Game testing techniques
Game QA is not one activity. It is a set of disciplines, each answering a different question about the build and each with its own tools, habits and failure modes. Here is what every one of them actually involves, with a real example of the kind of bug it catches.
Functional testing
ManualDoes the game do what the design document says it does?
Compatibility testing
ManualDoes it run properly on the hardware players actually own?
Regression testing
HybridDid this week's fix break something that worked last week?
Performance and soak testing
HybridDoes it hold frame rate, and does it survive eight hours running?
Localisation testing
ManualDoes the game read correctly in every language it ships in?
Compliance and certification testing
ManualWill the platform holder actually let the game ship?
Multiplayer and network testing
HybridDoes it hold together when the connection does not?
Playtesting and usability testing
ResearchThe game works. Is it understandable, and is it any good?
Which of these will I actually do in a job?
In an entry-level QA role you will spend most of your time on functional and regression testing, with compatibility work appearing whenever a build goes wide. Compliance, localisation and performance tend to be handled by specialists, but knowing what they involve is what gets you moved onto them — and those are the roles that pay better and last longer.
The course covers all eight, weighted towards the three you will use on day one. See the week-by-week breakdown.
Learn all eight in 12 weeks
Live sessions, real builds, and bug reports that get reviewed and sent back until they are right.