After the most competitive season to date, a champion was finally crowned: Will Santiago, aka AkilleezMight!

Will prevailed through all the challenges this season, and became a leader of the gamers living in the PlayStation Loft along the way. From being covered in hissing cockroaches to leading his team through a brutal obstacle course, everything Will did, he did with a smile on his face.

You might have seen portions of his interview right after his victory as shown in the season finale. Here’s an extended version of those moments right after he won The Tester 3, with the adrenaline still pumping from winning the final challenge and the full extent of this amazing opportunity to work at Santa Monic Studio just starting to sink in. Please join me in congratulating Wilson Santiago as the winner of The Tester 3.

Additionally, we recently spoke to Will following the win, and he gave us his thoughts on being on the show, how tough it was competing against his fellow gamers, and much more. See below for the full Q&A session with Will, and feel free to leave your own questions for Will in the comments below!

PlayStation.Blog: How does it feel to be crowned the winner of The Tester 3?
Will Santiago: Honestly, the feeling is indescribable! I’m still in a state of disbelief over everything. I know I’ve got big shoes to fill and I will do everything in my power to represent the show and the PS family to the best of my abilities.

PSB: What were some of the most memorable moments for you during the show?
WS: I’ll never forget the first day. Stepping out of the van and into loft, and getting to meet everyone; It was all very surreal! I had the most fun with the Street Fighter X Tekken challenge. That day was by far the least stressful and we all really enjoyed ourselves during the performances. There were so many funny moments that happened each day, it’s kind of hard to keep track.

PSB: In stepping into your new role at Santa Monica Studio, what are you most excited about learning/experiencing?
WS: I absolutely cannot wait to dive into my new role. Being able to get the inside perspective of game design is a dream come true. It’s a privilege and an honor to learn from the best and work side by side with all the talented people at Santa Monica Studio. I’m going to walk in there with a blank slate, a humble heart, an open mind, and a drive to succeed!

PSB: How tough was the competition? Did you feel pretty confident that you would win?
WS: To say that the level of competition was fierce would be an understatement. My game plan was to stay focused and outshine my competitors. However, I soon found myself wanting to learn as much as I could from these 11 extraordinary people. They each possess very admirable qualities and taught me lessons about myself that I will carry for the rest of my life. Each challenge became more daunting than the last and everyone stepped up their level of intensity. They kept me on my A-game, so at no point did I feel like I had won the competition. It was extremely difficult to assert myself as a leader in the loft because I would easily follow any one of them.

PSB: Do you have any funny stories to share from living in the PlayStation Loft with the rest of the gamers?
WS: The extra scenes did a great job of showing a lot of the “shenanigans” that went on between us all. A couple of moments that stood out: The epic ‘Everybody Dance’ battles between SkyD1ddy and myself, Ninjanomyx & Egoraptor’s 2 hour thought provoking conversation, J-Tight’s earth-shattering snoring, RealityPales’ underhanded tactics in LBP 2, Asuukaa schooling me on the ins and outs of roller derby, and “4-syllable singing” with KrystiPryde!

PSB: How do your friends and family feel about you leaving to Santa Monica to join the Santa Monica Studio team?
WS: My loved ones mean the world to me. They’re my inspiration and my biggest supporters. While they are sad that I’m leaving Florida, they couldn’t be more proud of my achievements. I owe it to them to progress and succeed at whatever I do!

PSB: What advice would you give a competitor coming on the show? What are the keys to winning?
WS: Stay FOCUSED! It’s very easy to get overwhelmed by everything that happens around you. Let your dedication and heart speak for you. Even though it’s a competition, motivate and support your teammates. Keep your eye on the prize and no matter what, stay true to yourself.

As in previous seasons, today’s finale is the most action-packed episode of The Tester 3. It’s a grueling multi-mission challenge that will end with the final three gamers putting their gaming skills to the ultimate test by conquering an epic campaign mission in the upcoming third-person shooter Starhawk. No panel. No judges: the best gamer wins The Tester 3. If you can’t wait to watch this epic finale in HD, check out The Tester 3 Season Finale right here! (Please DO NOT spoil the ending for others in the comments!)

Remember, you can also watch the entire episode on your PS3 through the following ways:

• What’s New section of the XMB
• PlayStation Home’s Theater 2
• Download from the PlayStation Store after today’s update.

If you need a refresher on the events leading up to the finale, make sure to check out Episode 8, which featured many past contestants reliving great moments from the season. You can check it out here.

