The video game business has quickly become a booming business. It adds billions of dollars to the economy each year. Due to the high public demand for games, development companies are looking for qualified testers to help them get their new games out quickly and error free. If you are an avid games, now is the time to look into game tester careers - what is the job really like, however?

To someone who likes to play video games, the thought of being a tester may seem like a dream job. Many think that testers sit around all day playing their favorite game. It is often misconstrued as a glamorous, fun loving, job. While it may be a fun and exciting job, it is important to realize that it is just that...a job.

The job can be extremely tedious. While you can play games all day long normally, as a tester you may be playing the same level of game all day long. Or, you may even be playing the same scenario of a level all day long. Many people think that all you do is simply play the game. However, you must be thinking of every possible outcome with the game and taking notes.

Yes, that's right...notes. You must have excellent written and oral communication skills. When you find errors in the game, it is up to you to communicate these bugs to the programmer. They will fix their code based on your notes, so they must be clear and detail the problem extensively. You must then take their revised code and run your tests again.

Many testers will work long hours and atypical schedules. The job is generally very deadline oriented. During the final few months prior to the launch of a new game or an upgrade of an existing game, testers may work up to 80 hours a week, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

The majority of the people in the gaming industry are very happy with their jobs. They get to play the coolest games months, and maybe even years, before the general population does. They are included in many different aspects and phases of the game's development or upgrades. Testing is also a great starting point for those that would like to continue in the industry. Many story line developers, graphic artists, programmers, and designers got their starts as video game testers. Why not you?