Automated testing refers to the use of scripts, bots, or software tools to automatically run and evaluate aspects of a game without human testers. While often used in QA (Quality Assurance), it also has applications in game user research, especially for collecting data at scale, identifying player behavior patterns, and validating hypotheses.
Telemetry Validation
Automated tests can ensure in-game event tracking (like button presses, deaths, or progression checkpoints)
Bot Playtesting
AI agents or bots simulate player behavior to test difficulty balance, pacing, and navigation. This helps researchers identify pain points or exploits before human testing.
Automated A/B Testing
Scripts randomly assign players to different gameplay variations (e.g., tutorial length, UI layout) and track behavioral differences using analytics.
Regression Testing
Automatically checks that updates or new features haven’t broken previously functional gameplay elements, preserving the player experience over time.
Session Logging & Analysis
Tools can be set to log and analyze thousands of play sessions, surfacing trends like choke points, early quits, or unexpected strategies