We’d like to thank all of you for participating in our weekly Twitter contests throughout the season. Our final winner from this morning’s contest was @JnSPEC, so congrats on winning your very own PS Vita!

Next week, look right here on the PlayStation Blog for a special Q&A with this season’s winner who will talk about how it feels to be on the verge of starting their job at Santa Monica Studio.

Thanks again to all the fans of The Tester who supported the series. We’re extremely proud of this season, and we hope you’ve enjoyed watching along with us.

Enjoy the finale and please don’t post any spoilers.

Don’t miss first-hand accounts from Egoraptor, J-Tight, Skyd1ddy, Suzkaiden, Kwajamonster and Ninjanomyx, as they remember some of the funniest and most outrageous moments of their time in the PlayStation Loft. There are also lots of great new outtakes when things don’t quite go as planned. Plus, they’ll divulge their insight about the three finalists with a special preview of next week’s final challenge. The entire Episode 8 is ready right here (and later in the usual channels), so check it out!

Remember, you can watch the entire episode in the What’s New section of the XMB, PlayStation Home’s Theater 2 (where the limited edition ‘The Tester 3” game over virtual hoodies are awarded), or download in glorious HD from the PlayStation Store after today’s update.

Last week’s Episode 7 featured PlayStation knowledge and a dunk tank. Special guest, IGN executive editor for PlayStation, Greg Miller joined the panel last week to help decide the three finalists for next week. If you missed a very entertaining Episode 7, watch it right here. We also have some pretty funny extra scenes from last week also ready to roll. Click the image below for more fun and games from episode 7!

The eighth Twitter giveaway for The Tester 3 is next Monday, April 2nd. Follow @PlayStation to participate, and keep an eye out for a trivia question related to Episode 8. Congratulations to @juggernaut1983 for winning yesterday’s Episode 7 prize package!

For next week, the prize package provides one lucky winner with the most coveted prize of the season: A brand new, PlayStation Vita! As always, the winner will receive their very own “The Tester 3” t-shirt, and one-month PS Plus voucher. Not bad, eh?

Let us know what you think of this latest episode, and who is your favorite. And we look forward to bringing you the season finale next week!

Thanks for supporting The Tester 3!

Before we get into Episode 7, we wanted to remind you that the extra scenes from previous episodes are all still available to watch. The extra scenes from Episode 6 are available right now, so click the image below to check out some must-see outtakes featuring the panel.

Now, for Episode 7, it’s finally time for the PlayStation trivia challenge. But this season, we’ve added a dunk tank! Correct answers give gamers a chance to submerge their competition in the tank. IGN’s Greg Miller joins Brent and Adrianne as this week’s guest panelist and the top 3 move on to the season finale in just two weeks. (Next week, we’ve got a ‘Season in Review’ episode where we’ve invited favorite cast members back to relive the best and worst moments of the season)

We’re once again hosting Episode 7 in its entirety, so check it out below! (Please do not post spoilers!)

Remember, you can watch the entire episode in the What’s New section of the XMB, PlayStation Home’s Theater 2 (where the limited edition ‘The Tester 3” game over virtual hoodies are awarded), or download in glorious HD from the PlayStation Store after today’s update.

Also, the ‘Superfan’ viewing quest continues in PlayStation Home and you still have a chance to re-join the quest in the special The Tester 3 marathon running in Theater 6 where you can earn the previously released limited edition “The Tester 3” hoodies for your avatar. You can watch all previously released season 3 episodes right in PlayStation Home.

The seventh Twitter giveaway for The Tester 3 is next Monday, March 26. Follow @PlayStation to participate, and keep an eye out for a trivia question related to Episode 7. Congratulations to @Gamer_Rich for winning yesterday’s Episode 6 prize package!

For next week, the prize package provides one lucky winner with not only some great IGN swag, but also signed collectibles from MLB 12 The Show’s cover athlete:

• The Tester 3 t-shirt
• 1 month PlayStation Plus voucher
• IGN swag: Podcast Beyond t-shirt, Start t-shirt, IGN beanie, IGN ballcap, IGN stickers and buttons, IGN notebook, IGN iPad case (signed by Greg Miller), and an IGN screen cleaner.
• Adrian Gonzalez signed ball and key art

Please remember to allow fans the chance to enjoy the show by NOT posting any spoilers in the comments below, or in the PlayStation forums, and thank you all for your supporting The Tester 3.

