Sony's The Tester season 3 will be crazier than ever

Coming face-to-face with a box full of cockroaches, dressing up in camo gear, and trudging through mud-filled obstacle courses. That's what it takes to be a game tester at Sony Computer Entertainment America. Yes, the reality show with the worst prize in all reality shows is back, and Sony is giving a preview of what to expect in season number three.

The Tester, which is released in weekly installments through the PlayStation Network's video store, pits self-proclaimed PlayStation fanatics in a series of wacky and outrageous stunts until only one is left standing. The winner gets a $5,000 cash prize and the opportunity to become a full-time entry-level game tester. The show has been maligned from the beginning for its terrible prize and for the ridiculous way it tries to tie in the show's obstacles into actual responsibilities of being a game tester (having cockroaches running up and down your face shows that you're good under pressure, which is a trait of all good game testers. Yeah, sure).

UPDATE: Sony has updated us to note: "This year, we've changed things up and the prize is a position as a Production Associate at Santa Monica Studios." Exciting stuff!

In the "where are they now?" files, The Tester season 1 winner Will "Cyrus" Powers is now an "Associate PR Generalist", and season 2's victor, Matthew "Gaymer" Brown now works for Sony Pictures. Who will be the next to walk through the revolving door at Sony? Find out when The Tester 3 begins "airing" on the PlayStation Network on February 7.

[via PlayStation Blog]