This article is about the process. For the TV episode, see Playtest (Black Mirror).
A playtest is the process by which a game designer tests a new game for bugs and design flaws before releasing it to market. Playtests can be run "open", "closed", "beta", or otherwise, and are very common with board games, collectible card games, puzzle hunts, role-playing games, and video games, for which they have become an established part of the quality control process. An individual involved in testing a game is referred to as a playtester.
An open playtest could be considered open to anyone who wishes to join, or it may refer to game designers recruiting testers from outside the design group. Prospective testers usually must complete a survey or provide their contact information in order to be considered for participation. A closed playtest is an internal testing process not available to the public. Beta testing normally refers to the final stages of testing just before going to market with a product, and is often run semi-open with a limited form of the game in order to find any last-minute problems. With all forms of playtesting it is not unusual for participants to be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement, in order to protect the game designer's copyrights.
The word 'playtest' is also commonly used in unofficial situations where a game is being tested by a group of players for their own private use, or to denote a situation where a new strategy or game mechanic is being tested. Playtesting is a part of usability test in the process of game development. [1]
^Yáñez-Gómez, Rosa; Cascado-Caballero, Daniel; Sevillano, José-Luis (February 2017). "Academic methods for usability evaluation of serious games: a systematic review". Multimedia Tools and Applications. 76 (4): 5755–5784. doi:10.1007/s11042-016-3845-9. hdl:11441/74400. ISSN 1380-7501. S2CID 254833872.
A playtest is the process by which a game designer tests a new game for bugs and design flaws before releasing it to market. Playtests can be run "open"...
playing with/against a game developer during the playtest. NetEase received backlash during the alpha playtest when streamer Brandon Larned called out the...
demo of Dark and Darker was first released in February 2023 as an alpha playtest during Steam Next Fest. Developer Ironmace expected the game to release...
regular series on the official Dungeons & Dragons website that presents new playtest content for Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition. The original Unearthed Arcana...
2011 short film Portal: No Escape, an episode of Black Mirror entitled "Playtest", and various television commercials and public service announcements....
Tribeca Film Festival called Folk Hero & Funny Guy. In 2016, he starred in "Playtest", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror. In 2018, he and Jovan...
published by Behaviour Interactive. A free demo that served as an open playtest was available from September 7 to 21, 2023. The full game was released...
employees decide what to work on themselves. They develop games through playtesting and iteration, describing game design as a kind of experimental psychology...
2008, Pathfinder was designed over the course of a year using an open playtest model, where players could try the system and post their feedback on Paizo's...
on John Lanchester's novel of the same name. In 2016, she appeared in Playtest, an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror. Mosaku won the 2017 BAFTA...
9, 2022, with a release date of April 29, 2022. A free-to-play online playtest of the game to test functionality and stability was available to register...
April 29, 2009. Tanaka, John (December 11, 2008). "Tatsunoko VS Capcom Playtest". IGN. Archived from the original on January 21, 2009. Retrieved February...
scheduled to start in June, Ashes of Creation began its first closed alpha playtest period on July 14, 2021. The alpha was available for players who purchased...
the PDF Heroes of Krynn which is part of the "Unearthed Arcana" public playtest series for the 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Polygon commented that...
the "bestiary" of the D&D Next Playtest Package, a compilation of files available for gamers interested in playtesting this Dungeons & Dragons version...
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