Gaming is a very popular pastime these days. Playing online games and game apps has gained pace since the advent of the internet. People of all ages are now interested in playing games online or through apps, and gaming applications are in very high demand these days.
Gaming is an experience for people, and they want to make the most of it by playing immersive games. Immersive and interactive games create a high-class experience for people, which gives them an escape from daily life. Game testing services are very important to maintain the quality and abilities of the gaming apps that people use.
There are dedicated game testing companies for this, and many gaming companies hire game testing services. The professional role of game testers is in high demand, and most of the game testers are male, at 86.1 percent of the total.
In this blog, you will learn many more things about game testing.
1. Functional Testing
Functional testing is a principal testing process for games, and game testers conduct it to find out if the game app is functioning according to the design and features planned before. This type of test is done thoroughly to find out if the app is functioning as per its original design and maintains its performance in different conditions.
Key Aspects
- Verify core gameplay mechanics
The key aspect of game testing is that the game tester tries to verify all the core mechanics and features of the game. The game needs to be tested on all its gameplay transitions and mechanics to ensure that it is working properly.
- Ensure the integrity of game assets
The team of testers also ensures that the app is working with all the media assets and resources that are linked with it. The game testing agency looks at all the aspects of the gaming interface, checking the alignment of graphics, audio, multimedia, and other assets to ensure that the user gains a complete experience from the game.
- Identify and fix bugs impacting gameplay
Identifying the bugs while testing the game app is important because the bugs can cause a problem later on in the game’s performance. In the early phase of gameplay testing, the game testing experts find out the bugs and remove them so that the performance improves before launch.
2. Compatibility Testing
It is important to understand that the game players will use the game interface across different devices and screens. These days, people have multiple mobile and desktop devices. Therefore, it is important to test out the compatibility of the game across different devices and screens so that the end user is at ease when switching from one device to another.
Key Aspects
- Test on different operating systems and hardware
The game QA testing service has to check the game layout across different operating systems and hardware. The game should adapt to most used operating systems like Android, MacOS, and iOS so that the game can be used across multiple devices.
- Verify compatibility with various input devices
Checking the compatibility of the game across input devices is also important, as input for game controls should be smooth. The game layout should be aligned with multiple controllers, touchscreens, and other input devices so that the user can easily play the game from one screen to the other screen.
- Ensure cross-platform functionality
The gaming layout for an app should have cross-platform functionality and should be able to adapt to different screens and devices. The devices and screens having compatibility is a good thing because then the game can be used across multiple devices, and thus, the reach of the game can go beyond the user base.
3. Performance Testing
Performance testing is a major need in the game testing process. The performance testing process ensures that the app is running well on multiple devices and maintains its performance in different conditions. The performance of the app should be strongly maintained over different areas of performance. The performance should not lag and glitch with its running time.
Key Aspects
- Assess game performance under different loads
The game performance under different loads and traffic should be tested. The load testing is important to check the level of performance load and traffic that the game app can get. The game should be scalable in terms of its performance so that the app can handle high traffic and player logins.
- Check for stability and responsiveness
The app should be tested for its stability and responsiveness so that the app is ready to be used by a large user base. The game app should stay responsive and not lag when it has high traffic from the user base.
- Identify and resolve issues causing lag or crashes
The team testing the app should check for latent lags and crashes so that the application can resolve them on time so that the end users do not face glitches later on.
4. Security Testing
The protection of the game from security threats is important so that the application can stay protected from breaches and security issues. Security testing is done to find out vulnerabilities that can lead to security issues and cause malicious attacks on the game. Security testing and improvement of security keep the app secure and safe.
Key Aspects
- Identify vulnerabilities to hacking and cheating
The important step in security testing is to find out if the app is open to hacking and cheating. Players might use security weaknesses to access other players’ games or wipe off game data. Gamers need secure games that are safe from hacking and cheating so that they can use the game without worrying about malpractices in gameplay.
- Ensure data protection and secure transactions
Data protection and secure transactions for paid games are important security aspects that game testers cannot ignore. The game testing agency should check the payment gateways to see if the payments can go through quickly and safely. The data shared by users should also be in safe databases that are immune to data breaches.
- Mitigate risks of data breaches
Data breaches can happen when there are security risks like faulty security layers, weak network security, and other aspects. The team has to check the security risks present and minimize them to protect the data from breaches.
5. Usability Testing
It is also important to check the aspects of the user layout and the features to ensure that the game app is user-friendly and achieves all the objectives of creating the layout. The user experience level of the gaming app matters the most because, at the end of the day, the end users will interact with the app the most.
Key Aspects
- Evaluate ease of use and navigation
It has been found that today, gamers are of all ages, so when creating a game app, the gaming testers should check for accessibility and navigation. The ease of use of the application and the ease with which people can navigate through it on their own determines how well the users will engage with the game.
- Gather player feedback to improve UI and UX
You also need to gather player feedback as a game-testing team, as this is real feedback that plays an important part in improving UI and UX. The UI and UX of the gaming app should be improved from time to time so that the users get something new when they use it.
- Test accessibility features for all players
The accessibility of the app should be for all players, and players should be able to enjoy using the game controls. The learning curve for the game should also be simple enough for the target audience.
6. Localization Testing
The game testing services also have to do localization testing, which ensures that the version of the game is adapted across different regions and can also be played in different languages. This testing process ensures that different regions and player groups are included in the gameplay.
Key Aspects
- Verify translations and cultural appropriateness
The translations of different languages and cultural elements according to the regions should be tested and verified by different teams who are familiar with them.
- Test for localization issues in text, audio, and visuals
The game testing team also tests for compatibility issues between different elements of the local languages to ensure that the game is working with all the necessary elements of graphics, text, and audio in line and that the user gets a complete experience from it.
- Ensure compliance with regional regulations
The game testing team also has to find a way to check for all the regional regulations and test the game on the basis of these rules so that the game is well accepted across all regions it targets.
7. Regression Testing
The game will have multiple versions, and there will be changes as other tests run on it. It is also possible that the game will get updates from time to time. To ensure that the game is working like the original after updates, the team has to conduct regression tests.
Key Aspects
- Retest previously tested functionalities
The game testing team has to test for the basic and new functionalities to ensure that all the features and functions of the game are working seamlessly and very easily without any transition issues.
- Use automated regression tests to save time
The team should also be adept at conducting regression tests with automated tools and integrated environments so that the accuracy and speed are improved.
- Verify that fixes do not cause new bugs
The testing team has to remain vigilant to see that there are no new bugs or issues arising from the new updates or newly introduced features. The identified bugs should be removed as soon as possible.
Elevate Your Game Quality with These Essential Testing Techniques Today!
When a game testing company takes up a game for testing, it does not have one single testing process; there are multiple tests that run on a game. From compatibility testing to functionality and even regression as the app updates, a game testing team has multiple tasks to ensure that the game retains its original idea and quality. Only then can a game continue to be true to its hype and stay popular among gamers.