Game Testing Jobs

  • Thread starter phreakypat
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phreakypat

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Hi. Does anyone know of any game companies in the Bay Area that offer game testing positions? I know there's Electronic Arts in San Mateo, but I'm not sure what other companies there are. If you can maybe post a link to the employment section of a company that'll be great.
 
Just work in a games shop. One of my teachers worked in a games shop before becoming a teacher and he played every game that came out while he was working there.
You might not get to make a difference to the game, and you might not be the first to play the game.
But you get paid and its FUN!
 
Good point Exige, but there are some advantages to being a true game critic. You hear about games way before others, you get to test beta versions, which are usually more detailed then sales models, and you get better pay.
 
Another advantage of working in a game shop is the discounted price of all you gaming needs. I know that would nice. I get a major discount on computer hardware prices and I'm lovin' it. :)
 
My only warning would be to not expect too much. When they say test the game, they mean you only test. In short, your social life will suffer greatly. Otherwise, good luck!
 
My friend was something of that sort. His hours were extreme, I think it was like 100 hours a week or something. The pay is good, if you're lucky you can work at home, but eentually you get really pale and pasty. But you can beat anyone in any game. :)
 
There's a division of Sega over in the Bay Area. Capcom's over in Sunnyvale as well (but that's more in the San Jose-ish area)

I'm not sure, but Konami may be up there as well. One of ladies in our Facilities department moved to Konami and she had mentioned that she had a hard time moving North away from her friends.
 
Yes. I know of the Capcom offices there and am thinking of applying there. I almost got a job with Sega when they were still Redwood City years ago, but had to turn it down because of school. Thanks for all the feedback.
 
There's a bit of exaggeration there. 100 hours a week is very unreasonable - not to mention, it'd probably kill whatever unlucky soul that had to work for a boss that required that kind of shift.

40 hours a week is standard for most of the working world. The QA department with my company typically puts in standard 40 hour work weeks, but often they are required to put in extra time (especially when a product is set to ship in a matter of weeks). But even then, they're more likely to put in 12 hour days rather than 16 hour days.

To pull off a 100 hour work week, an employee would have to work a 16 hour day (the max that law allows, AFAIK) then work 20 hours on what would be considered their weekend.

Don't get me wrong - a 100 work week might happen with QA departments, but they don't happen for extended periods.

And since QA positions are regarded as starter/entry level positions, many could consider long hours as "payment of dues," before moving on to bigger and better things.

BTW, Konami is up there - San Jose to be exact.
 
Well of course its not always 100 hours a week. That'd be crazy, but at certain times 100 hours a week would hold for 3 or 4 weeks, and then he'd go down to about 60. I think he moved. :odd:
 
I was thinking about that. The crappy thing for them is that they (usually) actually have a choice in the matter of overtime (at least that's what I know from most of the QA positions around the area).

You can choose not to take the overtime, but it tends to reflect badly on your status within the team.

Damned if you do...damned if you don't.
 

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