If you didn’t apply for beta testing this summer, the beta application is now closed and there’s nothing else you can do but wait until next round (six months or so from now). But! If you applied for beta testing earlier this summer take note of this, from the latest Letters to the Editor:
Yes We Want Beta, But When?!
Dear Editor,
Last month was the sign up for the Pogo Beta and it said we would receive an email in a couple of weeks, well I asked around and nobody has received one, is there a problem?Editor Bret: While moonlighting as the Pogo Editor I am also your host for the Pogo Beta Program. We took a bunch of applications for the upcoming Pogo Beta, and it looks like hopefully next week we will be sending out Beta Invites. So don’t worry if you didn’t get an email, a Pogo Beta test might be in the cards for you yet! Shortly after we send invites, the applicants that were not chosen will also be informed. Thanks for your patience and good luck!
In the past, Pogo hadn’t sent notice to applicants who weren’t chosen, so we usually asked people to let us know when they received an invitation so we could let everyone know that acceptance letters are in the process of going out. This time, though, we’d still like you to tell us so we can update the community. We don’t need to know any other details than that you received a letter, if you’re worried about violating your beta terms of service. Thanks!
And special thanks to John for pointing this out!
Filed under: general
{ 55 comments }
Wendi 08.27.09 at 11:37 am
I applied for it. I’m hoping they’ll pick me this time around. Seems like its fun to try out new games before they come out
Lura 08.27.09 at 11:44 am
I’ve been in beta once a few years ago. It felt disorganized and even though I reported a million and a half bugs, none of them were fixed by release. I have other ways of getting information for this site (and lots of fans who email in news and rumors all the time, thanks guys!) so I stopped bothering after that.
I’ve heard more recent betas were better than the one I was in, and I still hold out hope that Bret will run a good beta this time around. Good luck to everyone who applied!
Pogogirl 08.27.09 at 11:59 am
I applied and haven’t heard anything as of this moment. I had been starting to think that meant that I wasn’t chosen, so many thanks for the update, Lura!
Maggie 08.27.09 at 12:19 pm
Any idea if anyone has had any problems in the past
with their computer crashing because of the beta program?
That is the only thing that worries me about signing up for
the program.
naenae 08.27.09 at 12:28 pm
yeah I applied and started to think I wasent picked my email is really odd tho so I was just thinking that maybe I was picked and din’t get the email. thanks for the update
EvilQueen 08.27.09 at 1:01 pm
I had applied before and was picked for one. I apply each time it comes up. The time I was picked though it didn’t work for most of my time I was in beta. Which I wasn’t thrilled with. By the time it did work it was for Trivial Pursuit which I really don’t care for. It never crashed my computer though.
I’m glad this info was posted cause I had assumed it was already done and picked. Good luck to all those that applied.
sandy z 08.27.09 at 1:20 pm
I was a beta tester once …. my session was just awful …. beta site was down so much I hardly got to try anything. I was under the impression that once you had been a tester they would call you back to do it again, just not in consecutive sessions. But I have never known anyone who was asked to do it a second time …. they had to reapply. Anyone ever heard of being asked back with the reapplication process?
Indy 08.27.09 at 1:28 pm
I was a beta tester about 1-1/2 yrs ago and it was a wonderful experience. Yes, a bit disorganized at times but it was explained going in that the testing site would be down once in a while. I think the key to our fun session was in the fact we had many many games that we worked on in that 6 month period (not all at the same time) like Addiction Solitaire, Mahjong Safari, Suduko Puzzle Blast, Golf Solitaire, Keno Pop. Sometimes sessions only have 1 or 2 games in testing. So that meant we were kept pretty busy and could go back and forth between games. I loved the experience and would do it again in a heartbeat. Good luck to all who applied. Hope you all have a chance at some point to participate.
Indy 08.27.09 at 1:44 pm
P.S. Maggie – I never had a computer problem at any point during my 6 month testing and I never heard of any problems mentioned by any other testers in my session.
CW11 08.27.09 at 2:26 pm
Maggie: Depends on what you mean by “crashing.” Because this is a voluntary, TESTING phase of release you might experience lock-ups that require you to close and restart your browser. And occasionally you might have to reboot your computer. But no, it’s unlikely that Pogo would release to Beta anything that would corrupt your system or cause physical harm to your hard drive.
