Welcome to the world of gaming where the journey of creating a successful game is filled with twists and turns. While some games become instant classics, others unfortunately end up being forgotten or even worse, ridiculed by the gaming community.
In this blog, we will explore 15 games that failed to live up to expectations and examine how proper testing could have potentially saved them from their downfall. Join us as we dive into the importance of testing and the impact it has on the gaming industry from a user-centric perspective.
hat is game testing?
Game testing is the process of evaluating a video game to detect and identify bugs, glitches, and other issues before the game is released to the public. It involves a team of testers playing the game extensively to identify and document any problems they encounter, and then providing feedback to the development team for them to fix the issues.
Game testing is an important part of the game development process as it ensures that the game is as bug-free and polished as possible before it reaches the market. It helps to ensure that the game is enjoyable and playable for the intended audience, and can also help to identify areas for improvement or additional features that could be added to enhance the game.
Game testing can be done manually by human testers, or through the use of automated testing tools. It can involve testing different aspects of the game such as gameplay mechanics, graphics, sound, user interface, and performance, among others.
15 Failed Games That Will Show Us Why Testing is Important
- E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (Atari 2600, 1982) – This game was rushed to meet the holiday shopping season deadline, and it ended up being a buggy mess. It was so bad that thousands of unsold copies were buried in a landfill in New Mexico.
- Daikatana (PC, 2000) – This game was supposed to revolutionize first-person shooters, but it ended up being plagued by bugs and bad design decisions. It was delayed for several years and ended up being a commercial failure.
- Postal 3 (PC, 2011) – This game was criticized for its poor optimization, numerous bugs, and broken gameplay mechanics. It was a commercial and critical failure.
- Mighty No. 9 (PC, 2016) – This game was developed as a spiritual successor to the popular Mega Man franchise, but it ended up being riddled with bugs, poor design choices, and bad voice acting. It was a commercial and critical failure.
- Ride to Hell: Retribution (PC, Xbox 360, PS3, 2013) – This game was infamous for its numerous bugs, poor graphics, and bad gameplay mechanics. It was universally panned by critics and was a commercial failure.
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 (PS4, Xbox One, 2015) – This game was criticized for its numerous bugs, poor graphics, and bad gameplay mechanics. It was a commercial and critical failure.
- War Z (PC, 2012) – This game was released in a very buggy state, with numerous glitches and gameplay issues. It was also criticized for its microtransactions and false advertising. It was a commercial failure.
- Aliens: Colonial Marines (PC, Xbox 360, PS3, 2013) – This game was heavily hyped before release but ended up being a buggy mess with poor AI and numerous gameplay issues. It was universally panned by critics and was a commercial failure.
- SimCity (PC, 2013) – This game was released with an always-online requirement, which caused major server issues and prevented many players from being able to play the game at all. It was heavily criticized for its poor launch and was a commercial disappointment.
- Assassin’s Creed Unity (PC, Xbox One, PS4, 2014) – This game was released with numerous bugs, glitches, and poor graphics. It was heavily criticized by fans and was a commercial disappointment.
- Batman: Arkham Knight (PC, Xbox One, PS4, 2015) – This game was released in a very buggy state on PC, with numerous glitches and poor performance. It was so bad that it was pulled from sale temporarily until the issues were fixed.
- No Man’s Sky (PC, PS4, 2016) – This game was heavily hyped before release but ended up being criticized for its repetitive gameplay, poor graphics, and numerous bugs. It was a commercial disappointment.
- Mass Effect: Andromeda (PC, Xbox One, PS4, 2017) – This game was criticized for its poor animations, numerous bugs, and bad writing. It was a commercial disappointment.
- Fallout 76 (PC, Xbox One, PS4, 2018) – This game was released in a very buggy state, with numerous glitches and poor gameplay mechanics. It was heavily criticized by fans and was a commercial disappointment.
Importance Of Testing And The Impact It Has On The Gaming Industry
Testing is an essential aspect of software development, and it is particularly important in the gaming industry. Game testing helps to identify bugs, glitches, and other issues that can affect the game’s overall quality, playability, and user experience. It also ensures that the game functions as intended, meets design specifications, and performs well on a variety of platforms and devices.
The impact of testing on the gaming industry can be significant. First and foremost, testing helps to ensure that games are released with minimal issues and bugs, which can help to improve customer satisfaction and reduce negative reviews and refunds. This, in turn, can lead to increased sales and revenue for game developers and publishers.
