Modern iGaming software development is more challenging than ever. Intense market competition means that new products need innovative mechanics to grab player attention, which often leads to a host of patches and bug fixes to keep players onboard.
Even putting development aside, there is a whole other world of integration challenges and communication hurdles when it comes to working with operators and entering new markets.
But with new challenges come new opportunities, and TESTA is ready to assist with its suite of crowdtesting-based software testing tools. In this article, we introduce TESTA’s four solutions for iGaming software developers: QA crowdtesting, exploratory testing, crowdsourced agile testing, and real device testing.
QA crowdtesting: engaging diversity throughout global markets
QA crowdtesting is the crucial step in development that optimizes player experience and debugs a game for launch. Since modern iGaming titles tend to be distributed all over the world, developers must optimize each game with target market-aware changes to maximize the benefits of QA testing. For TESTA, this means drawing from the combined strength of our diverse pool of crowdtesters from across the globe.
Advantages of crowdtesting-driven QA
Crowdtesting QA as a software testing tool has significant advantages that traditional testing often lacks:
Feedback from local testers: Working with testers operating from the target market has clear benefits. For one, target market testers are able to not only test the game on a functional level but also verify that localizations are done in a way that is clear and comprehensible, something that testers who do not speak the target language natively cannot achieve.
Cost-effective testing: Crowdtesting, as compared to traditional testing services, is usually far more cost-effective. Without the need to support in-house testing staff and testing infrastructure, TESTA’s crowdtesting solutions can pass the savings on to its clients.
Scalable testing capacity: TESTA’s crowdtesting model allows client access to a larger pool of testers, offering up to 10 times the testing capacity of in-house teams. Clients can make use of this flexibility to rapidly adjust the scale of tests in accordance with their own needs.
Case study: Crowdsourced localization testing
Challenge:
A social casino game developer wanted to port its flagship casino game in English to non-English-speaking foreign markets. The goal was set to localize the game into 17 languages, strategically targeting promising mobile gaming markets. The developer had three main tasks:
- Translation into 17 languages
- Cultural alignment with target audiences
- Collaboration with voice actors for natural delivery
Solution:
The developer decided to look for a crowdtesting-based solution for both cost and speed. They knew that because they were expanding to so many different markets with drastically different operational challenges, they needed to ensure that all of their localized ports delivered on a consistent standard of quality. To achieve that, crowdtesting with local testers from the same market offered clear benefits over testing companies that lacked the same diversity in their testing teams.
Result:
The localized poker game experience was remarkably successful. Marked by a phenomenal 350% surge in monthly active users and an impressive 400% revenue upsurge compared to pre-crowdtesting results, the game clinched the top spot among mobile poker games in pivotal markets like Spain, France, and Germany.
Beyond immediate gains, the success of the port brought enhanced brand loyalty, a widened user base, and lucrative local partnerships. This initial boom laid the foundation for long-term success, allowing the provider to establish an incredible presence in new and promising markets for future growth.
Solution 2
Exploratory testing: uncover hidden software issues
Modern iGaming operations often span across multiple global markets and have to deal with thousands of different user behaviors. Relying on traditional QA approaches that rely on predefined test paths to validate product functionality can often fail to capture the intricacies of diverse real player patterns.
For TESTA, we believe that the most effective testing results will come from testing with the same people that your product will ultimately target. TESTA’s exploratory testing solution allows you to create a pool of testers with set characteristics that accurately reflect the composition of your real-world player base. They will go through your game as an actual player to root out issues that scripted forms of testing often fail to identify.
What is exploratory testing?
- Exploratory testing is an approach to software testing where testers test as they go, emphasizing learning and discovery.
- Testers explore the application, probing various features and functionalities without predefined test cases.
- It relies heavily on testers’ skills, experience, and creativity to uncover defects, assess system behavior, and refine testing strategies.
Why exploratory testing?
TESTA’s unique approach of having crowdtesters engage in exploratory testing allows each game we test to undergo detailed scrutiny.
Strength in numbers: What one tester might miss, ten will not. Having ten pairs of eyes working independently usually means that tests can be conducted faster, reducing the time to market for clients.
Replicates user behavior: Exploratory testing is much more intuitive and natural, which makes it a great software testing tool to fill in any gaps left by scripted QA testing.
