As a Quality Analyst at Electronic Arts, I have a deep passion for learning and sharing knowledge. After reading Modern Game Testing by Nikolina Finska, I found it filled with valuable insights that every game QA professional should know. Rather than having the readers go through the entire book, I’m highlighting the key takeaways that I believe are most important.

Game QA is More Than Just Bug Hunting

QA is not just about finding and reporting bugs; it ensures that games meet design specifications, technical quality, platform regulations, and player expectations. Unlike traditional software, game QA also involves AI behavior, level progression, fun factor, and game balance.

Understanding Game QA vs. Software QA

While software testing focuses on stability, performance, UI/UX, and functionality, game testing goes further by evaluating game mechanics, physics, difficulty balance, multiplayer interactions, and player immersion. The lack of industry-wide standards means every studio has unique approaches to QA.

The Shift from Waterfall to Agile in Game Development

Old Approach (Waterfall): QA was conducted at the end, leading to time crunches and overlooked issues.
New Approach (Agile): QA is embedded throughout the development cycle, allowing for early testing, faster iterations, and better player experience.
Agile QA teams work closely with developers, designers, and player support to identify and fix potential issues early

Choosing the Right Testing Approach

Learnings from Waterfall are still valid, especially for milestones.
Agile testing requires embedded QA, early feedback, and collaboration.
Live Ops testing needs continuous updates, regression testing, and monitoring player feedback.
Different testing strategies (risk-based, exploratory, automation) should be used based on the game’s needs.

Writing Effective Bug Reports

A well-written bug report ensures efficient resolution and prevents miscommunication.
Bug priority vs. severity: Understanding the impact of bugs helps developers prioritize fixes.
Clear, detailed reports are critical in remote and outsourced QA setups.

Testing on Different Platforms

Mobile: Requires compatibility testing across devices, OS versions, and network conditions.
Console: Compliance testing for platform requirements is crucial.
PC: Hardware variability makes performance testing essential.

Test Case Management and Exploratory Testing

Test cases help ensure structured coverage, but they shouldn’t be the only metric for QA effectiveness.
Exploratory testing is crucial for uncovering unexpected issues that scripted tests might miss.

The Role of QA in Live Ops

Live Ops QA requires constant monitoring, frequent updates, and handling live bugs.
Testing needs to align with game KPIs and player behavior data.
Live QA teams work closely with customer support, data analysts, and developers to ensure game stability post-launch.

Test Management and Career Growth in QA

Test management includes planning, execution, reporting, and team coordination.
Understanding QA career paths and roles (manual testers, automation engineers, test leads) helps in professional growth.
Collaboration between QA and other teams ensures QA’s role is valued and integrated in game development.

The Future of Game QA

Increased focus on automation and AI-assisted testing to handle complex game environments.
Remote testing and cloud-based tools are becoming industry standards.
QA professionals must stay adaptable, learn new tools, and collaborate across disciplines.

Final Thoughts

Nikolina Finska’s book highlights that QA is not just about testing—it’s about improving the entire gaming experience. As a QA professional, our job is to prevent issues before they reach players, ensure smooth gameplay, and collaborate with teams to build the best possible game. If you're working in game QA, I highly recommend giving this book a read. But if you’re short on time, these takeaways should give you a solid foundation on what modern game QA is all about!
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