Friday, January 22, 2010

'I don't know about you, but I didn't ask for this'

You know what I find funny? The headline above (stolen from this NeoGAF thread) could have introduced my last few posts, too.

It works best for this one, though, as it has to do with Sony's forthcoming PlayStation Network reality show, "The Tester."

What's up with the "do not want" attitude, you ask? Well, the point of the show is to watch 11 people (ranging in age from 22 to 36) compete to win "a gamer’s ultimate dream job--an official PlayStation game tester." (More information about the show can be found here.)



Now, I've never been a game tester, but everything I've ever read about the experience suggests it's rather repetitive and doesn't pay all that well. Also, aren't most developers desperate for testers--and, as a result, willing to take on anyone with a pulse?

If any of the above is true, doesn't that mean that viewers of "The Tester" will be watching people compete for jobs they could have obtained if they'd just picked up the Yellow Pages and called someone at Sony Computer Entertainment America?

It all seems like a waste of time to me, but who am I to judge?

3 comments:

Viewtiful_Justin said...

I'll bet it pays more than the job I have now. Maybe I'll do that after they fire me.

Bryan Ochalla said...

I wouldn't be so sure. Plus, you're not going to get fired!

Viewtiful_Justin said...

:-) Thanks for the optimism. I certainly hope you're right.