Quick to test: Since testers are essentially just going through the game as regular players, there is no need to prepare and verify testing scripts. As a result, exploratory tests require comparatively minimal preparation and can be much faster to conduct.
TESTA’s Crowdtesting-based exploratory testing can be a very useful software testing tool for providers. Here, we illustrate how exploratory testing is used in a real-world scenario:
Case study: exploratory testing at scale
Challenge:
A sports betting app operator encountered a problem: its internal testing team was struggling to cope with escalating demand for testing new features and products as the company grew. This resulted in release delays and pain points such as payment integration bugs and compatibility issues that wrecked user experience.
Solution:
Recognizing the limitations of traditional testing methods, particularly in identifying subtle bugs and addressing issues arising from specific user scenarios and device combinations, the operator looked to partner with TESTA. The crowdtesting-driven model of exploratory testing is particularly good at identifying issues that synthetic testing struggles with such as payment issues and device compatibility.
Result:
By leveraging crowdsourced exploratory testing, the sports betting app operator achieved impressive results. On one hand, they quickly resolved many subtle payment issues such as glitched prompts, stuttering navigation, and payment failures—errors that would not have been easily identified in scripted tests. Moreover, the scalable testing capacity provided by crowdsourcing enabled them to tailor testing volume to target market size and streamline the overall testing process.
In the end, the operator was able to reduce their average time to market and achieved faster product and feature releases. This proactive strategy not only solidified their reputation as a top-notch and dependable brand but also positioned them as leaders in providing an exceptional user experience in the competitive sports betting industry.
Solution 3
Crowdsourced agile testing: accelerate development cycles
Development speed is critical to success, and a crowdsourced agile testing strategy for iGaming that puts real people on the ground is simply faster than a small team of testers in a remote lab removed from the local market.
TESTA has found that agile testing can help deliver iGaming software at up to 50% faster speed and save up to 20% in development costs. The Testa Platform unifies software developers, crowd testers, and TESTA SDMs (Service Delivery Managers) into one killer software testing tool to help providers test with greater agility in every sprint.
TESTA’s 3-layered Qrowd Platform
TESTA’s agile testing methodology is implemented through the TESTA Qrowd Platform, which offers developers direct access to testing scenarios and facilitates efficient communication with Service Delivery Managers (SDMs). It operates as a three-layered framework, centralizing data and streamlining crowdsourced agile testing.
At the service delivery manager (SDM) layer: Testing starts with a TESTA SDM that is in charge of translating client needs into actionable test plans. Your SDM will be in charge of overseeing outcome analysis, managing the testing journey, and optimizing test quality and relevance throughout your partnership with TESTA.
At the developer layer: Your SDM will help developers define testing requirements and ensure early goal establishment. With a clear outline in place, the subsequent synchronizing of testing timelines with development sprints will be much easier. Developers will be able to maintain control, update test requirements, monitor results, and specify testing windows as needed.
At the tester layer: TESTA serves as a gateway for an extensive network of experienced iGaming testers worldwide. Our testers execute planned scenarios, providing comprehensive reports and video recordings of issues discovered to support continuous product enhancement.
By adopting the TESTA Qrowd Platform, developers access a structured yet flexible testing environment tailored to iGaming development’s dynamic needs, ensuring market-ready, high-quality products.
Beyond waterfall testing
Agile testing, particularly when facilitated by TESTA’s crowdsourced solutions for iGaming, offers distinct advantages over traditional waterfall testing methodologies. By integrating crowdtesting into development sprints, agile testing enables earlier issue detection, and easier but also more cost-effective fixes. Crowdsourced agile testing effectively allows for flexible adjustments to changing requirements that prioritize critical features and user interactions to optimize the user experience.
TESTA’s testing model accelerates development cycles by providing scalability, adaptability, and lowered costs for late-stage fixes. It is an excellent software testing tool to create market-ready products cost-effectively. At the heart of our testing model, it is about fostering collaboration between iGaming software developers and testers to ensure ongoing product quality enhancements.
Case study: crowdsourced agile testing saves mobile game launch
Challenge:
An iGaming operator launched a highly anticipated mobile slot game right before a major gaming expo with limited time for testing. Their in-house QA team was stretched thin and was struggling to meet deadlines for the pre-expo launch.
Solution:
The operator collaborated with TESTA, selecting testers that reflected their target player base. These testers rigorously played the game to evaluate performance, usability, and enjoyment, uncovering critical bugs that internal testing might have missed due to time constraints.
