Due to the high volume of demand for excellent game content by consumers, there is a need for people to test these video games as they are created to make certain they smoothly run before they hit the market. Sometimes, testing continues while the game is out for mass production. Therefore, video game testers are needed. In this article, we will be looking at the factors that determine a video game tester salary and other details about a video game tester job.
These people make different salaries in different countries. In the United States, these people make about $28,672.00 annually, but they make C$47,370 in Canada. Over in the United Kingdom, a video game tester salary is around ₤17,162. In Australia, testers make about AU$60,000 each year. Meanwhile, in Norway, a video game tester makes upwards of NOK67,000 annually, which is not nearly as much as the CHF117,818.00 offered for a similar position in Switzerland.
Various factors contribute to a video game tester’s salary. These factors include everything from the geographic area, to the job outlook, and even to experience. Here is a glimpse into these factors and how they affect a video game tester’s salary.
Video Game Testers Salary Influencers
There are several things that influence the salary for a video game tester. Everything from the geographical area to the job’s outlook needs to be considered. However, different sites online cite various salaries for video game testers across multiple countries. These different values depend greatly on experience a person might have.
1. Industry
The likelihood of a video game tester working for the public sector is not all that high. Therefore, they are more likely to work in the public sector instead. In most countries, the salary for video game testers varies on experience and their location in relation to a video-game producing company. Therefore, the hourly salary for these professionals can vary from a little over 8.00 to as high as 57.00. Most video game testers do not have too many benefits options in the United States, but much the same cannot be said about other countries.
2. Geographical Area
| Video Game Tester Salary | Hourly Wage | Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|
| US | $16 | $28,672 |
| Canada | C$23.13 | C$47,370 |
| UK | ₤8.38 | ₤17,162 |
| Australia | AU$29.29 | AU$60,000 |
| Switzerland | CHF57.53 | CHF117,818 |
| Norway | NOK32.71 | NOK67,000 |
Video Game Tester Salary in the United States
A video game tester in the US can expect to make around $16 per hour. Most video game testers in the United States have an option to work from home. Video game companies see this opportunity as a way to limit overhead costs. Some video game testers perform this task for free as they are given early access to a game in exchange. Therefore, the salary for a video game tester remains rather low.
Video Game Tester Salary in Canada
Like with any other profession in Canada, video game testers are not subject to need purchasing a private health care plan. Canada does have universal health care in most cases, so professionals can focus on paying other things with their salaries. Canadian video game testers make a little more than they do in the United States mostly because they do not follow the free-access model as much.
Video Game Tester Salary in the United Kingdom
As with other professions, video game testers make less in the United Kingdom than they do in other countries. On average, they make a little bit more than ₤17,000.00 each year.
Video Game Tester Salary in Australia
Australian video game testers make a midrange salary at AU$60,000.00 a year on average. It does not seem as if they use the free access model no more than it appears if these people work from home or not. Therefore, a higher amount of overhead has to be considered for these companies. Health care costs might also not be a part of benefits, depending on the access to universal health care.
Video Game Tester Salary in Switzerland
As with other professions, video game testers in Switzerland top out the category for best salaries. They make a little over CHF117,000 annually. Most of these testers do not have an option to work from home, so company overhead is a little higher.
Video Game Tester Salary in Norway
Video game testers in Norway make about at NOK67,000 each year. This salary does not come at any surprise as the economy in this country is stronger than others. Benefits might not include health care as a government-based option might be available.
3. Experience
The amount of experience a video game tester has certainly had a direct effect on their salary. If video game testers have any technological design or engineering background, then they are likely to make more in the long run. Also, video game testers who work for multiple companies or on different games at one time might be able to make more, too.
The more a video game tester works with a specific company on a project, the more likely they are also offered a higher salary at the same time. Additionally, the amount of access a person has to a computer with the game already installed determines their chances of being able to work with ongoing game projects. Such a thing is especially true of massively multi-player online role playing games (MMORPG). These games are always live online, and they keep coming out with expansion packs. Hence, a need for video game testers to take care of these games in early access is a must.
Working Hours
The working hours for a video game tester greatly depend on where they work. If they work in a typical company office, then they are likely able to keep hours similar to a 9:00 am to 5:00 pm office position. However, for those video game testers who work from home, they can work any hours they want. Most professional video game testers either work part time or full time. Project-based work is sometimes available as well.
Bonuses and Benefit Packages
The existence of bonuses and benefits packages for video game testers is unclear. In certain countries, like in the United States, these testers are offered the chance to access a game earlier than consumers. This perk is a nice one to have. However, game data does not always carry over from the testing version to the live version. Some testers can gain bonuses for meeting certain quotas or working on multiple projects. Benefit packages are not usually offered unless the tester works full time.
Job Outlook
As mentioned previously, the video game industry only seems to be expanding. More people are demanding games that last hours and hours to play, so checking the mechanics and content of the game takes just as much time. In order to make sure this industry thrives, video game testers are needed for the sake of quality assurance to keep consumers happy when the live version of the game debuts.
Conclusion
Video game testers are likely to stay around for quite some time. Their benefits and bonuses might not be as strong as their job outlook, but the geographical area certainly plays a large role. Some countries do not pay their game testers, but the option to work on a game in early access is all the more appealing.
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