Hola Peeps!
Have you ever thought about how cool it would be to be a video game tester? Sitting around all day, drinking Dr. Pepper and eating Cheetos and testing out the latest releases of all the coolest games on the market? (Maybe the Dr. Pepper and Cheetos is just MY fantasy)
Well, turns out you're not the first to think of it. In fact, a reporter (a chick!) for the Seattle Weekly News did just that a couple years back. I think what she found will actually surprise you.
So take a bit of time to read this article. It's long, but it's a good read. Wait to comment until Thursday.
Talk to me . . .
http://tinyurl.com/286zbd
71 comments:
Wow. Ok i kinda knew about the not being able to test this at home thing, because that screams liability. But still I though t it was going to be pretty laid back. I had no idea it was so stressful. ...and the whole getting there at 7:20 isnt exactly my cup of tea either. You should know that Mrs. L. But i was still shock that they fired the guy because he had his cell phone. Thats really strict, but I guess i understand. That could be a liability as well. Overall, I don’t think I would do this. Beside, who wants to be told to play viedeo games?
Being a video games tester sounds like LOADS of fun...no, it doesn't like me. I would think that it would hurt your sight if you'd play games for extended periods of time, no? Talk about major headaches. Not just that, but repeating the same action for numerous hours...wow. Even more fun~ I WOULD love to have this job if I was a very lazy person, I'm only lazy.
Lessee here... I found the article very interesting. Though the fact that females have a high chance of being hired now. To tell the truth, I think that I may possibly be able to do it. Even if it is a little aggrivating at times. I could do a 24 hour shift, although I might be a little edgy afterwards. So yeah, game tester, I could do that at least for a little while....
HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY~!!!
I found that video game testers job is really not like it would seem. The time it consumes and the frustration it seems to cause is deffintently not something I would want 2 do. I always thought of this job as kind of a blow off job really, but now I have changed my mind.
...worst day of the year >.>
I dont think I would be interested in playing video games all day, my head would start burning and I would be miserable. It just might make a video freak go out of control and my opinion the pay is good to just be playing games.
Way back when I was naive, video game testing sounded like "Teh Pwnzardszzs!!"....The 12 year old has passed, and the older, wiser Daniel takes his place.
Now, I want just make the games, and make other people walk into a wall all day until the system crashes, woot!
But yeah..If it was all sitting and playing video games, they could put them on salary and pay them $5,000 a year and people wouild flock through the doors, I'd do it for free if they provided DSL :P lol.
Dial-up users put your hands up wooooooooooooooIHML
I never really desired to be a viedogame tester and never thought it would be the best job in the world, I'm not supprised it isn't. Even the videogame testing jobs like they mentioned at Valve where people sometimes actually play the games so they can refine the gameplay dont seem so great since it wouldn't be a very stable job.
It all depends on the video developer that your working for. Take for example the comparisons that Karla makes with Volt and Nintendo. Both have different standards and one is more lenient like Nintendo. Also, working under Microsoft requires hardware testing. Under Nintendo and smaller companies, it does not require you to, if all your looking for is gaming. I wouldn't mind having this type of profession as a secondary job, or if I got nothin better to do, my primary until I can find somethin better. Doesn't seem like I could this this for a majority of my life, then again maybe I can. I'm already accustomed to playing non-stop, between 10 to 20 hours a day. (FYI, thats on the weekends and freedays, spring break, summer vacation. Also this is a guesstimation) I'm a real grade A gamer.
Video Testing will be a lots of fun. Sitting around and play video all days will be fun
I thought that acticle was pretty interesting. I always thought it would be cool just to sit around all day and play games for a living, but obviously thats not the case at all. It actually sounds like no fun at all, and more of a hassle than an enjoyable experience. After reading it, i kinda wonder what other jobs that sound like lots of fun actually aren't what everybody thinks they are. All in all i think video game tester can be crossed of my list of things i want to do when i grow up.