This week, it’s every gamer for themselves as Dylan Jobe, president of Lightbox Interactive, puts the gamers to task in a Starhawk-inspired “Build and Battle” challenge. Each gamer will attempt to build the highest tower out of blocks and also be forced to reveal brutally honest opinions about their fellow housemates.

As always, you can watch the entire episode in the What’s New section of the XMB, PlayStation Home’s Theater 2 (where the limited edition ‘The Tester 3” game over hoodies are awarded), or download in glorious HD from the PlayStation Store after today’s update. And, once again, we’re hosting the full episode below, so you can watch right here on The PlayStation Blog! (Please do not post spoilers!)

Also, the ‘Superfan’ viewing quest continues in PlayStation Home and you still have a chance to re-join the quest as a special The Tester 3 marathon is running in Theater 6 where you can earn the previously released limited edition “The Tester 3” hoodies for your avatar.

The sixth Twitter giveaway for The Tester 3 is next Monday, March 19. Follow @PlayStation to participate, and keep an eye out for a trivia question related to Episode 6. Congratulations to @candisbross for winning yesterday’s Episode 5 prize package!

For next week, the prize package is for the Starhawk aficionado:

• The Tester 3 t-shirt
• 1 month PlayStation Plus voucher
• Signed copy of Starhawk by Dylan Jobe
• Starhawk Poster
• Starhawk T-shirt

Please remember to allow fans the chance to enjoy the show by NOT posting any spoilers in the comments below, or in the PlayStation forums.

This week, the gamers don togas and head to the beach for a God of War-inspired challenge. Like Poseidon blinded by Kratos in God of War III, the gamers will be blindfolded and put to task under the watchful eye of Santa Monica Studio creative director, Todd Papy. The winners will accompany Todd for a behind-the-scenes tour of Santa Monica Studio.

As always, you can also watch the entire episode on the What’s New section of the XMB, PlayStation Home’s Theater 2 (including limited edition ‘The Tester 3′ game over hoodies), or download in glorious HD from the PlayStation Store after today’s update. And, new this week, you can watch the entire episode on the PlayStation Blog!  (Please do not post spoilers!)

For those of you needing to catch up on the season, we’re holding a mid-season marathon in PlayStation Home where you can watch episodes 1-4 of The Tester 3 in Theater 6 starting today. If you missed a week of the ‘Superfan’ viewing quest, this is your chance to rejoin the journey to earn limited edition “The Tester 3” hoodies for your avatar, so don’t miss out!

Our fifth Twitter giveaway for The Tester 3 is next Monday, March 12. Follow @PlayStation to participate, and keep an eye out for a trivia question related to Episode 5. Congratulations to @PS3Gamer87 for winning yesterday’s Episode 4 prize package!

For next week, the prize package is all about God of War:

• The Tester 3 t-shirt
• 1 month PlayStation Plus voucher
• Signed God of War Limited Edition Art Book autographed by Todd Papy and team
• Toy Blade of Chaos

Please remember to allow fans the chance to enjoy the show by NOT posting any spoilers in the comments below, or in the PlayStation forums.

This week, the fight literally begins with Street Fighter X Tekken. Not only will we see head-to-head competition in the upcoming new game, but each gamer’s creativity will be tested when they must create new game characters and choreograph fight scenes for guest panelist, Capcom Special Combat Advisor, Seth Killian.

Check out this week’s preview of episode 4 below, and watch the full episode here. You can also watch the entire episode on the What’s New section of the XMB or download from the PlayStation Store when today’s update is published.

If you are looking to complete your PlayStation Home quest for The Tester 3, we have a marathon beginning Tuesday, March 6, where you can watch all previous episodes (1-4) in Theater 6. Be sure to stop in so you can rejoin the quest and earn limited edition “The Tester 3” shirts for your avatar!

Our fourth Twitter giveaway for The Tester 3 is next Monday, March 5. Follow @PlayStation to participate, and keep an eye out for a trivia question related to Episode 4. Congratulations to @_meridian for winning yesterday’s Episode 3 prize package!

For next week, the prize package is perfect for all you Street Fighter X Tekken fans:

• The Tester 3 t-shirt
• 1 month PlayStation Plus voucher
• Mad Catz Street Fighter X Tekken FightStickPro autographed by Seth Killian

As a reminder, please allow fans the chance to enjoy the show by NOT posting any spoilers in the comments below, or in the PlayStation forums.

