In 2016, we opened our studio in Bucharest, Romania to serve as one of our delivery locations for our Player Support services. After a period of proven success and partner interest, we then added QA, feeling that the region had good talent availability and a market demand for QA in that time zone. The studio already had excellent communication infrastructure on-site, and is ISO 27001 security certified, which would fit potential QA partner requirements.

As an example, a well-known MMO AAA publisher recently asked us to build them a Game Quality Assurance (QA) solution for a suite of their products, including new titles for mobile, and to update large-scale legacy apps and websites related to their IPs. They wanted to capture new players and retain existing customers by ensuring a smooth experience. On our end, we needed to identify the ideal location for delivery – our studio in Bucharest offered the perfect solution for them to scale up.

We began a pilot program with 3 testers—quickly scaling up to 10 testers—all trained specifically on this publisher’s projects. The publisher appreciated the high-quality talent, communication, and effectiveness of the locale. Having an Eastern European option, near-shore in time zone, with security clearance and the ability to ramp up quickly was the perfect solution.

We asked Player Support Ops Manager Andre Rodrigues, QA Manager Abishek Nag, and Site Head Cristina Stanila a few questions about why delivery of QA and Player Support from Bucharest works so well and what Romania has to offer the video games industry:

How does your studio's work fit into PTW's business offering?

Cristina: Regional and Global alignment are of the utmost importance for PTW Bucharest. We adjust, accommodate, and customize it to the Romanian way and make it happen PTW-style.

Andre: At PTW Bucharest, having both QA and Player Support under the same roof is extremely beneficial. For example, bugs detected by the QA team can be communicated to the Player Support team, prepping them for engagement with users in need of troubleshooting and solutions. Additionally, feedback received by Player Support can be provided to QA who can, in turn, work on recreating the issues and getting back to the client quickly, who can then generate hotfixes for the game.

Why is QA and Player Support in Romania an ideal solution for global games / interactive companies?

Abishek: One of the biggest advantages of Romania is availability of local talent who can communicate in English. This makes it an ideal choice for developers and publishers across the globe. Moreover, availability of talent with relevant experience and technical education ensures top notch quality of delivery. Plus, the presence of major publishers in Europe–like EA, Ubisoft, Bandai Namco, to name a few, and the presence of a QA service provider in Romania, especially in Bucharest, makes an eco-system that ensures the game industry thrives, making it an ideal choice for game QA. Also, our staff are all gamers, and love playing all kinds of games!

How is Romania growing as a country with regards to technology, talent, etc.?

Andre: In the years before the pandemic, Romania had achieved high economic growth year after year. Even though the pandemic has hit hard, like other countries, the private sector and its ability to adapt to the situation kept it going. Considering the vast number of faculties, all the study programs in Bucharest, and the constant migration towards the capital, talent has not been scarce at any point.

Abishek: The game industry in Romania has been growing. As of 2020, the industry reported revenue of over $200 million, which is 19.1% higher than 2019 (RGDA). There are more than 125 local studios, and some very popular titles like Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint and EA’s FIFA 2020 were made by local offices in Romania.

What would you want the world to know about what your studio does?

Cristina: We prioritize people because people are the most important resource!

We’re thrilled with the ongoing success of our Romanian studio and anticipate that its importance to the industry will only grow in the years to come. The key element that makes this studio work so well? Its staff.