10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Game Testing Service Provider

Choosing a game testing service provider is a mission-critical decision for any studio preparing to launch or scale a game. Whether you’re developing a fast-paced battle royale, a narrative-driven console title, or a hyper-casual mobile release, your QA partner will directly influence launch quality, retention metrics, and post-release spending.

Before signing a contract, studios must evaluate more than pricing or timelines. The right QA provider should align with your development process, understand your genre, support your platforms, adapt to live operations, and proactively contribute to game quality — not just report bugs.

Here are 10 essential questions to ask before hiring any game testing service provider.

1. Do They Have Experience in Your Game Genre and Platform?

Not all testing experience is equal.

Testing a narrative puzzle game differs significantly from testing:

• Competitive shooters
• Physics-heavy racing games
• MMOs with persistent worlds
• Live event-based GaaS products
• Casino and regulatory-compliant games

A qualified provider should demonstrate case studies or references directly related to your target genre and platform (iOS, Android, PC, Console, VR, Cross-Platform).

If a provider claims “we test everything,” ask specifically:

What types of games do you test most frequently?

2. How Do They Structure Test Planning and Strategy?

Game testing is not only about execution — it starts with strategy.

Request to see:

• A sample test plan
• Bug prioritization framework
• Test coverage approach
• Edge case scenario planning

The provider should outline how they prevent issues, not just how they detect them.

A sophisticated QA partner:

• Adapts to Agile, Scrum, or Kanban workflow
• Communicates test cycles ahead of development milestones
• Recommends testing phases, not waits to be instructed

If they don’t start with planning — they’re not strategists; they’re task executors.

3. What Devices, Platforms, and Hardware Do They Support?

Today’s gaming ecosystem includes:

• Dozens of iPhone and iPad models
• Fragmented Android market
• Multiple GPU generations for PC
• Console generations (PS5 vs PS5 Pro, Xbox Series variations)
• VR headsets
• Cloud gaming and browser-based titles

Ask them for:

• A device inventory list
• Testing capabilities by platform
• Legacy support or next-gen optimization

The more devices they can test on, the better your stability across real players.

4. How Do They Report Bugs, and What Details Do They Include?

A bug report should never read like:

“Game crashed on level 3.”

A professional provider includes:

• Steps to reproduce
• Severity and priority level
• Screenshots and videos
• Logs if available
• Expected vs. actual behavior
• Environment (OS version, device, network, build)

This structure saves your development team time and frustration, reduces back-and-forth questions, and accelerates fixes.

Ask for sample bug reports before signing.

5. Are They Capable of Scaling Quickly if the Project Expands?

Development rarely follows a clean timeline.

When crunch hits or multiplayer testing begins, you may need:

• 10 testers instead of 2
• 24/7 testing windows
• Multiple time zones
• Parallel functional + regression cycles

Ask:

• How fast can you scale resources?
• Do you provide dedicated AND flexible testers?
• Do you support multi-team communication?

A QA partner should adapt to your roadmap — not the other way around.

6. Do They Offer Specialized Testing Services?

Basic functionality testing is only part of the picture.

Depending on your game, you may need:

• Performance and memory leak testing
• Multiplayer and network latency testing
• Usability and UX testing
• Device battery/thermal testing
• Localization testing
• Compliance and certification (Sony, Nintendo, Xbox)
• Security and anti-cheat testing
• Automation testing

The more complex your game, the more specialized the QA requirements.

Ask which tests they perform — and which they don’t.

7. What Security and NDA Measures Do They Follow?

Your pre-release build is confidential.

You should know:

• How they store builds
• Who has access
• NDA policies with testers
• At-home device testing vs. secure lab testing
• Whether subcontractors are involved

Sensitive games — especially competitive titles or casino gaming — require impeccable security practices.

8. How Do They Communicate Progress and Status?

Clear communication can save months of delay.

Ask whether they provide:

• Daily reports
• Real-time dashboards
• KPIs like pass/fail rate trend
• Risk or blocker notifications
• Dedicated project manager

If communication only happens “at the end of each cycle,” expect surprises.

9. Can They Support Post-Launch Live Ops Testing?

Launching the game is step one.

The real challenge begins when:

• New content drops
• In-game events launch
• Seasonal updates roll out
• Balance changes deploy
• Cross-platform integrations release

Players expect perfection every time — not just at launch.

Ask:

• Do you offer ongoing regression testing?
• Can you test live events with short notice?
• Can you simulate player volume or concurrency changes?

10. What Do Other Developers Say About Their Work?

Any credible provider should:

• Provide testimonials
• Share case studies
• Offer verified references
• Demonstrate client retention

If they refuse references — consider it a warning sign.

Conclusion

Hiring a game testing service provider goes far beyond cost comparison. You’re not just buying tests — you’re investing in:

• Player retention
• Store ratings
• Brand perception
• Launch stability
• Revenue protection
• Live ops success

By asking the right questions — about expertise, communication, scalability, specialized testing, and security — studios can find a QA partner that contributes to the success of their game, rather than simply performing a service.

The goal is not only to detect bugs — it’s to deliver a polished, seamless player experience that keeps users engaged from first launch to long-term live operations.