What makes Digital Hearts different?
Experience in leading large-scale teams
Console game debugging can require huge teams of over a hundred people. To spearhead such a mammoth endeavor, team leaders must possess a wide range of skills from scheduling and bug analysis to team management and the ability to work in close coordination with a development team. At Digital Hearts, we have a highly trained workforce of more than 400 staff members who have leadership expertise—including over 100 who have experience overseeing 10 or more titles. Our personnel are specialized in a variety of genres and project scales, from mid-size titles to AAA and worldwide releases.
Extensive expertise in working on AAA projects
Digital Hearts holds the largest share of the console game debugging market in Japan. This has given us the privilege of testing some of the world's biggest hits.
We also have vast experience working on cross-platform projects, which have become a growing trend among game creators. We handle PC projects as well, so please feel free to contact us if you have debugging needs.
Largest collection of testing equipment in the industry
Development Kits:
• 800 Nintendo Switch units
• 700 PS4 units
• 300 PS5 units
• 150 Xbox One units
What are some common concerns among our clients when testing console games?
- Development delays causing shorter testing periods.
- Need to accommodate sudden changes to schedule.
- Personnel unavailable to check urgent areas.
How does Digital Hearts solve these issues?
- We have a legion of staff on hand, one of the largest collections of equipment in the country, and sites nationwide, enabling us to perform large-scale testing in a short span of time.
- We accept requests day to day, allowing us to accommodate for any sudden schedule changes
- Our extensive industry experience lets us plan the most optimal testing solution to save you time and money.
In-House Testing
We have 13 locations nationwide with over 8,000 staff, many of whom have more than 10 years of experience in testing.
Each site is equipped with the latest hardware, including top-end gaming PCs, to provide state-of-the-art testing.
On-Site Dispatch Service
Our dispatch service sends one of our specialists to your office who can work closely with your team and ensure you have the expertise on hand whenever you require it. They also serve as a point of contact and can quickly relay instructions from your staff to our in-house team of testers.
We offer optimized testing plans for each stage of development
1. Testing plans are designed according to the debug features available and from the viewpoint of the end user.
2. The number of testing personnel assigned each day can be adjusted as necessary, according to your developmental needs.
3. Our overseas sites are able to test network connection performance, online features, etc.
4. When additional testing is required, such as for DLCs or an overseas launch, staff with experience working on the title are given priority.
Types of Tests
Standard Criteria Check
We check that content does not violate directives provided by hardware manufacturers, such as the Technical Requirement Checklist (TRC) for PS4 and PS5, Xbox Requirements (XR) for Xbox One, SeriesX, and SeriesS, and Nintendo guidelines.
Flash Pattern Analysis (FPA)
We check for possible triggers of photosensitive seizures using the Flash Pattern Analysis.
Data Check
We look at newly implemented data and search for any discrepancies from documentation.
Durability Check
We observe the effects of long play sessions on processing speed and monitor the durability of the unit.
Ethics Check
We perform a thorough check to ensure no ethical issues are found in regard to: the inappropriate use of the Red Cross, religion, organizations, politics, ideology, principles, historical awareness, gestures, hand signs, world maps, borders, territory, race, specific countries or regions, flags, criminal incitement, discriminatory expressions, adverse effects on youth, inconsiderate categorization, slang, popular myths, diseases and constitution, pseudoscience, etc.
Network Check
We verify that the system can handle the expected number of simultaneous players.
Load Check
We check whether applications running on a network can be played without issue even under heavy load, e.g., when a large number of people are logged in at the same time.
Balance Check
We test the game's difficulty level and see if the game is played as intended.
Function Check
We verify and ensure that newly implemented functions are working properly and that errors do not arise under specific conditions.