Starting out in the game industry can feel like stepping onto a moving train. There’s plenty to learn, expectations to meet, and new tools to pick up. At its core though, a QA tester’s job is to make sure players have a smooth, bug-free experience. That starts by mastering a few key technical and soft skills.
This post lays out six essential skills for entry-level QA testers, plus practical tips to help you build them.
Technical Skills
Attention to Detail
QA is all about spotting what others miss, a flickering texture, a typo, or a bug that only happens under certain conditions. Great testers don’t just follow steps; they pay close attention and question anything odd. For example, instead of writing “character looks weird,” describe exactly what’s wrong, how it happens, and how to trigger it so developers can fix it.
To sharpen this skill, team up with a senior tester to review bug reports side by side. Watching their process will help train your eye. You can also make simple checklists to make sure you don’t miss the basics.
Basic Understanding of Testing Tools
You don’t need to master bug tracking tools right away, but you should know the basics. Most teams use JIRA to manage bugs and test cases. Learn how to write clear reports, link them to the right test case, and check if an issue is already logged.
To get better with JIRA, ask a senior teammate which dashboards and queries they use most and try recreating them yourself.
Game Testing Knowledge
As a new tester, you’ll probably spend a lot of time running test cases and checking basic functionality. It can feel repetitive, but it’s vital for keeping builds stable and learning how game systems interact. Be thorough, don’t skip steps, and note anything odd, even if it’s not covered in the test case.
To improve, ask a mentor to walk you through one of their more complex test cases and explain why each step matters. That context deepens your understanding.
Soft Skills
Communication
QA isn’t a solo job. You’ll need to write bug reports, join stand-ups, and sometimes talk directly with developers. Clear, respectful communication makes sure your bugs get fixed. That means writing concise titles, explaining what you expected versus what actually happened, and adding screenshots or videos when possible. If something in a test case isn’t clear, ask instead of guessing.
To practice, try summarizing a bug in one sentence and ask a teammate if it’s clear to them. Also, observe senior team members to see how they communicate with teammates and stakeholders, you’ll notice their style differs based on the audience.
Curiosity and Proactivity
Games are complex, and not everything is written in the test plan. Great testers explore, experiment, and ask “what if?” You might find that switching weapons while opening a door crashes the game, even if the test case only asks you to check the door animation. Just don’t overdo it, especially close to release when the focus is on specific tasks.
To practice curiosity proactively, play games outside of work with a tester’s mindset, jot down bugs or odd behavior you spot and think about how you’d report them.
Patience and Persistence
Testing isn’t always exciting. Some tasks are tedious, some bugs are hard to reproduce, and builds can break. The key is staying calm, consistent, and keeping your standards high. You’re often the last line of defense before players see the game, so your reliability is just as important as your speed.
To build patience, set small goals for each session and take quick breaks during long, repetitive runs to keep your focus.
Final Thoughts
QA testing is where many start their game industry career, and it’s an important role. You don’t need to know it all on day one. But if you develop these six skills, you’ll stand out. QA isn’t just about finding bugs, it’s about understanding games, improving them, and being a trusted voice for quality. That starts with you.
