7 methods for testing games


Due to the rapid development of technology, the mobile games industry is expected to grow by $ 300 billion by 2025. This huge growth in the gaming industry is reported by the Global data report.

With this growth and market expansion in mind, companies are striving to speed up the acquisition of knowledge in every possible way. However, as the number of games grows, users will definitely be looking for quality.

Therefore, the industry must ensure that games are innovative, fun and intuitive. In this article, we will discuss the different types and methods of game testing that guarantee quality.

Everyone understands perfectly well that there is very strong competition in this business, and the release of any product with errors will ruin everything. Therefore, you should never give people a reason to criticize your product.

In addition, there are many test automation tools gaming applicationsand we’ll discuss that too.

What do you know about the risks in game testing?

Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you should know all the advantages and disadvantages. If you understand them, you will be able to maintain a high level of quality. Always assess these risks before starting testing.

  • Does the gaming application attract users?

  • Does the application have interesting features?

  • Is the design of the app user-friendly?

  • Are game features easily accessible?

  • Is the quality of the media files (images, text, graphics, video, audio, etc.) adequate?

These are the main potential negative factors for any gaming application. Once you clarify these points, testing becomes more flexible for you.

7 different types of game testing

The main goal of testing is to identify bugs in the application. Its goal is to rid the application of all kinds of bugs.

There are various ways testing games, and they all revolve around the concept of getting rid of bugs in an application. Below are seven popular types of testing.

Let’s get started:

1. Functional Testing:

As the name suggests, using functional testing testers validate the functionality of the application in accordance with the specified specifications.

During the testing process, the QA team identifies common application issues such as asset integrity, audio-video, scalability, graphics, etc.

In addition, the QA team checks the performance of the application during instant restarts, shutdowns and crashes. QA team creates such conditions based on real life situations.

Features of the

  • Checks the performance of the product in accordance with the design document.

  • This testing method refers to black box testing.

  • Compared to other testing methods, functional testing takes little time because the QA team tests solid elements such as graphics, text, user friendliness, etc.

  • What’s more, functional testing also checks installation, network problems, and support methods.

2. Combinational Testing:

The QA team uses combination testing to analyze the performance of a gaming application.

This approach to testing helps catch bugs early, which makes the development process more productive.

Moreover, the testing method checks whether the design document is being followed or not? During combinatorial testing, a QA expert applies different combinations of inputs to check that the outputs match.

In addition, a game application would be incomplete without combinatorial testing as it contributes to better quality and performance.

If you are at the stage of launching a game application, you should definitely resort to combinatorial testing.

Features of the

  • Combinatorial testing ensures product performance with all possible parameter combinations.

  • The reports within this approach are systematic and easy to use.

  • The QA team performs combinatorial testing with three methods. These are directory-based testing, pair testing, and category section testing.

3. Exploratory Testing:

In this testing method, the team does not work with any pre-created test cases. They test the entire system while it is running on the fly. In addition, the concept of this testing method places more emphasis on “ingenuity” than on traditional testing.

Here the tester must study the game application and identify errors due to his thinking abilities. What’s more, Agile models love exploratory testing for its link to learning, thinking, exploration, and imagination.

Exploratory testing should be done before launching a publicly available game application, as it gives testers more wiggle room.

As a result, the team detects the most important errors from the end-user point of view and makes the application more perfect.

Key features of exploratory testing:

  • There is no need to create test cases in advance.

  • The team generates test cases only during testing.

  • The concept revolves around thinking and research.

  • Provides testers with a place to explore more testing environments.

It promotes better performance.

4. Compatibility Testing:

The main purpose of compatibility testing is to identify compatibility issues. As we all know, gaming apps are leading the market and people are going crazy about it.

In such a scenario, the application should perform as expected by the end users. There are different versions of devices even within the same technology, so it is imperative to carry out compatibility testing.

The game application should work with the same work on all mobile devices.

Consequently, testers test the behavior of the application on all mobile devices, taking into account basic functions such as resolution, audio, video, graphics, etc.

As a test automation company, we care about testing tools that ensure application compatibility and performance.

Features of the

  • Compatibility testing determines the compatibility of an application with all tested devices. It also compares design and text across all screen sizes.

  • It also tests the product’s performance on various operating systems and browsers.

  • Provides application stability and scalability.

5. Cleanroom Testing Methodology:

Cleanroom testing is an integral part of gaming application testing. Sometimes the QA team continues to catch a series of bugs, and they cannot determine the exact cause.

In such cases, Cleanroom testing plays an important role. Using the technique of this approach, it is possible to determine the exact cause of bugs and minor errors.

In addition, Cleanroom testing strategies make your game application productive and reduce testing effort. Even testers can enjoy the game while testing.

As a leading testing company, we are proficient in all testing methods.

Features of the

  • Cleanroom testing is a combined concept of statistical thinking, design refinements, and mathematical knowledge.

  • The testing methodology identifies the minimum defects in the application.

  • This is not a testing concept for programmers, as programming starts with a corresponding specification.

6. Play Testing:

As the name suggests, in this testing method, the tester must play the game as a player. The QA team plays on behalf of the player and checks to see if an error occurs.

In addition, whenever we test the game as a player, it helps to identify common problems. The team also has the ability to test all non-functional items.

Along with this, they can also appreciate the entertainment level of the gaming application. Overall, this testing method helps make the app innovative, fun, and player-centered.

Perhaps this is the most favorite testing method among testers, but you always need to be careful in it. They must maintain a balance between fun and efficiency.

Features of the

  • The QA team should always consider Play Tests as they create a lively atmosphere.

  • This concept is more about real-world scenarios like funny moments, user engagement, etc.

7. Regression Testing:

Regression testing is one of the most important methods to use during testing. It guarantees the work of old features of the application when adding new changes.

In addition, regression testing re-checks all application functionality from scratch and catches new bugs. As part of this testing, the developer re-runs the code and compares its output to previous ones.

No one can afford to compromise on quality, and therefore each stage of testing has its own value. After regression testing, the game application becomes more productive.

Features of the

  • Regression testing reruns all tests.

  • Compares the results of old and current tests to identify errors.

  • Ensures the quality of the application as a whole.

These are the 7 approaches with which team QA should test the game application. However, QAble also has a background in testing, and when it comes to testing a gaming application, no one can keep up with us.

Our experts are well aware of all new test automation technologies. What’s more, we’ve tested millions of gaming apps around the world.

Hence, if you need any guidance for analyzing your gaming application, do not hesitate to write to us. When it comes to satisfying our customers, we don’t hesitate. We look forward to receiving your questions.


Translation of the article prepared as part of the course “Game QA Engineer”.

We invite everyone to a two-day online intensive “Game Testing Theory. We practice in Unity 3D and on emulators. “ Subject first day: Test documentation. Analysis of GDD. Subject second day: Practice in Android Studio emulator, BlueStack, Git. Join!

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