I’ve been on the Beta team twice and had a great time with each session. I’ve also been a beta (and alpha) tester for Adobe and for other software products. For a public (external) beta, the product usually has been brought to a much higher level of completion than it is with an internal beta. I’m sure the Pogo development team wants to test the games with as many different configurations and use models as they can to ferret out any gross issues with specific operating systems or device drivers (I agree with Lura that they don’t seem all that concerned with fixing the myriad bugs we find during beta).
Wendi 08.27.09 at 2:38 pm
How many people do they usually pick for beta testing?
HomelessDog 08.27.09 at 3:35 pm
Sandy (post 7), it used to say in the beta description text that you would only need to apply one time and that subsequent applications would be rejected. But I don’t think it says that any more (I could be wrong), and I’ve never heard of someone getting back in who did not submit a new application.
Wendi (post 11), they seem to have a couple hundred people each round, iirc.
nephthys 08.27.09 at 3:47 pm
Well I applied way back when and had started to get discouraged that I wasnt picked… Reading some of these comments on here from previous beta testers has me wondering if I really want to be picked or not ;)
Misker 08.27.09 at 3:50 pm
I was accepted as a beta tester one time and when the day came to start there was not one time that I actually got to report anything. Every single time I signed in for over a week and a bit and would push on a game to play it would come up saying- all rooms full — I finally gave up during the second week. I could see that folks were playing but for some reason could never get into a room.
justaharleygirl 08.27.09 at 4:08 pm
It was always stated that you could not beta test twice in a row but you could apply after that again. I beta tested about 1 1/2 years ago as well; wasn’t much fun … only Spooky Slots and I believe Thousand Island, (been awhile) and the site was down a lot too, but I have applied again in hopes of a better experience. They do prep you for down times and other technical difficulties, but it was the lack of games that sucked for me.
carol 08.27.09 at 4:55 pm
when curtis ran the beta it was fun, when lisa ran it it was horrible she did not care about the site brett was pretty good last session but wish they would let testers know more about things on site. I have been a tester ever since it started by using 2 different accounts lol
Chrissy 08.27.09 at 5:10 pm
I’ve applied a few times but never got picked. Maybe this time! Good luck to anyone who applied and remember to follow their rules :)
Brenda 08.27.09 at 5:27 pm
My sister was a beta tester when they came out with everyone wins, She said it was fun , but a lot of times she wasn’t able to sign in to play.
I signed up this time. Hope I get picked. I love games, I am retired and no kids at home so pogo is sort of all I have to do with my time. Thanks for the information though, I was thinking maybe since I didn’t hear anything that I was not picked.
tcfox 08.27.09 at 5:56 pm
I Beta tested & have applied again even though my experience was not the greatest. I did have lots of games to test, but I felt bug reports went unread (as those bugs were still there on release of the games) and not 1 frag night during the entire session. I have heard that they can be lots of fun when run properly, so I’m hoping to be picked again & have a better experience. It doesn’t sound like they have much in the works to test right now though :(
Aside from the site itself being down, I had no issues with it having any ill effects on my PC. Good luck to all that applied!
Maggie 08.27.09 at 6:52 pm
Thanks to all that answered my question (#4).
I did apply this time and it sounds like fun,
so I hope I get accepted.
Therese 08.27.09 at 7:11 pm
I’m wondering what is there system for picking people? I have a applied 3 times so far and I have not been picked once. I understand that obviously not everyone is picked but what is their criteria for being chosen? I just gets discouraging applying over and over and never getting chosen.
John 08.27.09 at 8:27 pm
This last time they at least asked what three things you would improve on Pogo.
The 3 times I was picked I wrote how I could help etc but I had to look at the letters to the Editor first and figure How much smooze it would take..lol. I would never kiss butt but I made sure I just pointed out Pogo’s highlights and never mentioned problems. In 3 test sessions all I ever found was they want MAJOR BUGS reported and OMG, If tokens seemed to high for the amount of play time required. If you want to actually submit suggestions etc., You can write them down, buy a shredder at Office Max for $29 and at least get the satisfaction and hearing it be shredded.
tigger 08.27.09 at 8:28 pm
no clue as to their system for picking people, i guess it depends on the answers u give when u apply..i was a beta tester when sudoku was up and it was fun
Vics 08.27.09 at 10:40 pm
I was a beta tester for suduko and golf solitaire. There were times the site was down but all in all it was a fun experience.
