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Game Testers

Testers play games for a living. They find errors in video game software before it is shipped to stores. They play each part of a game, trying to ferret out graphic glitches, computer crashes, and other bugs. Most of the problems testers find are technical: characters who walk through walls, artwork or sound that disappears, or a game level that won't load. Other problems are with gameplay. Testers identify places that are too hard, too easy, or too confusing. Testers write reports describing each problem they find. Video games are tested methodically to increase the chances of finding a bug. This might involve playing one part of the game repeatedly.Sometimes, testers have a hand in fixing the problems they find. They can make design suggestions. For some video games, they might control the strength of characters in the game. They adjust the strengths until the game is most fun and propose their selections to the development team.

Earnings. There are no BLS data for game testers. According to job announcements, temporary testers usually earn between $6.50 and $8.00 an hour.