Week 3 tests their ability to overcome obstacles and stay focused in a challenge inspired by UNCHARTED: Golden Abyss for PS Vita. Golden Abyss’ creative director John Garvin visits from Sony Bend Studio to evaluate each team’s performance in the most demanding challenge of the season thus far. And this week, the winning team gets to spend some quality time with Nathan Drake himself, Nolan North. But the fun and games abruptly end during this week’s intense elimination.

Speaking of PS Vita, beginning with today’s PlayStation Store publish, The Tester 3 will be available to watch on PS Vita’s beautiful 5” OLED screen. You can catch up on the first two episodes on PS Vita as well.

Check out this week’s preview of episode 3 below, and watch the full episode here. You can download in HD and SD from the PlayStation Store when today’s update is published.

We’re also set to launch our third Twitter giveaway for The Tester 3! This takes place next Monday, February 27. Follow @PlayStation to participate. Congratulations to @kancer for winning this week’s prize package!

For next week, the prize package is themed around the UNCHARTED series:

• The Tester 3 t-shirt
• 1 month PlayStation Plus voucher
• “UNCHARTED: Drake’s Journal” autographed by Nolan North
• UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception Collector’s Edition
• UNCHARTED 3: Drake’s Deception Soundtrack
• UNCHARTED Notebook

As a reminder, please allow fans the chance to enjoy the show by NOT posting any spoilers in the comments below, or in the PlayStation forums.

We also have our first collection of extra scenes from last week’s season premiere of The Tester 3, which you can watch right here. As an added bonus, we’ve produced a PlayStation 3 static theme featuring Adrianne Curry and Meredith Molinari, which will be available on the PlayStation Store later today.

Also, our second Twitter contest giveaway takes place next Monday, February 20. Follow @PlayStation to participate. Congratulations to @DownBoundSoul for winning our first week’s prize package!

For week 2, here’s the full list of prizes we’re giving away in the next contest:

• The Tester 3 t-shirt
• 1 month PlayStation Plus voucher
• Signed copy of Twisted Metal by David Jaffe
• Sweet Tooth Mask
• PlayStation Wireless headset

As a reminder, please allow fans the chance to enjoy the show by not posting any spoilers in the comments below, or in the PlayStation forums.

We hope you enjoy episode 2!

Watch The Tester 3 – Episode 1

To celebrate the start of season 3, we’ve brought our past two winners of The Tester here to the PlayStation.Blog to talk about their experiences. Both season 1 winner Will Powers (Cyrus) and season 2 winner Matthew Brown (Gaymer) have gone on from their experience on The Tester to full-time careers at Sony. We spoke to both of them recently, and below, they’ve given us their thoughts on being a part of the show, and where it has taken them.

Will Powers, Associate PR Generalist, SCEA
Because of the nature of The Tester, upon winning I was exposed to various media interview requests, all of which had to be staffed by individuals from the Public Relations team here at PlayStation. The general consensus was that during these media opportunities I came off as well-spoken and knowledgeable. There happened to be an opening in the Public Relations department in San Diego, where I was recruited based upon the relationships and impressions that I hadn’t even known I was making as a neophyte within the organization. Now over the past year and a half I’ve been working to help organize events and promote product publicity for various titles in the PlayStation portfolio, including working on The Tester itself.

Matthew Brown, Marketing Coordinator, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Being on The Tester has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Filming the show, testing for Sony Computer Entertainment, going to E3 and meeting so many people, it’s all been an absolute blast and has only deepened my love for the industry and PlayStation. I’ve since moved to Los Angeles and joined the Sony Pictures family (my hiring manager saw the show), where I’m laser-focused on rounding myself out as a marketer and storyteller. I’m confident that as the entertainment and tech industries grow there will be more and more crossover between games and films, and I can’t wait to be a part of that with Sony.

Impressive. Who’s next to win season 3? The best way to find out is to catch the show every Tuesday: Log into PSN to watch the show through your PS3 or PSP, or stay online and watch the show at PlayStation.com. Full episodes are also hosted in Theater 2 in PlayStation Home, where you can get exclusive The Tester 3 avatar shirts for watching the show. And keep an eye on the official PlayStation Twitter for ways to win great PlayStation prizes throughout the season.

Members of The Tester 3 join past cast members, panelist Brent Gocke, and host Meredith Molinari at the LA premiere party.

We hope you enjoy this season!