My dreams of being a videogame tester are now shot down (thank you mrs. L) lol but actually being a videogame tester is a lot harder than i thought it would be having to get up early in the morning not knowing if your spot is taken or if you will even be able to play a game. i would be soo peeved if i had to turn a gaming system off and on for hours on end it would drive me up a wall... and its strange how you thing something so great could be so boring and useless.
i always thought that it would be fun and relaxing just like at home not stressful. its lots of work and i woudnt want to work as a video game tester.
i dnt like that i rather make the game it would be lots of fun having lil ppl kill other lil ppl haha like halo that game goes hard thank good for the smart ppl who created it because i love it so thank you nerds who dnt have a life beacuse you are the reason i dnt get bord so thank you once more
I've never really been a huge video game fan...I honestly think its a waste of time, I mean what are you really doing for yourself and your well being by sitting at home vegging out all day and night? Consequently, I'm not really interested in the whole gaming as a job thing, plus I don't think its "the dream job" every gamer out there expected. I think if your that psyched to sit around and stare a screen all day long, you really need to get out more.
I think testing the xbox 360 and games and stuff would be pretty cool especially if i got paid for it. But i would get very frustrated if the consule messed up or something. I know thats the whole point of it is to test it and fix it if it messed up but still, it would make me mad.
Being a gamer is awsome thats kinda what i want to do. During the weekends that what I do spend countless hours on video games. You have better reaction time and skilled at what you do when you spend your time on video games. Yes at first it maybe tiring an those countless headaches but it is awsome just remember dont over due it when it comes to the gamer world.
Well that was depressing...Maybe it just reminded me way too much of the book Nickel and Dimed which was similarly depressing....anyway. I always knew video game testing sounded too good to be true. One could not possibly get paid to have fun playing Mario all day! (darn) I suppose I was right. Sitting around all day in a dark scary room with high fructose corn syrup addicts switching Xboxes on and off does not sound like fun. It sounds like the beginning of a new age Wes Craven film. :( My dreams have been crushed...
This article has shattered my hopes and dreams. I would seriously find a way to gouge out my eyeball with the 360 controller if I had to do all of that for them. I was seriously surprised at the one part of the article that said certain testers had to work 24 hour shifts at one point. That's crazy and...inhumane?
But they have a point, no matter how bad it is, there will always be more people that want that job. People will always sign up because it sounds so wonderful.
I would prefer testing on PC games, that way you don't have to worry so much about the hardware and rather what goes on in the game itself. I would much prefer testing game mechanics over whether or not it "doesn't crash." Besides, the 360 still has a high failure rate.
Also, can we please start offering juice and water for free, and sodas for sale? Jeeze.
I always knew that video games would be a part of jobs. The main reason is the video game industry is such a huge business now days. I knew it would happen because I saw people on T.V. playin games professionaly for lots of money. But I would not be a tester because looking at a t.v. all day, would hurt my eyes and be boring. Also the boss makes the workers, ocassionaly, turn the system on and off for a work day, just so they can get money.
What a bummer, this is apparently NOT a dream come true. every kid wants to spend their entire life being a video game tester, but who would have guessed there would have been a down side to it.
I suppose this is a legit thing since it would be too easy to just sit around and get paid to test video games, so i guess the lacky work is used to weed out the people who are just too lazy to find an actual job.
I know for sure this is something i definetly do not want to do when i grow up, i think i will just finish college, get a legit job, and play video games in whatever free time i have, just to play...not to turn off and on 500 times to put into a spreadsheet..lame
I find the article was very interesting because its a female talknig about video games.
well there go several of my childhood dreams! Some parts of this jod still sound fun and I NEED MONEY!!
sooo i read this blog. personally, i would HATE that job. I have never played a video game in my life (besides pac man :D) and don't plan to ever play one. I think they are a waste of time and energy. I just don't see that point in killing people on the screen for your own satisfaction?
i thought video tester was something like fun, but it turns out that is not!! i think it was a really interesting article to read and much of that has to do with the one who wrote it, a girl.
but i would not like to be a video game tester, seems so stressful.
a video game tester sounds really fun to do you get to try out all theu new games without buting them. you get to tell peoplr how the games operate and what to do and what not to do. if i had to be a video game tester i will definetly take the position at periods of time yea i will probably be like omg this stuff is really gettin to me but i will be ok for the sake of myself i will manage it.
I cannot imagine a more miserable job than being in a dark room with my eyes glued to a bright screen all day long, and this article didn't really make me change my mind. And the fact that you have to show up before your spot is taken is just too much to handle. I'd like a job that was more reliable and didn't cause me terminal headaches, thank you very much.
I wouldnt like to be a game tester because there are more components to try to learn...even more than knowing how to play the game...
The problem with being in this industry is that there are WAYYYY too many peeps with the same dream of being a video game designer, but not so many have the right skills to do this job well. Besides, this job isnt at all fun like actually playing the games would be.
