You have undoubtedly heard that a recommended way of getting started in the games biz is to get a job as a game tester. That's true, especially if you do not have a programming degree, an art degree, a business degree, etc. and if you can get the testing job with a game publisher or developer (rather than at a game testing lab located far away from game publishers or developers).
And you have undoubtedly also heard a lot of negative reactions to this advice. A lot of the negative things you have heard are probably from losers who couldn't hack it even as testers, or from guys who just approached it the wrong way. There is a common perception that testing is a "lowly entry-level job" and that testers are at the bottom of the totem pole. The fact is, testing is extremely important and the test phase is vital in polishing a game into a fun experience for the end user.
That's not to say that if you have an art degree or a programming degree, a law degree, or a business degree (or even a "game design" degree, if you find a college that offers such), that you MUST begin in the game industry in Q.A. Obviously, if you can enter the industry in a job closely related to the subject you mastered in at college, then you should target that path instead of Q.A.
But for those who have not gotten a degree in one of those areas... Testing can be an excellent way to get your foot in the door.
