How to Become a Video Game Beta Tester

Posted by Brad Day

So you want to beta test video games, huh? You’re in the right place! Every day, beta testers from our community reach out to us for tips on how they can become more involved in the gaming industry. So we’ve compiled our team’s best practices for testing video games within the Betabound community, as well as outside of it in the larger professional gaming landscape.

Beta Testing with Betabound

It’s free to join our community of beta testers, where we announce new testing opportunities on our homepage each day and email you about exclusive beta testing opportunities from Centercode clients that we think might interest you! However, there are several ways you can leverage your involvement with Betabound even more to become a video game beta tester.

Share Your Testing Interests

The first step to hearing about our gaming Betabound Exclusives is to let us know you’re interested in hearing about them. Make sure your tester account has “gaming” checked as a testing interest. That way, our team knows to email you whenever a Centercode gaming client is recruiting testers for their upcoming beta test.

Check Out Our Feed of Gaming Betas

If you’re interested in beta testing games right away, you can check out our feed of video game betas for available testing opportunities from both our clients and other companies seeking enthusiastic testers. Since many of these opportunities are unaffiliated with Betabound (i.e., we don’t manage them directly), you can usually start testing these products right away!

Educate Yourself

If you’re interested in testing video games, then it won’t hurt to educate yourself about the beta testing industry first. The Betabound Blog has tons of advice on honing your skills as a beta tester. Some of our favorite resources for budding beta testers include:

Build Your Resume

We encourage our community to put their beta testing experience on their resume. Through Betabound, you can test a wide variety of technology products — thereby collaborating with a diverse group of product developers and test types. If your end-goal is to test video games professionally, then Betabound is a great first step toward building your reputation as a trustworthy tester. With this credibility, gaming companies are more likely to hire you for a paid testing position (most likely in Quality Assurance — aka QA). When writing your resume, just be careful not to violate any NDAs you may have signed when participating in a test.

Contacting Gaming Companies Directly

Volunteer testing is a great way to get your foot in the door and learn about the beta testing industry. If your goal is to get hired for a paid testing position, then you should consider contacting gaming companies directly since our community consists of volunteer beta testers.

Research Your Target Companies

First, set your goals. Create a list of your favorite video games and ask yourself if these are the sort of games you’d like to beta test. If so, research the companies behind these video games. Do these companies manage their beta tests in-house or do they outsource? How do they recruit their beta testers? Who are the individuals in charge of their testing programs, and what’s the best way to contact them?

Second, you’ll want to find out if these companies’ testers are paid or not. Most gaming companies want beta testers that are familiar with their game and genuinely care about improving it — not just getting paid. If you want to get your foot in the door, the best approach is to offer to be an unpaid, volunteer tester. That way, companies know you’re sincere about helping them (and their game) out, so they’ll usually do their best to return to the favor.

Write a Professional, Thoughtful Email

In most cases, the best method of contacting a game’s development team is through email. This is your one shot to impress their beta team, so it’s important to write a well-crafted, professional, and thoughtful message. Avoid using tons of exclamation marks or sending multiple emails. A team will know you’re excited through one email, but will be unimpressed by poor grammar or annoyed at having to sort through multiple pleas.

From your research, try to address your email to the appropriate head of the beta program (i.e., Dear Mr. Smith,). If you couldn’t find a first name, something generic like “Dear [Company] Beta Team,” or “To Whom it May Concern,” work fine. Next, share your passion about their video game so that it answers the question: Why do you like this game and want to beta test it?

Attach a copy of your resume to the email to share your beta testing know-how, and briefly explain why you would make a great fit for their tester team. A short and sweet email that can effectively answer that why question is usually your best bet for being considered for a company’s beta program.

Start Networking

One of the best ways to become a gaming tester is to network with other likeminded testers. Connect with local beta testers on Twitter, LinkedIn, or individuals involved with product and QA teams at gaming companies you love! Check out subreddits on Reddit like Gamedev for opportunities to chat with individuals in the gaming industry. Every connection built is an opportunity to get your burning questions answered, as well as network with other gamers that can point you in the right direction!

The gaming industry is booming, and beta testers are a huge factor in that success. One of the goals of our community is to build a foundation of beta testing experience and education that our members can take with them as they pursue professional testing endeavors. If you have any additional questions about becoming a video game beta tester, please comment below or email us at hello@betabound.com.

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