to be the best games quality agency in the world
DAQA specializes in player-centric test programs, live quality operations and in-depth games research, providing custom built, technology-driven solutions for game studios.
Tailor Made Solutions
DAQA is the Concierge of Game Quality
Focus & Play Testing
Highly specialized and customized testing, designed to deeply assess the player experience and provide valuable, actionable data to tune and polish gameplay.
Scaled Beta Testing
Next generation scaled testing, delivered by a powerful, interactive data reporting system.
Live Quality Operations & Functionality QA
On-demand QA experts, comprised of elite staff members with extensive games QA experience. Specializing in live quality operations.
Player Research & Analysis
Deep analysis using cutting-edge tools and technologies to fully understand the player sentiment and experience.
Release Management
Leverage our in-house expertise in console, cloud platform, and mobile submissions to get your game to market hassle-free.
Accessibility Testing & Advisory Services
Game evaluations utilizing specialized talent, representing the true player base across core Accessibility categories.
Quality Program Development
Building world-class, high performing QA organizations to meet the ever-evolving needs of game quality.
DAQA has crafted services that feature unique capabilities, delivered by an industry-experienced team.
The DAQA Difference:
- High touch interactions with DAQA leadership, every step of the way.
- Innovative, flexible services with no retainer fees or minimum contracts.
- Custom-built solutions to meet the unique needs of each studio & project.
- One-of-a-kind technologies that add depth and meaning to project outcomes.
- Veteran test community, compensated above market.
- Extensive experience transitioning to and managing live quality operations.
- Interactive, configurable real-time data reporting.
Contact Us to learn more.
How We Work
DAQA supports clients in building the required foundation of industry leading global production operations, with the future-proofed ability to scale and flex as your studio requirements grow.
Executive Counsel
Providing analysis and strategy to studio quality leadership to apply right fit solutions.
Studio Enablement
Hands on evaluation, planning, and implementation of quality and test services.
Team Empowerment
Providing complimentary systems, processes and best practices to enhance game studio QA capabilities.
Case Studies
Case Study
Player Research for Global Marketing & Brand Management Company
Scope
Conducted 500-person player research studies, with participants across North America and Europe, with highly targeted player cohorts. Performed in-depth data-centric analysis, including surveys panel discussions to evaluate game concept appeal and viability. Assessment of visual concepts, in game assets, marketing copy, and stack ranking of core game features, as well as pricing analysis for F2P assets. Comprehensive written report, including interpretation of player data, product recommendations, and market positioning
Case Study
Focus Testing for Global Game Publisher
Scope
Performed series of focus tests on each published title during development phase. Delivered in-depth data analysis on usability, difficulty curves, game controls, story arcs, and general design/gameplay, augmented by player recordings. Worked directly with development teams to implement recommended design updates.
Case Study
Scaled Beta Tests for Multi-title Self-publishing Company
Scope
Large-scale, global beta testing of up to 2,000 simultaneous players for multiple AAA multiplayer titles on current and next generation consoles as well as PC. Identified, triaged, and determined root cause of multiple critical blocking issues before games were released.
Case Study
Accessibility Evaluation for Indie Adventure Game Studio
Scope
Evaluated Accessibility features within the game with a representative cohort covering all accessibility categories: Motor, Vision, Hearing, and Cognitive. Performed competitive analysis of similar games with Accessibility features. Delivered actionable, voice-of-the-player recommendations to improve accessibility throughout the game.
Title achieved 85 metacritic at launch with critical acclaim for accessibility features.
Case Study
Live-ops QA for Live Mobile Game Studio
Scope
Deployed dynamic and skilled development QA teams prior to each monthly live game release. Identified critical defects and quality issues, allowing for a smooth launch of live content.
Case Study
Quality Strategy for Indie Game Publisher
Scope
Ensured clean, successful launch of live game, provided tailor-made end to end solution relating to beta and live-ops testing. Proposed solution included set-up, remote team management, platform and data analysis, providing a holistic view of player-related live quality issues. Solution enabled robust, efficient live-ops QA once the game was live and fully operational.
Case Study
QA Transformation for Licensed IP F2P Studio
Scope
Complete QA transformation on behalf of studio leadership, including long-term vision and road map. Provided full quality program implementation for test process & coverage, mapped workflows, defined team set-up and structure.
Recommendation then operationalization of best practice for all quality disciplines including console certification, device performance testing, live-ops QA, third party QA and computer assisted testing/test automation.