Result:
Thanks to TESTA’s crowdtesting, developers received timely feedback and fixed critical issues before the expo, ensuring a successful launch. They also fine-tuned game mechanics and difficulty based on tester insights, enhancing player engagement. The mobile slot game’s triumphant expo debut, coupled with positive reviews, owes much to TESTA’s agile testing, providing developers with invaluable player insights.
Solution 4
Real device testing: ensure excellence across platforms
Real device testing is a critical solution in guaranteeing the functionality and user experience of games across diverse devices. Emulator-based testing, while useful in initial phases, often fails to capture the intricacies of real-world usage scenarios.
With TESTA’s crowdtesting model, we use real device testing to bridge the gap of simulated tests by providing insights into how games on actual devices are being used by consumers. Our approach is informed by our recognition of the significance of authentic user experiences, as simulated environments may overlook crucial compatibility and performance issues. By working with TESTA, developers gain a deeper understanding of how their software interacts with different hardware configurations, operating systems, and network conditions.
The importance of real device testing
TESTA’s real device testing methodology offers a comprehensive approach to assessing software performance. While simulated testing and emulators are valuable for initial assessments, real device testing provides a crucial layer of assurance by replicating actual user experiences.
- Comprehensive coverage: With an extensive array of devices and operating systems, TESTA ensures comprehensive coverage during testing, mitigating the risk of overlooking critical issues.
- Identification of compatibility and performance concerns: Integrating real device testing into the quality assurance process enables developers to identify and address compatibility and performance concerns that may otherwise go unnoticed.
- Enhanced software quality: This approach enhances the overall quality of the software, and the superior user experience instills confidence in players thanks to its reliability across diverse user environments.
How real device testing can help
TESTA has worked with many major iGaming brands and saw how real device testing has made a difference time and again. Here we illustrate one such example.
Challenge:
A popular European online casino app provider sought to expand its operations into the US market. Despite confidence in their app’s performance, they faced a deluge of user complaints shortly after launch due to unforeseen issues.
Solution:
TESTA provided a comprehensive solution through real-device testing. Leveraging a diverse pool of US-based testers, the app underwent rigorous testing across various hardware configurations, platforms, app stores, and browsers. This approach unearthed specific compatibility issues that had evaded detection during previous testing phases.
Results:
Real device testing yielded invaluable insights into the app’s performance across different devices and platforms. Identified issues, such as random lags on budget-friendly Android devices, glitches on older iOS versions, regional app store restrictions, and browser rendering errors, were swiftly addressed. The provider implemented targeted fixes and optimizations, ensuring a seamless user experience across a wide spectrum of devices and platforms.
At the end of the testing cycle, the app achieved improved stability, expanded accessibility, increased downloads, and optimized performance across popular browsers.
Conclusion
QA Crowdtesting, exploratory testing, crowdsourced agile testing, and real device testing can be integrated into one comprehensive software testing solution to address the multifaceted challenges in iGaming software development. Each component contributes uniquely to the enhancement of the overall development process:
- QA crowdtesting: Utilizing a diverse pool of testers from around the globe ensures thorough testing across different markets, languages, and cultural contexts, leading to optimized user experiences and cost-effective testing solutions.
- Exploratory testing: By simulating real-world user behaviors and interactions, exploratory testing uncovers hidden software issues that traditional QA approaches may overlook, resulting in improved product quality and user satisfaction.
- Crowdsourced agile testing: A crowdsourced agile testing strategy accelerates development cycles, reduces costs, and fosters collaboration between developers and testers, ultimately delivering market-ready products efficiently and cost-effectively while prioritizing critical features and user interactions.
- Real device testing: Real device testing provides insights into authentic user experiences, identifies compatibility and performance concerns, and enhances overall software quality by addressing issues that may arise across diverse hardware configurations, operating systems, and network conditions.
If you are interested in seeing how these software testing tools can benefit your iGaming business:
- Contact us: Experience first-hand how TESTA’s crowdtesting can benefit your iGaming operations.
- Find us on LinkedIn: Share the insights you’ve gained from TESTA’s analysis across the industry.
- Read more articles: Stay informed about the latest trends and benchmarks in iGaming.
About the author
Rebecca CHEN
TESTA Marketing coordinator