Getting Paid to Play Video Games - Truth or Big Fat Fib?

Can people really get paid to play video games? Or, is it just a big fat lie that serves no real purpose? In truth, people can, and are, getting paid to play video games every single day. However, the word "play" usually loses some of it's meaning with this type of opportunity.

One of the biggest misconceptions about playing games for cash is that it is all fun and games. You get to sit back, relax, play video games, and then collect a big fat check at the end of it all. That would truly be a great job; but unfortunately, that's not how it really works. Rather than playing a video game for fun, you will be testing it as part of a task.

You heard correctly, professional video game testers aren't paid to have loads of fun playing cool, new video games -- they're paid to test and evaluate new video games for developers.

The most common response to the above is "what's the difference between playing and testing?" Well, it's simple really. When you play a game, you beat an area and move onto the next. When you test a game, you beat an area and then RESTART that area and play it again. You don't do this once, twice, or even three times. You do this many, many times until you've located all the bugs and glitches of that area. This could mean playing a particular part of a game a dozen or more times to ensure that you've located all possible problems. Does that sound like a "good time" to you? Probably not!

Don't get the wrong impression. Video game testers can and do have fun doing their job -- it's just that the fun isn't as much as some people think it is. Rather than drinking cola, eating pizza, and hanging out with friends playing great games, testers are actually working trying to make games better.

If you're a gamer and want to get paid to play video games, then a job as a video game tester is exactly what you need. Not only will it satisfy your cash flow needs, but you may very well start a lucrative career in the process!