Mary 08.28.09 at 1:52 am
Not only do you test the games, but you also get to see the latest Mini Items that will be coming out. I have test several times, and with Lisa was the worst. I tested when they were coming out with the Gems, and they had Poppit rigged where you won every time with Zero balloons and you won Gems. I think I have like a gazillion on Beta.
I never had a problem with my computer and pray I don’t, but that is the chance I take to be a Beta. One time we were testing HHS and I ranked out twice in it in Beta. lol Then when it was released, I did it again, but it went fast. I have test good games and not so good games, but I always play them when they come out.
They have Frags, which is when a Pogo Team Member comes into the room where everyone is playing and ask peoples opinions. They always let you know ahead of time when the Frags are going to be.
You will have fun, you will get discourage, you will get angry….but all in all I say it is great experience.
Karen 08.28.09 at 11:15 pm
I received a notice from EA today that I had reached “Level One queue,” which I assume is Pogonese for being one step closer to being chosen as a beta tester.
I wish they’d choose me to help them better communicate messages to Pogo members! They really didn’t explain what Level One queue was, or even if it was in reference to beta testing. Sheesh.
lynn 08.29.09 at 9:46 am
I also applied to be a beta tester like everyone i have heard nothing back as yet i did it a few years ago. So i am hoping i will get to do it again it was fun
Lura 08.29.09 at 9:48 am
Karen: Level One Queue is what happens to your support ticket after you submit it, not related to beta. It’s not a typical technical term or anything, just some EA/Pogo jargon I’m sure a lot of us are tired of seeing. *laugh*
Karen 08.29.09 at 5:34 pm
Thanks for the info, Lura. Seems to me they ought to explain what that is. :/
janiced 08.30.09 at 8:09 pm
I was a beta tester a couple of years ago. We tested Suduko Blast, and Golf Solitaire. I applied again for the newest testing. I hope I am picked. I loved it.
cathy 09.01.09 at 3:24 pm
Level one queue is when you have made a complaint about someone in pogo, or vice versa. Nothing to do with beta testing. I have been member of pogo for 5 years now and beta tested twice before, I know for a fact taht level one queue has to do with a complaint on pogo.
John 09.01.09 at 4:27 pm
I’M Hoping they start being sent out tonight..Since Bret..Our New Interum Editor is also in charge of Beta Now. Gee how many Letters to Editor can be avoided about Minigolf, If we Post about all the people so happy to be on Beta instead of How Pogo saved MY Father’s, Sister’s, Brother’s, Mother’s, Dog’s, Cat’s life or made A Love Affair, Marriage or OH YES twins NOW etc.
Lura 09.01.09 at 4:34 pm
I was just thinking about this today, that I’d not be surprised if they didn’t get sent out at all this week, or if they didn’t send the notice to those who weren’t accepted after all. (Bret has good intentions, but realistically there’s only so much he can do with all of his responsibilities.)
I also know they very carefully choose the letters to the editor they’re going to display (the praises ones are obvious ringers, but also the ones that give them the opportunity to push a new product or upcoming feature). I guess that’s nice for them, because you know they have hundreds to choose from each week. The comments here give me an unbiased snapshot of the community’s mood, and the letters to the editor often give me a snapshot of Pogo’s current delusions. :)
tigger 09.01.09 at 5:22 pm
john, the people that comment like that, are happy, and to me, thats amazing, and i dont know intentions of ur comment, but that hit me in the most wrong way, if it was to be upset about ppl sayin how glad they are to have found pogo because of etc..
Lura 09.01.09 at 5:24 pm
tigger: nah, I took it as he meant the Letters to the Editor have become total marketing fluff. It’s the same hand-picked stuff I was talking about in my response.
tigger 09.01.09 at 6:10 pm
ahhhhhhhhh gotcha, i apologize immensely..yea, thats so true, it gets old lol
John 09.01.09 at 6:38 pm
Exactly Lura!! In most newspapers the Letters are about current events, disagreements about the policies of the paper itself and older editorials or actual issues being addressed etc., Not fluff that is why Both Pogo and Newspapers run advertisements. If you want a Page just to Praise Pogo or for them to play cute with answers, they now have facebook and twitter too.
I for one don’t like cutsie answers on the philosophical meaning of soon..Rather have them say it’s still screwed up and we’re clueless..so it may take months.
I don’t like that I’ve known many including myself that after no Help at the “HELP” desk with game problems have letters ignored to print a letter that Pogo is gonna fix the Major Problem of my Bonnet is not in line with my Hairdo on my Mini.
