subject: Is Getting Paid To Play Video Games A Great Option To Make Money? [print this page] Is Getting Paid To Play Video Games A Great Option To Make Money?
Can people seriously get paid to play video games? Or, is it just a big fat myth which happens to serve zero purpose? Truth be told, individuals can and are getting money to play & enjoy new video games each and every day. However, the term "play" usually will lose some of it's meaning with regards to this kind of job.
Among the biggest myths with regards to playing games for pay is that it is all fun and games. You can plop down, relax, have fun with video games, and then receive a big fat check at the end of it all. Such a thing would really be an incredible career; but unfortunately, that's not the way it works for game testers. Rather than taking part in a video game for fun, you will be TESTING it as part of your overall responsibility.
You didn't misread anything, professional game testers aren't paid sacks of money to have loads of fun & enjoyment playing awesome, new video games -- they are paid to test and evaluate the newest video game titles for developers. That is all.
Certainly the most common response to the above is "what exactly is the difference between testing & playing?" Well, its rather simple really. When you play a videogame, you conquer a level and proceed onto the one after. When you test a game, you'll beat an area and then RESTART that area and play it again & again. You won't do this once, twice, or even three times. In truth, you will do this repeatedly right up until you've located all the game breaking glitches & bugs inside the level. This could mean playing a particular part of a video-game a few dozen times, if not MORE, to ensure that you've identified all of the game's possible problems. Be honest with yourself, does that seem like a "fun job" to you? Probably NOT!
Don't get the wrong impression here. Professional video game testers can and do have plenty of fun doing testing assignments -- it's just that the fun isn't near the amount some gamers believe it is. Rather than drinking coke, eating junk food, and hanging out with friends trying to play great videogames, beta testers are essentially working to make video games more fun for the thousands and thousands of waiting gamers out there.
When you're a gamer and want to earn money playing video games, then a job as a beta game tester is precisely what you need. Not only may it fulfill your cashflow desires, but you might even start an excellent career in the process!
