Alpha and Beta Game Testing

Game testing is one of the fundamental stages in the process of game development, which demands special attention. Depending on the software testing company specialization or the project, development process may change. Game testing companies provide services designed to log all encountered issues, to resolve already known bugs and consider new ones to eliminate them fast.

In most cases, computer game development and testing include the following stages:

1. Pre-production
   On the first stage, as a rule, the process of idea generation usually precedes the beginning of the process of each game development. The developer decides when work need to be started.
2. Production
   The second stage of production requires a large amount of work. The developers write the source code for each game, designers create graphics design, sound technicians create sound effects, etc. After all, dedicated testers join the process and start their work, when they already have what to test and what to play.
3. Support
   The final stage of game production involves connection of some patches, bug detection and elimination.

Game testing services: main stages of online game testing

At initial stage, the dedicated tester doesn’t spend too much time on new games testing. When it’s closer to the final stage, only a single game can consume all testers’ time because of regression testing. The first stage includes an obligatory performing of game testing by testers within their software testing company. After generation of the idea, implementation of the documentation, writing the code and insertion of the graphics into it – alpha version of the game is released.

Beta testing, or, in other words, testing of the candidate version is carried out in the period between late alpha testing and early beta testing. Different software testing companies provide beta testing services in a different way. In most cases, this testing is performed by users. There are 2 types of online game beta testing:

• Open beta testing of online game when the game is marketed for general use.
• Closed beta testing of online game, where the game is tested by a limited number of users.