If you want to get paid to test games, you need to know where to look, how to apply, and what you do as a video game tester.

First let’s clear the air: Like anything else, testing video games is a job. You can earn good money, but your job is to test games and complete reports. THERE IS REAL WORK INVOLVED.

If you’re good with it, we can move on.

How much will I get paid to test games?

An experienced video game tester can earn up to $120 per hour. Since you are just starting out, expect to start with $10-$15 an hour. Still not bad considering your job is to test video games!

If you really want to get paid to play games and make a living from them, you need to get out there. You won’t start from the top, but you can start today! You are about to learn a way to find these game tester jobs and you can start looking today.

Why on earth would a game developer pay me $10 (let alone $120) an hour to play their video game?

Because you save them millions of dollars. The gaming industry is huge. It is currently worth $50 billion dollars. Gaming is serious business, and releasing a glitchy game is expensive. If a game is released that is unplayable, it will cost millions of dollars to take it down, fix it, and redistribute it. Paying you a few thousand dollars to test your game is pennies compared to the cost of a withdrawal.

OK I’m convinced, where can I find these jobs?

The easiest place to start looking is on the actual game developer websites (such as Microsoft, EA, 2k Sports, etc.). What you need to do is make a list of all the game developers you can find, bookmark their websites, and check them every few days to find an opening. It may not be pretty, but it works.

One of the keys in this business is building relationships. You want to meet insiders who can connect you with jobs before they are posted; in fact, some jobs are done in-house, meaning only game testers known to the company are hired.

I found a job, how can I increase my chances of being hired?

First, apply right away. The earlier you apply, the better your chances of having your application reviewed.

Second, find out who is in charge of hiring. Know this person by his first name. You should email and call this person regularly. You are not harassing them, you are building a relationship. As such, when you call (or email) this person, you want to continue to sell them your skills as a game tester. Find new ways to showcase your talent and express your determination as a test.

NOTE: Game developers don’t care how good you are at playing, they care what you can do for them. They need you to find bugs and test functionality. You need to sell them your ability to do just that; don’t try to sell them your skills in Halo 3.

I still want more help getting hired!

If you’re serious about becoming a video game tester, offer to work your first job for free. Sure it’s great to get paid to test games, but if you don’t have any experience taking your first job for free will help. If you offer to work for free, your chances improve dramatically because they know you’re serious. Plus, you get a nice upgrade to your gaming resume and you’ll have a good chance of getting paid to test games the next time the developer needs a test.

I was hired, what am I looking for?

You are testing 5 things:

1. Compliance: Any inappropriate ESRP content?

2. Functionality: any bugs or errors?

3. Soak – Does the game freeze when you leave it running in different modes (such as running)?

4. Localization: Does the game’s story flow logically? Is the spelling/grammar of the script correct?

5. Compatibility: For PC gaming, how does different hardware affect the game?

Now you know where to look, how to apply, and what you’re testing. Now go out and earn money to test games! Start looking today.

P.S. No education is required, the only requirement is to be over 18 years old (and not always).