Why You Can't Be A Video Game Tester

[Elizabeth Newman]

There's a lot of interest in getting paid to test video games these
days. This is natural, since video games are so popular and most
people would like to know how to make a living doing what they love.
Unfortunately, not everyone is eligible for game testing jobs. Below
are three reasons why you can't be a paid video game tester.
Reason Number One: You're Not Old Enough
Most in-house gaming tester positions require you to be at least 18
years of age. This is the same for "work at home" type game testing
opportunties, such as reviewing beta releases of upcoming titles. If
you are at least 16 years old, you can often play and test games for
prizes though. If you are not old enough, don't worry - you can still
get your feet wet by writing game reviews and submitting them to sites
such as 1up and Gamespot. This will get you recognition and hone your
writing skills - making it easier for you to get a paid position in
the future.
Reason Number Two: Poor Writing Skills
Being able to write clearly and effectively without grammatical or
spelling errors is one of the most important skills you can have if
you want to be a paid game tester. Make sure to write many practice
reviews first and have others check them for you and give you
feedback. Keep rewriting them until they are perfect. Soon you'll be
able to crank out in-demand high quality reviews that you can get paid
for.
Reason Number Three: Not Enough Experience
Just because you can complete a video game title in record time does
not mean that you are "game tester" material. You should also have
some experience with writing, game theory, game design, and at least a
little knowledge about computer programming. These types of skill and
experience will help you get the high paying in-house dream jobs in
the game testing industry.