Moreover, testing can also help to improve the overall quality of games, making them more enjoyable and engaging for players. This can help to build a loyal fan base and establish a positive reputation for game developers and publishers.
Finally, testing can also help to identify areas where games can be improved or expanded, such as adding new features, fixing gameplay issues, or optimizing performance. This can help to keep players engaged and interested in a game over a longer period, which can lead to increased revenue through downloadable content or expansions.
In summary, testing is crucial in the gaming industry to ensure the quality, playability, and user experience of games, and its impact on the industry can be significant in terms of customer satisfaction, revenue, and game improvement.
What Are the Best Strategies to Adapt for Better Game Testing and Successful Game Launch?
Game testing is a critical process that determines the success of a game. Without proper testing, a game may have numerous bugs, glitches, and other issues that can make it unplayable, which can lead to poor reviews, lost sales, and a tarnished reputation. Therefore, to ensure a successful game launch, developers must implement the best strategies for game testing. Here are some of the best strategies to consider:
Develop a comprehensive testing plan: A well-documented testing plan is essential for identifying potential issues and ensuring that all aspects of the game are thoroughly tested. The plan should cover all testing phases, including functional testing, performance testing, compatibility testing, and usability testing.
Use automated testing tools: Automated testing tools can help to identify bugs and other issues quickly, which can save time and reduce costs. These tools can also simulate real-world scenarios to ensure that the game is functioning correctly.
Conduct beta testing: Beta testing is a critical stage in the game testing process, as it involves testing the game with real users. This allows developers to identify issues that may not have been detected during internal testing.
Implement continuous integration and delivery: Continuous integration and delivery can help to streamline the testing process by automating the build, testing, and deployment processes. This can help to reduce the time and effort required to test the game.
Engage with the gaming community: Engaging with the gaming community can help developers to get feedback on the game’s features, usability, and other aspects. This feedback can be used to make improvements and adjustments to the game before its official launch.
In conclusion, game testing is an essential process that requires a well-planned strategy and a comprehensive approach. By implementing these strategies, developers can ensure that their games are thoroughly tested and ready for a successful launch.
How Does Testing Save Cost In The Gaming Industry?
Testing plays a crucial role in the gaming industry by helping to save costs in several ways. Here are a few ways testing helps to save costs:
Reducing the likelihood of bugs: Testing helps to identify and fix bugs and glitches in the game before its release. This helps to reduce the likelihood of costly errors that may lead to negative user experiences, bad reviews, and possible refunds.
Identifying performance issues: Testing helps to identify performance issues that may arise from system and network limitations. By identifying these issues early on, developers can optimize the game’s performance to reduce the likelihood of poor user experiences.
Ensuring compatibility: Testing helps to ensure that the game is compatible with different platforms and devices, reducing the likelihood of compatibility issues that may result in poor user experiences, and additional development costs.
Reducing development time: Testing helps to reduce the overall development time by identifying and fixing issues early on in the development process. This reduces the likelihood of costly delays and ensures that the game is released on time and within budget.
In summary, testing helps to save costs in the gaming industry by reducing the likelihood of bugs and performance issues, ensuring compatibility, and reducing overall development time. By investing in quality testing, game developers can save costs and improve the overall user experience, leading to better reviews and higher revenue.
Best game testing methodologies for you
- Manual Testing: This involves playing the game and testing it manually to find bugs, glitches, and other issues. It can be time-consuming, but it is an essential part of the game development process.
- Automated Testing: This involves using specialized tools to automate the testing process. Automated testing can help speed up the testing process and can be particularly useful for testing repetitive or time-consuming tasks.
- Regression Testing: This involves testing the game to ensure that new features or changes to the game have not introduced any new bugs or issues that were not present in the previous version.
- Compatibility Testing: This involves testing the game on different platforms, devices, and operating systems to ensure that it runs smoothly and without issues.
- Performance Testing: This involves testing the game to ensure that it runs smoothly and without any lag or slowdowns, even under heavy loads or on lower-end hardware.
- Usability Testing: This involves testing the game to ensure that it is easy to use and understand, and that the game’s mechanics, controls, and interfaces are intuitive and user-friendly.
- Security Testing: This involves testing the game to ensure that it is secure and protected against hacks, exploits, and other security threats.
It’s important to note that different games may require different testing methodologies based on their genre, complexity, and platform, among other factors. A combination of these testing methodologies can help ensure that the game is thoroughly tested and ready for release.
