Usability Testing in Mobile Game Testing: Why It's Important?

With the current revolution in the gaming industry, be it in visual and sound effects, gestures, and connectivity, the demand for producing quality gaming experiences is rising. According to TechJury, there are around 3.09 billion video gamers worldwide in 2023.

The number of gamers is expected to reach 3.32 billion by 2024 and the video game industry is valued at $197.11 billion. Interestingly, another report from Newzoo: Global Games Market Report suggests that mobile game revenues in the year 2022 accounted for 50% of the global market, reaching $91.8 billion.

There seems to be a huge market for mobile gaming in current as well as future times. The numbers are corroborating the expected trends for the same. There is no doubt about it. Modern mobile games are evolving at great speeds.

New games are launched very often now and the existing ones are getting updated every day. Gaming companies are capitalizing on the already proven market as much as they can. User experience has taken the front seat.

The games being developed and updated are constantly tested in real-world scenarios by the QA experts, especially from the usability point of view. Usability testing for mobile game testing encompasses key aspects to ensure quality gaming.

Before releasing the games in the market, testing every function, and error, helps you remain in check to make the experience seamless, fun, and amazing.This blog will help you understand the importance of usability testing in mobile game testing and many more.

Let’s dig in.

Table of Content

1. Usability Testing for Mobile Games: The Advantages
2. Usability Testing  for Mobile Games: Problems that it Solves
3. QAble’s Here to Offer the Best Strategies for Usability Testing for Mobile Games
4. FAQs

Usability Testing for Mobile Games: The Advantages

In simple terms, usability is a metric that signifies how a particular user will utilize the product to achieve a goal. Usability testing can be tricky and requires a certain amount of expertise to make sure it’s properly done.

Most common issues addressed by usability testing includes how severe is the error and how frequent is that error seen across the the mobile game application. Another common test area to check for usability is the navigation.

Creating precise and well defined test cases and test scenarios emulating real-world interactions helps testers to make sure that the application is user friendly and performant enough.

There are various advantages of usability testing in mobile game testing which we have listed for you.

• Enhanced Satisfaction for Players- Usability testing uncovers underlying problems for faster resolution to make the game more engaging and immersive. Hence, satisfied players continue to play, increasing retention rates.
• Amplified User Experience- It helps to focus on navigation challenges, interface issues, gesture controls, and other gameplay bottlenecks to streamline interactions. QA professionals elevates the gaming experience with robust security and usability testing.
• Increased User Retention- Usability testing also aids in creating an enchanting gaming experience which reduces the abandonment rate caused by glitches and confusing elements.
• Optimized Interface Design- Usability testing for mobile game testing enables QA professionals to select the best effective layout. It ensures seamless adaptation in every mobile device.
• Empowered Decision-Making Process- Usability testing provides valuable insights and data regarding user behavior and preferences. As a result, developers can make informed decisions and focus on improvement.

Want to achieve long-term success for your mobile game? Then, usability testing is the key that can lead you to create a polished, successful, and most importantly engaging experience for players.

Also Read: Important Types of Software Testing for Games like PUBG

Usability Testing for Mobile Games: Problems that it Solves

Usability is the core of every mobile game app that needs to be solved promptly. These are some important areas that usability testing covers for mobile game testing.

Performance and Compatibility on Mobile Devices

Mobile games are designed for a wide range of devices comprising different hardware specifications, screen sizes, and operating systems. This leads to difference of performance from device-to-device.

Usability testing evaluates how the game performs on high-end and low-end devices. Below are some of the issues that usability testing solves.

• Heavy memory loads and crashing games
• Stability and performance issues under varied network conditions such as 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, or 5G

Also Read: How to Optimize Game Performance for Mobile Devices?

Low FPS

FPS stands for Frames Per Second which plays a vital role in enhancing mobile game performance. A lower FPS rate can heavily impact the usability of mobile games. High FPS means smooth and fluid animations. Usability testing addresses and solves these issues.

• Lower FPS causes delayed responsiveness which can undermine player engagement.
• It makes the game visual appear blurred and out of sync especially during game sequences that demand more responsiveness.
• It leads the gamers to give negative reviews on the app store which largely affects the game’s reputation.

Unclear Navigation

Navigation refers to how the players interact with the game interface and progress significantly. Unclear navigation causes frustration and reduced player engagement which can be solved by usability testing for mobile game testing.

• Unclear navigation hinders players from continuing to play, causing a high abandonment rate.
• Players spending significant time figuring out navigating the game’s objectives and mechanics due to unclear navigation.
• Important content or features may remain hidden or undiscovered by players.

Excessive Loading Time

The loading time of mobile games has a direct impact on creating a negative/positive perception of users. Usability testing in mobile game testing optimizes the loading time taken to start the game, transition between levels, etc.

• Long loading time discourages players to explore additional content including bonus features, new levels, or in-game purchases.
• It interrupts the rhythm and immersion of the mobile game.
• Players' devices having faster loading times may also get an advantage over slower loading times which can affect fairness.

Inadequate Testing

Inadequate testing can cause several issues hampering the overall user experience. Usability testing for mobile game testing focuses on evaluating how effectively players can interact and navigate.

• Poor testing doesn’t uncover critical bugs which leads to freezes, crashes, and unexpected behavior.
• Inadequate testing may also miss critical usability issues which prevents developers from making necessary improvements.
• It leads players to leave the game and seek other alternatives which offer smoother and more enjoyable experiences.

Extensive testing helps to deliver a quality product to the end users. In a nutshell, it provides higher player satisfaction, better retention of existing users, and helps in gaining positive reviews to provide extra credibility for existing and the new gamers.

QAble’s Here to Offer the Best Strategies for Usability Testing for Mobile Games

At QAble, we understand the importance of providing exceptional user experience in mobile games. We have been giving an outstanding performance and commitment through our game testing services to deliver curated solutions for usability testing which go beyond the conventional approach.

As a leading game testing company in India, our QA strategies are designed to identify and resolve significant potential usability challenges to make your game perform exceptionally.

Let’s have a look at some of them.

• Monitoring Post-Launch Performance- Continue monitoring analytics and user feedback to address unforeseen usability challenges by making continuous improvements.
• Prioritizing Critical Issues- Emphasize resolving critical usability issues before moving forward by refining minor elements.
• Performing A/B Testing- Conducting A/B Testing to compare different versions of the game’s UI to identify effective design choices and improve usability.
• Incorporating Player Feedback- Incorporating player feedback by performing beta testing to ensure that usability issues are addressed and mitigated promptly.