I already kinda knew that it really wasn't the way it sounded. I could deal with waking up at 7 but not with the sitting around hoping something is done today that doesn't involve turning a system on and off for 8 hours
I love how all these guys were really competing to test video games. They're determination to play video games was pretty amusing when they could just go home and play on their XBox. I, personally, could not be a video game tester. I would HATE playing video games for hours especially if it was just a game about shooting some monsters. I just don't see how someone could want to be a video game tester as their career. Video games are fun and all, but I wouldn't be the someone who would get up early to sign up and play video games all day!
Wow, what a buzz kill... Who would of thought that being a videogame tester could be so stressfull... [that was sarcasm btw]-I really dont consider this as an actual profession, it's low pay and it requires minimal skill.
I wonder how much video game testers or promoters what ever you call them get paid?Long as its alot id be one but only by default cus i cant c myself jus really sayn i wanna b a game creator i thank it'll b a borin job.
testing video games seems like something very. it was kinda crazy that they said females would be hired first n it sounds like more of a mans job or something they would like. i dont think i would like it i think i would go crazy
On one hand I would be enthused to sit around and play games all day but in reality I rather study a important subject because I definitely don't want to be brain dead and only thinking about games all the time
i had no idea that video game testing would involve so much stress.
i was thinking about having a job similar to this, but i realize that it become a hazard to my health and disrupt my state of well being.
I agree with some of these comments in that i had no idea game testing could be so stressful
i've seen cartoons where the person signs up for game testing and he is sat in front of the newest game console and is said to play on it gleefully.
this articles proves that not everything on tv is correct.
i think video game testing is not all it's cracked up to be, and you can count me out.
Testing video games seems like it would be pretty fun and the acticle was really good. I could probably not handle being a video game tester cause I am not the type of person to just sit around all day! I have to be constantly moving and that wouldnt work for me!!!
working as a video game tester is a bit different then i thought it would be. It sounded like an awesome job until we looked into it. it would still intrest those who are addicted to video games, cause they still do have a ton of experience in that field and there too lazy to work anywhere else. Although the biggest drawback is that your shift can be taken by some random, laaame.
I was very surprised to find out how grueling the life of a video game tester is, i always had this steriotypic veiw of testers just sitting on their butts playing games while drinking code red mountain dew and munching on cheetos, there has to be some type of insurance clause they have to sign before being able to start, if people can die from playing too many games, and these people do it all-day, everyday then there is a big risk
I've heard so many people say that video game tester would be their ideal career, it really shocked me to learn that its not what everyone expects at all. Not only is it a job, it seems like a pretty trying job...I'm sure i would absolutely hate this...and since i dont even play video games, i think this would be a nightmare. Also, this probably would induce some serious carpal tunnel in the wrists and fingers of long-term gamers.
Uhhm...forget all that. I'm not going to sit around and have some jacka** tell me to play games. You have to have NO LIFE to want to sit around and play video games ALL day... it seems pretty rediculous. I play, a little. About an hour a session WHEN I have time. An hour is plenty of fun for me.
Go out and get a social life, go get a job, maybe that'll result in you getting a girlfriend. Move out of your parents basement.
i kinda figured that being a video game tester would be stressful. i mean think of all the hours you'd have to spend infront of a screen funning through each aspect of each mission in some of these games...plus all these systems have problems that have to be fixed which takes even more time...the way the employees sign is sort of annoying...if you get there on time you may still not get to work that day...i'm not really a fan of playing games for hours anyways, but i do like some games every now and then...still i can see how video game addicts are attracted to the idea of a job where they just play video games...i personally don't think it's worth my time but a job is a job
*I think playing video games all day for a job would be alot of fun because thats all i would be doing and i like video games but doing that all day long that could get old and i would wanna do something differant instead of playing video games all day.*
i dont think i could play video games all day for a living i mean ive played all day but i get headaches so i limit myself but thats crazy that is so repetitive
Whell thaqt job would be enough to make me dslike videogames. To me, I would rather save the video games for relaxation... Not work.
I didnt know that some times they didnt play. I thought they played all day and went home. I also didnt know that you might not even have a job there the next day. I was very shocked at that.
OK. so this is why I'm going to go work in developing games and then let all this people fix any problems my games might have. I knew about how bad being a game tester was so i've never really wanted to be one.
Testing Video games used to sound fun until this Lady had ot ruin it for me ha. I understand how she feels though because i remember days where i would play videogames all day and end up 15lbs larger and have a huge headache. It's every gamers dream job, but by reading this article i think a lot of them would change their minds.
