Well I think most people that "Beta" games just want to play the game before their friends so they can brag about it. Actually working Q/A in games though really does blow, but you can do it, if you really want too. Helps if your cost of living is really low for the first year. If you work your a.s off though, and make as many friends as possible you'll eventually start getting Q/A gigs that actually pay what they are supposed to be paid. I did it for a while, was getting 60k at Microsoft for a short while.

I feel sorry for the state of game development. It's getting slightly better, but the problem is there's a ton of "kids" out there who don't mind working 60 hour weeks for $12/hr or less. It's almost criminal.

I could write an entire series of novels of some of the tales I've been told. It is fun to do, but there are better ways to make a living, but if you're someone who lives at home and enjoys long hours, no love or respect, then game tester. go for it.

Just be prepared to work your a.s off and have no social life, and no the friends you make at work do NOT constitute a social life.

-A.