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Game Development vocabulary · Publishing & Release

Certification

Meaning in game development, with examples

/ˌsɜːrtɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/nounCommon term

In game development, certification means: The process in which a console maker tests a game against its technical rules before allowing it to be released on its platform.

In Turkish: sertifikasyon, platform onayı, cert

How it is used

Usually shortened to cert. Teams submit a build to cert, and it passes or fails. The rules cover things like save data, error messages, trophies or achievements and account handling. Failing cert can delay a release date.

Example sentences

  1. We failed certification because the game froze when the controller was disconnected.

  2. Leave at least three weeks in the schedule for certification and resubmission.

Common collocations

  • submit to certification
  • pass cert
  • fail cert
  • certification requirements
  • cert build
  • platformThe hardware or store that a game runs on and is sold through, such as PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS or Android, or a store like Steam.
  • buildA playable version of the game produced from the project's current code and assets at a certain moment, for example for testing, a demo or a release.
  • go goldWhen a game goes gold, its final release version is finished and approved, ready to be manufactured on discs or distributed to stores.
  • QAShort for quality assurance: testing a game to find, document and check bugs before and after release, and also the team that does this work.
  • patchAn update released for a game after launch that fixes bugs, improves performance, changes balance or adds small features.

More terms: Publishing & Release

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