Okay, One: I don't like video games. Two: There is no way my eyes would hurt after just one hour (my eyes begin to hurt about 1:45 in this class,lol).
I couldn't handle all the stress, but only because I really dont see the point about video games (sorry everybody). I was surprised to find out the spend time turning the systems on and off, I would never have thought about that making a difference at all.
Thats cool for the people who got really good skills at video games which is not including me, but i would hate to just show up for my shift on time or even early and not get to work not reliable enough for me.
I found out in the articles that it's not the kind of playing videogames i do...sitting in a bean bag and eating junk food. It's an actual job. I couldn't do it..even though i play alot i just couldn't do it all the time all day. I think that i would go mad...
being a video game tester sounds like the worst thing to me.
1. I very much dislike video games.
2. It would give us the liability to sit around and eat and drink..AND GET FAT.im already thick enough as it is,dont need any more help,thanks(:
3.i wouldnt want to wake up and be at work that early,just to test video games.and wouldnt your hands get tired? i know mine would,fa sho.talking about getting arthritus.no deal on that.so,thats a negative,ghost rider :P
although the article was nice.
well as it turns out game testers job is not easy as i thought it would be if it was me i would of just quited cause testing games could get kinda of boring
i think that its pretty cool how u can sit at home and test the games....i never knew that doing that was so a headache[S.T.R.E.S.S.F.U.L]....
that article was pretty long but it was cool to know how everything really is...the fact that it was a chick who wastesting thiis video games was pretty outstanding beacuse when someone says video games I usually think of a guy not a girl. its crazy how your job is to be in front of a tv playing video games for like 8 hours strait. i cant even be 10 minutes playing a video game i cant even imagine how 8 hours would be like...
well i wouldnt like to take a job as a video game tester idk im just not the type of person that would sit around playin videogames all day i get bored quickly..especially if im playing alone but i think there might be some people that even after reading this that is still like their dream job
Funnily enough, I've already read this article. A while back, even. I don't remember what I was doing, but I do remember that I was highly interested in being a video game tester at the time (I still am!) I don't know how the 24-hour shifts would affect me though. I would crash so hard... But despite that, it sounds like a fun job, even if it some days it's just monotonous work of turning a system on and off a couple hundred times.
This soubds like a terrible idea. For what its worth it seems like it'd be a lot easier to just get a better paying job. video games are fun but this idea's crazy man
the only thing i knew about video game testing is what i learned while watching Grandma's Boy.... i didnt know that it was a serious job, i just always kinda sorts thought you showed up and played video games all day long and you prayed that they asked you to stay late cause they paid you overtime for playing games. the actual job in real life sounds much less glamorous... that is all
honestly, if i had to play video games all day, i would prolly shoot myself. i mean video games are fun and all but i still couldnt play video games for a job cause then i would get bored with it and have nothing else to do. so no, not for me
i think getting paid to play video games would be pretty greattt for a while but in a long run it would totally suck i mean itd get old andd what if it was a horrible game who would wanna play that and i mean i wanna get marrried who would marry a video game tester buttt itd giv headaches and ye problems would have to occur
It must have been to have to deal with the hardware failure rate of the 360 around the first few months of release. Aside from that though I don't think I would get into this career. Even though I play games very often it still hurts my eyes if I play too long, and I also on some occasions lose track of time.
Playing video games being hard work? Impossible...I really didn't know any of this. I figured they would hand you a copy, and expect you to play the game and find glitches and bugs, and report back to them, or something along those lines.
I really couldn't sit there and update an XBox over and over again or whatever they were doing, I'd get bored and annoyed. This has changed my mind about video games forever.
Ok so that part about people dying playing video games caught my attention. Who knew something that seems so low stress can actually kill you?!
I ♥ video games so if I could be told to do that for a living that would be like a dream come true. The thing is I know after doing for a long enough time that I wouldn't want to do it anymore but I still think it would be something cool to do part time.
This job would get to be tedious after a while. It would be cool somewhat but its not my dream job. It would be fun to try but ill just stick to playing at my house every so often
This video game tester looks pretty cool but at the same time it doesnt.Just eating chips and sodas is alright while testing the vidoe games but i wouldnt want to get up early in the morning and be there at 7:20.
mann..I really thought it would be just sitting down..eating doritos..drinking cokez..just chillin...I now would never want that job
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