quality requirements.

Which school should you choose to become a QA tester?

With its professional video game training, ESMA is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to become a QA tester, as it will allow you to develop your skills in all areas of video game creation, but also to specialize through your final project. You will create a game from start to finish and have the opportunity to present it to a jury of professionals, who are often looking for young talent. The job of a QA tester in video games is both exciting and demanding, requiring solid technical and programming skills, as well as great rigor and patience to methodically test all aspects of a game. These are all qualities that ESMA’s video game training program values, while demonstrating a great openness to the professional world.