I better end rant now or could go on forever.
Needless to say POGO runs a website with a NEWS PAGE (gee ain’t there a flah on top of main page about it) that can be updated to reflect problems in timely manner.
Laura Demchak 09.02.09 at 7:57 am
According to you, you say you send out emails even to those wh have not been chosen. I have filled out the application for Beta Tester the last 3 times I have seen it and never EVER heard anything back from Pogo. I have all but given up when I have had a friend who applied
and has been a tester more than once. I am beginning to think the pogo testers are like some off the winnrs from Pogo. Is it first come first served? But if testing these games is to catch the bugs or glitches that occur evidentally they dont do their job right!
Neo 09.02.09 at 9:37 am
Don’t blame the testers. They have reported various issues and bugs with the games. I doubt many of them have programming experience to fix the problems, that’s something Pogo has to do.
Lura 09.03.09 at 12:16 pm
Just an update, guys: I got word from someone that they were accepted into beta testing today. :) So, the invites are going out! Have patience, they may take a few days to send them all!
For those interested, the first game to be tested will be Battleship, but I also know Risk is coming along nicely and will probably be tested next.
Greg 09.03.09 at 12:55 pm
Hi Lura, thanks for the update, Battleship sounds like fun, I’m excited about it being released!
Greg 09.03.09 at 12:57 pm
I applied many times for beta testing as well. I never complained to Pogo about it, nobody wants to get disqualified that way. They never seem to accept me either LOL :)
piper12345p 09.03.09 at 1:26 pm
i applied last time and didnt get accepted im hoping to get accepted this time i think it would be fun being a beta tester
cpurnellt 09.04.09 at 10:10 pm
I’ve applied to betatest three times and been selected three times. So, we are real people. I have had great success with all my sessions but the last one (both the new dominoes). And the problem wasn’t the programmers, it was the testers–constant complaining because the “game is boring.” Me–I was just happy to be selected.
Cheryl
donna 09.04.09 at 10:29 pm
I have beta tested twice. I did apply this time but only because I wanted to play mini golf and I thought it would still be in beta LOL. The first time was a lot of fun. I forgot the person who ran it but they were great. Had a lot of frags and a lot of contact from them. The last time I tested I think that was for suduko and golf solitaire was awful. There were no frags or visits and it seemed like we had very little contact from anyone. The site was often down.
Sometimes I think they choose people by their computers more then the actually application to see how the games respond to different operating systems with different amounts of ram or graphic cards etc.
The only thing I really dislike about beta is by the time the game is released on pogo you don’t want to play it anymore LOL
Good luck all that have applied :)
HomelessDog 09.04.09 at 10:37 pm
I was accepted into the Beta Test program. Ive been in before. I hope Risk comes out during the testing phase.
Anyways, that means I wont be sharing any info on fansites regarding any of the games currently in test.
Shannon 09.04.09 at 11:05 pm
Ive done beta testing 3 times so far and just got my acceptance letter tonight in email. Im looking forward to working with Bret as the last ones Ive been apart of were not run very well. I had never seen a frag during my testing times, but I hear Bret is great about this stuff so keeping fingers crossed.
EdC 09.05.09 at 12:02 am
Congrats to you all who were accepted! I’ve been trying for years, even on 2 separate accounts..pogo hates me ;)
EdC 09.05.09 at 12:08 am
LOL I just checked my email and got accepted on my dummy account
Jewls 09.05.09 at 1:34 am
I’ve applied three times now and haven’t been chosen (yet). I’ll keep applying though! Good luck to all who applied!
nephthys 09.05.09 at 2:09 am
I got into the beta testing program! Im so excited! This is the first time ive applied and I hope it all goes well :)
Indy 09.05.09 at 8:11 am
I received my acceptance email into the Beta program last night. This will be my second time to test and I’m really looking forward to it again. My past experience was a very pleasant one. Oh sure, you have problems and glitches – but hey that’s what the Beta experience means and hopefully you are a part of making things better, so you accept it and have fun. I’ve already logged into the site and played. Fun fun fun
Sue 09.10.09 at 7:49 am
I wonder if it’s time to be discouraged, I read that acceptance letters began going out about a week ago and I haven’t heard anything from pogo.
Karen 09.10.09 at 12:51 pm
I got in on the 5th. Having fun, no glitches I can see.
Denise 09.12.09 at 2:45 am
I am wondering the same thing Sue
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