(Please Note: We are currently full and are not recruiting Beta Testers at present. Any future recruitment will be announced in the Announcements & Events boards)
What is a Beta Tester?
Among other things a Beta tester is fundamentally a valued member of the Official PlayStation® Community. He or she is noted for their contribution to the community and is expected to maintain a respectable level of contribution throughout their participation in the Beta trials. As a token of our recognition and appreciation of this we have included this person in our Beta community who help us publicly test unreleased PlayStation® titles.
What does a Beta Test involve and what is required?
Participating in the tests does not require a technical mind - we need a variety of people with differing amounts of technical expertise to help us test the games. However, you must be flexible and be prepared to set aside some of your spare time and evenings to participate in specific Test Nights and general game testing.
A Beta Test can last anything between 2 to 6 weeks per game, during which time our testers may be asked to take part in at least one Test Night per week. Test Nights take place on weekday evenings and can last from one to two hours each.
We will also ask our testers to provide feedback about their experiences of connecting and playing the game online, and report any bugs or problems that you find via the Beta Forums and web surveys.
All titles that are sent to our Beta testers are Beta versions only and will not be useable once the testing is complete. It is also
likely that the Beta testing of a game may be limited to specific levels, tracks or the online functionality of a game.
- be aged 18 or over.
- be able to read and give feedback in English as the Beta Tests are in English only.
- be a European resident (US residents should check here for information regarding US Beta Tests),
- have a PlayStation®3 or PlayStation®Portable with a broadband internet connection and a PlayStation®Network master account.
- Be a member of our Official PlayStation® Forums
Public recruitment! -We run these from time-to-time. Any one can sign-up and this is the easiest way to get involved. Recruitments are announced in the Announcements & Events boards (when the time comes).
Get recommended! - We also run occasional private recruitment where our current Beta testers can "recommend-a-friend". If you are a beta tester and know someone that you feel would make a good candidate for our program then be sure to look out for these!
Kudos! - Being a beta tester is, first and foremost, all about being a great member of the community. We take special note of our monthly kudos leaderboards for potential additions to our beta community. For more information on Kudos click here for the English Kudos FAQs.
Pass-the-baton! - Believe it or not, and for various reasons, some testers do make the decision to hand in their Beta badge. In such instances we allow the retiring tester to refer someone else to take their place. This way their decision to leave will hopefully bring a good friend some genuine fun and happiness.
Nota bene on recruitment -
Firstly, the only forms of recruitment for the private Beta community are those listed above. Please be aware that unfortunately there are many hoax messages and chain mails that circulate that are completely false in their nature. We do not send out PSN chain messages and we will never ask for your email address.
Secondly, we have always maintained that being a part of the beta community should be completely voluntary. It has always been a commitment that the individual can decide to partake, or not. No one is expected to take up an opportunity that they may have been offered. We do not issue prizes or gifts for an individual's involvement within the beta trials. It's simply an opportunity to express your enthusiasm for gaming and test upcoming titles that will help to shape the final version of the game.
Finally, please be aware that we will not tolerate any activity involving the selling, trading, bargaining or the manipulation of kudos for a position within the beta trials. Action will be taken against the accounts of all parties involved in such activities.
Nota bene on participation -
The trials we run are dependant on participation and feedback. Our aim is to have a Beta community that are active and willing during all of our trials regardless of personal preferences towards game styles and genres. The individuals that adhere to this aim are of great asset to us and we are ever appreciative of their efforts. However, due to the nature of the program and individual lifestyles, we understand not all people are able offer their time and dedication on a continued basis. As such many people simply disregard their involvement and stop participating.
This being the case we now run reports following each Beta Trial that provides us with user lists that outline our participation levels. In an attempt to keep the current Beta Community dedicated & active, the system will now remove a Beta Trial tester from the program if he/she fails to participate in a Beta Trial without notice. This can include either or both a) not going online at any point during the trial (i.e throughout the 2,3 or 4 weeks that it is run for) and b) not providing feedback by means of completing the beta trial survey.
When the amount of people that the system removes reaches a specific figure we will be looking to the Official PlayStation Community to fill those spaces and so we will run a public recruitment. Providing that an individual adheres to the required criteria they will be able to apply for the Beta Trials. This should open the opportunity up to many more people giving them the chance to prove themselves as another valued member of our Beta Trial community.
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