Game testing

Players are unforgiving of mistakes: undetected bugs, unexpected crashes, or poor optimization can lead to a flood of negative reviews, which can wreck ratings and ruin even the most successful idea before it even gets off the ground. The result is a damaged reputation, loss of audience, investment, and potential revenue.

Professional game testing helps prevent such scenarios. Hiring this service from experts is an investment in product quality, user trust, timely release, and success. The Arionis Games team helps identify and fix bugs during the release, ensuring smooth and engaging gameplay, stable product operation, and user experience. We can also test the finished game.

What is game testing?

Game testing (QA) is the process of checking game projects for errors, bugs, and other issues to ensure their subsequent elimination. This service helps ensure the stability, usability, and quality of the product. Testing is typically conducted during development and upon completion prior to release. It is also commissioned after the product's launch, if necessary.

Main areas of game testing:

• search for bugs and errors – crashes, freezes and crashes, incorrect operation of mechanics;
• checking the balance – the degree of difficulty of the levels, the proportionality of the strength of the heroes and antagonists;
• gameplay and UX evaluation – ease of control, clarity of interface and interaction scenarios;
• technical audit – stability and performance, FPS, memory load;
• Compatibility check – operation on different devices, platforms and operating systems;
• assessment of compliance with the requirements and standards of target platforms (App Store, Google Play, Steam, etc.).

Who can benefit from custom game testing services?

• indie developers who want to get an independent assessment of their product;
• studios and publishers who want to test a game before release or porting it to other platforms;
• companies seeking to address the consequences of untimely discovered bugs in already released titles.

This service is useful for developing, porting, scaling game projects, entering new markets, and localization.

The main problems that customers face when evaluating a game:

• Lack of competent specialists. Game QA is different from testing other software; it requires an understanding of the specifics of the game development industry, making it difficult to recruit a team with the appropriate qualifications. It's also important to consider the specifics of testing mobile games, PC projects, browsers, and AR/VR products.
• The need for a comprehensive audit. In some cases, an assessment based on a single criterion is required, for example, when testing a game for compatibility or bugs. However, when preparing a product for release, it's essential to conduct a full audit using multiple testing methods—functional, loading, gameplay, cross-platform, localization, UI/UX, and assessing the reliability of anti-cheat protection, among others. Each type of QA requires specialized skills and proficiency in the appropriate tools, which, in the absence of qualifications, complicates game testing, especially due to limited resources or tight timelines.
• The difficulty of detecting all possible bugs. This is especially true for projects with multiple development branches, dynamic scenarios, and interactive elements. If testing is inadequate, it's easy to miss subtle issues that can have catastrophic consequences, ranging from increased project costs and delayed launches to a complete release failure.

What problems does game QA solve for businesses?

Early detection of defects ensures high-quality final products, eliminating the risk of missed release dates, increased development costs due to rework and rework, audience dissatisfaction, declining sales, and, ultimately, losses.

What tasks does game QA solve?

• Timely bug detection prior to release to ensure stable operation and high project performance across multiple devices and platforms.
• Ensuring user-friendly interface and gameplay, good user experience, and user content.
• Increasing the replayability of the title.
• Preventing additional costs for fixing errors (especially since one bug at the start of development can lead to many others).
• Accelerating successful market entry.
• Maintaining the product's competitiveness and compliance with platform and target market requirements.

Players leave for many reasons, the main ones being bugs, FPS drops, balance errors, server crashes, poor performance on various devices, and UX/UI issues. Custom game testing by Arionis Games specialists will eliminate all these and many other risks for your product.

Game testing stages

QA for game projects is a multi-level, systematic process that includes various stages depending on the task. Each step helps identify various types of errors, from technical issues to gameplay nuances that reduce user engagement. A comprehensive, consistent approach ensures not only sustainability but also maximum player comfort.

At each stage of verification, testers analyze requirements, prepare test plans, perform manual and automated testing, generate bug reports, make suggestions for improvement, collaborate with the development team to find the optimal solution, and re-evaluate the system after fixes.

What stages does full-cycle game testing include:

1. Planning

The Arionis team reviews the project, determines the goals and types of tests (functional, loading, etc.), target platforms and devices, as well as deadlines and quality criteria.

The result is a test plan outlining the strategy, product testing scenarios, and necessary tools. This allows for the formulation of clear stages and requirements, transparent timelines and costs for game testing, and predictable results.

2. Preparing the test environment

This is one of the most important stages of the assessment, as the accuracy and completeness of the check depends on it. Specialists analyze system requirements, select and configure the necessary devices, servers, emulators, accounts, and QA tools, taking into account various operating systems, firmware versions, and drivers.

Next, mobile, computer, and other game testers conduct a test run and address any inconsistencies found. We create conditions as close to reality as possible to ensure an objective assessment and coverage of all possible usage scenarios.

3. Preparation of test documentation

The team reviews the game design document, the game's technical specifications, and functional requirements, and outlines the mechanics that need to be tested, testing goals, coverage areas, priorities, deadlines, resources, and platforms.

Main documents:

• test plan – general strategy, organizational issues;
• test cases – step-by-step testing scenarios;
• game testing checklists – lists of checks for menus, interfaces, and mechanics;
• Bug report templates are the only form of error recording and reporting.

Next, we prepare the test data—accounts, profiles, and preset game states. If automated testing is used, we write the corresponding scripts. We also set up a reporting system, determining how the results will be recorded (reports on testing progress, the number of bugs, and their priority).

Detailed documentation ensures process control, avoiding gaps and covering all aspects of the product.