Case Study
Embedded Technical QA for AAA MMORPG Studio
Scope
Deployed “virtually embedded” QA team into live game studio. Testers worked directly with developers on new game content, creating a highly efficient early defect detection process.
Results demonstrated a 20% increase in testing velocity, 40% increase in bug closure rates, and a significant annual cost savings from previous vendor. After initial successes, studio adopted DAQA test teams across all internally published titles.
Who We Are
DAQA is a team of game industry veterans, who understand the unique challenges faced by game studios to launch and maintain hit games.
Faye has a long love of games, having actually met her husband online, and mostly plays puzzle and strategy games. She joined DAQA a year ago and in addition to managing DAQA's HR needs, she is also one of our Project Leads, with a specialization in mobile tests.
When not working, you will find Faye working on a puzzle, gardening, or spending time with her family; husband, two daughters and two sons...and way too many cats!
Grant has enjoyed gaming from the Atari 2600 system to the current generation of consoles, testing games for the past 15 years. He graduated with a B.B.A from Northern State University.
Grant is a car enthusiast and regularly participates in the annual SEMA convention in Las Vegas.
She sharpened her analytical skills in the US Air Force and at the University of Washington where she studied journalism with a focus on stories about diversity and politics. In her spare time she tested games for Microsoft, Harmonix, Bungie, and others.
Zoey joined DAQA as a tester in 2022, and in 2023 graduated a Lead role. In games, her passion is narrative design—how gameplay and story can work together to craft a rich, compelling experience.
James has been playing video games since the original Half Life on Windows 98. He has a desire to work towards building a successful Accessibility testing program and has a keen interest in enabling all players to enjoy the stories and experiences games can bring.
As the founder of the QA department at SquareSoft, he led teams on such franchises as Final Fantasy VII–XI and Kingdom Hearts. Highlights of his career include a 98% success rate on all first-time submissions to SCEA for the Final Fantasy series (VII-X) as well as additional titles submitted from 1996-2002.
Jon also founded the QA department at Sammy Studios where, in addition to managing QA, he created internal and external Focus Group programs for evaluating titles in development, and coordinated testing schedules with production teams and assets for the PR and Marketing departments. In addition, Jon was handpicked by the Sammy Studios CEO to direct and manage a core team of six production staff while also maintaining his role as the Senior QA Manager.
Above all, Jon embraces opportunities that enable him to, “Help when I can, where I can,” as this is his core philosophy.
As a lifelong gamer whose earliest memories go back to the NES and BBC Micro, his interest is in gaming as an industry and storytelling medium.
He looks forward to the technological and narrative innovations that are still to come in this rapidly-evolving industry and assisting game developers in navigating new challenges and exploring exciting possibilities.
Jake has worked with DAQA as both a client and contractor over the years, andis currently leading the development of DAQA's game testing platform.
Jake built his first PC at age 10, and wrote his first line of C code less than two years later. Outside of work, he can be spotted walking and hiking with his wife, daughters, and Samoyed Lorek across the lower mainland of British Columbia.
As part of the core team at DAQA, Selena leads projects, writes project reports summarizing player feedback, reports game defects, and performs data analysis of trends that occur during testing. Selena holds a Foundation Level ISTQB certification which augments her experiences in DAQA.
Selena attended community college and received an AAS in business, as well as a certificate in professional baking and cake decorating.
Professional highlights include leading the DSL rollout for Earthlink in Washington State and Oregon. Managed Tier 1 and 2 support for AOL, Lexmark, and Stream Global Services for corporate clients.
10-year beta QA tester for numerous game studios. A+/N+ certified, with extensive knowledge of data automation, analysis, and real-time reporting tools.
Devin managed quality assurance for multi-platinum console sports games at Electronic Arts Canada. Whilst there, he also set-up the QA computer assisted and automated test program, which was widely adopted across all studios globally.
He taught the QA course for the Vancouver Film School’s prestigious game design program. In addition Devin is an Agile and business Coach for various software startups, a Certified Scrum Master and Product Owner.
At DDM, he set-up up a virtual services network for self-publishing AAA game studios. Then at VMC he took responsibility for business development and account management for games and entertainment.
Having signed, grown and managed $100m’s of production support deals for QA, localization, player support and external development, Ben has an intimate knowledge of industry best practices through his work with some of the most prominent names in the industry.
Get In Touch Today
Find out how DAQA can help your studio succeed!