Chapter 11. Quality Assurance and Gameplay Testing

Quality assurance and gameplay testing are two very important steps in bringing a video game to completion before its commercial release. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that they are the two most important steps to consider before releasing any software product. Quality assurance and gameplay testing ensure that the product works as designed and that it provides sufficient functionality, usability, and fun to be attractive to critics and end users alike. If these steps are skipped or rushed, the product may be released with bugs that affect its functionality and playability.

These steps allow the producer to confirm that the team’s work over the past many months has been on target and has resulted in a worthwhile interactive experience for the user. The risks of rushing the QA process are many, from crash bugs to the game’s having conflicts with other software and hardware.