4. What types of game testing do we perform?

The Arionis Games team tailors game testing methods to the specifics of the task and project. During title development, we perform all necessary testing options:

• Functional testing of core logic and mechanics, script accuracy, storyline, levels, quests, in-game events, gameplay, and interface, as well as bug and crash detection. We evaluate core and hidden features, from button operation to mission nuances.
• Load testing – game performance testing, studying game server operation under high loads and long sessions, multiplayer modes, FPS, loading speed, response time, and connection stability. We optimize the smoothness and stability of the product for a high-quality gaming experience.
• Gameplay – UX/UI testing, analysis of interface usability, navigation logic, and tutorial clarity. We ensure product accessibility, user-friendly interaction with menus and gameplay, and check the balance of game mechanics (economy, weapons, etc.) and user engagement.
• Cross-platform and compatibility – an audit of the title's stability across various operating systems and devices (PC, mobile, consoles), screens and configurations, browser versions (for web games), and compatibility with drivers, controllers, and VR/AR devices. We check the correct display of graphics and UI on various smartphone models, monitors, and consoles, ensuring the product is accessible to the maximum number of players.
• Security – vulnerability testing, hacking and cheat protection, payment system reliability assessment, and user data security. We identify weaknesses and protect the product from attacks, which increases loyalty, audience trust, and project reliability.
• Regression testing is a re-evaluation after making adjustments. This is necessary to ensure that fixing some bugs hasn't led to the introduction of new ones.
• Beta testing of games is a real-world test of a project to detect bugs that weren't caught during alpha testing. Performance, stability, balance, interface usability, and gameplay elements are all assessed. In addition to internal QA specialists, this testing may involve a limited number of players (closed beta) or a wider audience (open beta). The QA team collects feedback and server statistics (FPS, lag, client crashes, loading times), generates error reports, and runs patch betas to validate changes. Beta tests help understand user reactions to the product before release and prepare the infrastructure (servers, load balancing, etc.).
• Final game testing is a re-examination of the product's compliance with all stated requirements, followed by the preparation of a report summarizing the findings and recommendations. This step confirms the product's readiness for release.

For multiplayer projects, we conduct an audit of network functions, checking connections, server stability, matchmaking, chats, and user interactions. Localization testing can also be performed, including an analysis of the accuracy of translations, adaptation to cultural specifics, and the mentality of the target audiences. We use manual and automated QA based on scenarios using scripts and bots.

At Arionis Games, you can order comprehensive game testing, as well as testing of individual aspects—either as part of a game project's development or as a standalone service.

Features of testing games of different genres and platforms

QA in game development is not a one-size-fits-all process. Testing online, mobile, PC, VR/AR, and console games all have their own unique characteristics. Different genres and platforms require specialized approaches due to differences in functionality, interfaces, performance, and stability requirements. The Arionis team takes these specifics into account, providing comprehensive testing tailored to the specific needs of each individual project.

For example:

• When evaluating iOS and Android games, optimization for different device models, resolutions, and operating system versions is critical. Particular attention should be paid to performance, stability, touchscreen controls, app store compatibility, and the proper functioning of the in-game economy and monetization.
• When testing computer games, the main areas of focus are performance on various hardware configurations, driver compatibility, graphics settings, and network interaction. Thorough UX/UI testing (keyboard and mouse controls, interface display at different resolutions) is also essential.
• When evaluating VR/AR projects, key aspects include player comfort, control sensitivity, tracking accuracy, and visual realism. The product must be tested for motion sickness, adaptation to various headsets and devices, and integration of interactive elements into the virtual environment.
• For console titles, it's important to evaluate performance, controller responsiveness, multiplayer and online features, and platform compliance (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo). Update stability and compatibility with previous console versions are also checked.

When testing commissioned games, there are certain genre specifics. For example, in RPG titles, it's crucial to conduct a thorough audit of quests and character progression systems. In shooters, it's crucial to analyze weapon balance and network interactions; in strategy games, it's crucial to ensure the correctness of AI logic and the placement of elements on the map.

That's why it's important to contact qualified specialists when ordering game testing services.

Technologies and tools

The list of services and programs for game testing varies depending on the project type, genre, target platforms, and other characteristics. We use a wide range of tools. The main ones are:

• Profiling and optimization – RenderDoc, PIX, NVIDIA Nsight, Unity Profiler, Unreal Insights.
• Network function testing – Wireshark, Fiddler, Postman, Photon, PlayFab, Mirror.
• Game testing automation – Selenium, Appium, TestComplete, UTF, Unreal Automation Tool, Python scripts, C#, CI/CD (Jenkins, GitHub Actions).
• VR/AR Options Review – Vive SRanipal, Oculus Developer Tools, ARKit/ARCore.
• Bug tracking and teamwork – Jira, Trello, Asana, TestRail, Zephyr.
• Emulators and simulators – Genymotion, Android Emulator, iOS Simulator, Console Dev Kits.

The list of tools, devices and technologies required to test product quality also depends on the depth and scale of testing.

Benefits of working with our company

Arionis Games' expertise encompasses all aspects of game testing. We tailor QA to the specifics of a product—genre, scale, platform, and audience—ensuring it meets all market, niche, and user requirements.

Benefits of ordering game testing from Arionis:

• well-coordinated teams of testers with many years of specialized experience in web development and game development (10+ and 5+ years, respectively);
• a broad technology stack, including effective tools for automated and manual testing;
• comprehensive testing using real devices, emulators, and involving gamers (optional);
• transparency of cooperation – iterative work with strict reporting, detailed documentation;
• Flexible cooperation formats – project testing, outsourcing, outstaffing, dedicated IT teams.

A professionally conducted game project audit will save time, money, and resources (including those for post-launch support and patches), increase the product's competitiveness, and ensure higher ratings on platforms. Professional game testing is an investment in the quality and long-term success of the product.

It's cheaper to fix bugs during release. If you need a game tester or QA team, submit a request – we'll contact you to discuss the details and offer a customized testing plan tailored to your needs.