Live the Dream - Get Paid to Play Games

You've undoubtedly heard the expression, "A penny for your thoughts." Well don't play video games for free, get paid to play games by becoming a game tester. Gaming companies are known to pay a lot more than a penny for those thoughts, at least the ones about their games. They stand ready to spend big bucks simply to find out what you think about video games, why you buy them and where. Survey takers and game testers can share in that bonanza by you giving them what they want-your thoughts about their games.

Who'd have dreamt that someone could actually get paid to play video games. That's a lot like paying someone to eat ice cream. Why should they pay for something that you would be happy to do for free? Perhaps there is an excellent reason. Perhaps game testing isn't as much fun as ardent gamers think it might be. If that's true, what does working as a game tester really entail, and how do you go about becoming one?

Like any other job with a set repeated routine, testing video games can become tedious and downright boring. There's no argument about game testing being a great way to bring home the bacon, but in actuality it is not as glamorous as you might think. There is a lot more to being a game tester than playing video games. Professional game testers may get paid to play video games, but it takes a great deal of concentrated effort and, when necessary to meet tight schedules, long hours to do so. Game testers usually begin testing a game before it is out of development, usually around 75% complete, and will continue until shortly after the design has been completed.

Boredom can be another part of professional game development. There is a big difference between playing a game at home, where you are in charge of playing time and playing level, to testing a game by repeating the same moves over and over and over again. There are times when the repetitive nature of the task can drive a tester bonkers, but it is part of the job and must be dealt with daily as you continue to stress the limits of the game to root out the bugs. Better you should find them, than the customer.

Documentation will also take up a good deal of your time. Record keeping must be precise and complete. The game programmer can't correct errors in the program unless you are meticulous in your description as to exactly what you did and exactly what happen with the program when you did it. This must be done for every bug found. Usually this is done on a special form, and is the most important part of your game testing duties.

If you're still interested in getting paid to play video games after reading about the few negatives that are part of the business, maybe you are the right type of person for the job. Despite its downside, and every job has a downside, it is still a great job and can be an excellent, lucrative career. When applying for game testing jobs be sure to put your best foot forward. Create a superior resume. Get help from a professional resume writer if necessary. This is an important tool, because it is usually the first opportunity that a recruiter has for meeting you. He is going to determine if you're someone who should be paid to play video games, for seeing if you and the job are a good fit. When you send out the resume and cover letter, make sure it is going to the right person at the company.

When the day comes that you're lucky enough to get that dream job, you can begin to play for pay. You'll actually get paid to play games. Your game testing career will have begun, and may be just the beginning of a career path that could lead to becoming a designer, artist, or game programmer. Keep your nose clean, elbow to the grindstone-all the standard clichés apply-and you'll succeed in the game testing career that you've always dreamed of.