Crowdtesting is an essential tool for iGaming providers to speed up the overall software development life cycle (SDLC). Crowdtesting provides crucial insight into each phase of the SDLC and lets providers address core errors early.
Research conducted by IBM indicates that fixing defects in software is 100 times more expensive during the maintenance phase than in the design phase and almost seven times more costly than in the testing phase.
In-house and QA testing remains vital, but on-the-ground crowdtesting is the only way to gain comprehensive insight into what real users are running into. By crowdtesting throughout the SDLC, iGaming providers might significantly improve their ROI.
Steps of an iGaming provider’s SDLC
An iGaming provider’s SDLC comprises five steps:
- Conceptualization and game design
- Math design and prototyping
- Game development and integration
- Testing and verification
- Certification, compliance, and release
Crowdtesting is essential to provide valuable feedback during this entire cycle.
Uncovering issues from a diverse player perspective ensures a successful gaming experience for a broad audience.
Conceptualization and game design
The conceptualization and game design phase is vital for iGaming success. Errors in this phase can result in costly corrections later.
This stage typically includes idea generation, feasibility studies, graphics concepts, and theme and story development.
Crowdtesting at this phase of the SDLC helps providers avoid mistakes that are far more challenging to resolve later.
Crowd testers can provide insight into features that appeal to different player segments, so that providers can deliver a more targeted and satisfying user experience early-on..
For example, market research once indicated that adding a red envelope design to a game would make it more appealing to Asian players because of the red envelope’s significance in certain parts of Asia.
In Asia, red symbolizes good luck, blessings, and positive energy, and such envelopes are often used for special occasions.
Math design and prototyping
This phase is important for iGaming solutions such as slot games where providers must work out mathematical models that determine things like the game’s payout frequency and fairness.
Crowdteting lets providers receive feedback on the game’s math to help them find the right balance between win frequency, payout sizes, and free spins excitement to keep users engaged.
Part of this process also requires determining the game’s RTP (Return to Player), the theoretical amount of money a player will receive in return over a long period of play.
Both high and low RTP can have pros and cons for the house and for the player. A low RTP gives the house an edge but might deter seasoned players. A high RTP might attract more players but it will also reduce the operator’s margin.
Game development and integration
At this stage, the iGaming provider starts developing the visuals and game itself. This is what most people think of when thinking of game development—it encompasses the actual coding, asset creation, and integrating the two to create a functioning game.
Although much of the early process is done entirely by coders, crowdtesting becomes essential once the game starts to take shape.
Developers are restricted in the quantity of tests they can carry out by themselves. Crowd testers can perform each of the following to help uncover glitches:
- Device testing
- Location testing
- UX testing
One of the known maxims of software development is “Test Early and Test Often.” To that, we could add, “Test widely by people on the ground.”
Crowd testers using the games on the ground provide insight that simply isn’t available to in-house testers. Solving any discovered problems at this phase can greatly reduce the overall development costs for the project.
Testing and verification
Testing becomes even more important at this phase of the SDLC because the game is getting closer to becoming a live product. In addition to UX issues, it’s crucial to uncover bugs in the game that could cause it to stop working or even allow users to circumvent regulatory measures.
Testing the integration of the game into the operator’s platform is essential to ensure no conflicts exist.
Certification, compliance, and release
If the provider used crowdtesting extensively up to this point, then the road will be smoother because testers will have found many bugs preventing the game from receiving certification by the respective regulators.
Even after a game receives its certification, continued crowdtesting is vital to ensure it remains in compliance. There’s no such thing as bug-free software, so it’s good to follow a proactive approach to finding and eradicating bugs. This proactive approach can potentially save the provider and operator many costs in the long term. For example, it’s better for a tester to find a KYC or responsible-gaming bug than for a user to exploit it, which could result in costly fines.
Crowdtesting is crucial for continued testing of KYC features, benchmark testing, geolocation testing, and responsible game testing to ensure the game is being used appropriately in authorized locations.
Use Testa for excellent iGaming crowdtesting services
The growing popularity of iGaming, driven largely by the wide availability and lowering costs of powerful mobile devices, means that users will gravitate to higher-quality offerings. With so much available on the market, providers must ensure that their games are fast and user-friendly regardless of the device type or screen resolution.
Games should also be culturally appropriate, and crowdtesting is the best way to ensure this.
Testa offers crowdtesting services using real people in the locations you intend to launch your game in. Such testing provides exceptional insight into local preferences, cultural nuances, and device capabilities, ensuring your game operates well and remains compliant.
Contact Testa today to learn how our crowdtesting services can help you!