Game Testing is a software testing process for testing video games for quality control. The main goal of game testing is to identify and discover defects and bugs in a video game and improve its stability and performance.
An organized and systematic strategy, the usage of test automation frameworks, and seamless interaction with your agile process are all necessary for effective mobile game testing. Naturally, the most basic understanding of the process is to detect flaws and assist developers in fixing them. However, test automation must be a component of the broader development process to pursue efficient, result-driven testing. The mobile gaming industry is one of the highest growth markets in the entertainment and media space. The industry has provided an employment opportunity to many young gamers who have become part of gaming companies as their resident testers.
The mobile gaming industry is developing rapidly in its effort to retain its devoted gamers' attention and continue to draw in new players every day. According to Global Data’s thematic study in 2021, the gaming industry has been projected to reach a record high from $98 billion in 2020 to $272 billion by 2030.
Sources: Global Data
Additionally, businesses like Facebook, Netflix, and Paytm are investing more heavily in online gaming. Content producers must deliver bug-free versions of their products at the speed of light to create and release new avatars of the games and remain competitive in the market.
Releasing a game app without critical bugs is a definite way to improve user acquisition and monetization, which puts the spotlight on the need for comprehensive testing for a gaming app.
User Interface and Graphics
The core criteria of a smooth user experience are seamless interface and graphics. Issues encountered here could be irregular text, images, or distorted UI. Such bugs are frustrating while the game is on the way and can get the gamer in a difficult position.
Functionality
As the next step, the testers need to test and determine any gaps in the game functionality for which all levels, features, and logics need to be tested. Here, testing all the difficulty levels, sequences, single or multiplayer options, etc., for any incorrectness is of utmost importance.
User Experience
Studies have shown that gamers get hooked to a game that has a good user experience. Games with exceptional navigations, negligible lags, and responsiveness are bound to be successful. Therefore testing the navigation, flow of the game, user interaction, and responsiveness on real devices instead of simulators will ensure that the game will respond as well in real-time as it does in controlled environments.
Sound
In the case of multi-partner games, sound plays a major role in defining whether the game is a hot community or a miss. The issue with the sounds may result in a gameplay mismatch with the music and would certainly ruin the atmosphere. So the tester needs to provide an extra “ear” for it.
Player Mode
With games and social life blurring, the multiplayer modes of the games have become famous and are here to stay. So all functionality related to modes and communication amongst the players is another verification scenario needed to be checked. And this has increased the intent of players to share their success stories with the world. The gamers have indirectly made social integrations an integral part of mobile games.
Mobile game testing and mobile app testing are different from each other on a lot of levels. Whether it's about functionality, device compatibility, functionality, and user interface, there are a lot of factors you need to address when dealing with mobile game and app testing.
With the latest innovations in technologies around gaming, testing has become far more complex and needs more concentration and focus.
The advent of multiplayer functionality has introduced additional testing areas for mobile games and has made testing increasingly hard as compared to mobile app testing.
Implementation of CI/CD and automation are not an option in mobile game testing. The amount of risk involved while releasing a mobile game is much higher than in releasing a mobile application.
The general mobile apps behave on any hardware configurations or situations. Moreover, while buying new mobiles, people majorly prefer to buy gaming phones. Thus, simulators (they are run on computers) do not play such a significant role as they are slow compared to gaming phones and have lots of bugs.
Unlike the testers of mobile apps, mobile game testers need to have an understanding of all areas of the application. Each feature of the game depends on the other. For example, if a tester is evaluating a character's new powers in the game, verifying the receiving of power is not enough, testing its implementation at all levels is essential.
With the options of integration of devices like Microsoft Xbox, and other gaming smartphones like Asus ROG Phone, Samsung S21, etc., the testers now need to keep a check on these integrations as well.
QASource is a leading mobile testing services provider with over 20 years of experience in servicing top customers across the gaming domain. Our testing gamers help identify issues with gameplay, graphics, and other features. Our testers have expertise in doing different types of testing like functionality testing, clean room testing, combinatorial and free testing, and play and compatibility testing. Thus, continuous and effective testing has brought a big difference in the life cycles of mobile games. It helps in keeping the players longing for more and in turn increasing the revenues. To know more about mobile application testing, contact QASource now.
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