Playtesting
overview
Honest playtests.
Actionable next steps.
Structured sessions with seasoned designers and sharp players — people who know game mechanics — translated into a plan you can ship on within 72 hours.
You don’t need louder opinions; you need informed ones. Our testers have decades of play across genres and the design chops to explain why something sings or stalls — how a simulation holds up, where theme/mechanics drift, and which sequence of mechanics will unlock the system you’re aiming for.
We handle recruiting, TTS hosting, recording, and note-taking so you can observe or keep building. Afterward, you’ll get a tidy summary, a prioritized backlog, and the next test to run. No TTS build yet? We can spin one up.
Run by designers + veteran players
Clear rubric and rationale
Concise report in ≤ 3 business days
Optional TTS build support
Your IP stays yours
deliverables
What You Get
Clear, designer-grade outputs — fast.
One-Page Brief
What worked, what didn’t, and the why behind it (onboarding, flow, agency, pacing, economy, theme–mechanic fit).
Prioritized Fix List
An ordered to-do list ranked by impact and effort. Quick wins first; bigger swings flagged. Each item includes the “why” and how to validate it.
Next Test Plan
What to change, what to leave alone, and the exact scenario to re-run.
Highlights Package
Annotated recording, timestamps, and choice quotes you can share with collaborators.
Metrics Snapshot (optional)
Scores across key dimensions with short rationale from our panel of seasoned designers and veteran players.
packages
Playtest Packages
Choose the path that fits where your game is today.
All sessions are moderated by working designers and sharp players. You get clear next steps — not just hot takes.
Quickstart Playtest
$350
A single, structured remote session with a small vetted panel to surface the top friction points fast. We recruit, moderate, and record; you get a clean one-pager with the five biggest issues and a concrete next-test plan within 48–72 hours.
Best for: Rapid pulse-checks between builds, first outside eyes on a prototype, or a pre-pitch gut-check.
Outcome: Clear, prioritized fixes and a ready-to-run scenario for your very next iteration.
You get:
1 × 3-hour moderated session (remote)
3 vetted players
Recruiting + light moderator guide
One-page brief + next-test plan
Session recording included
Turnaround: 48–72 hours (≤3 business days)
Deep Dive
$1,150
Two moderated sessions give you pattern confidence, not just anecdotes. We probe variants (teach, pacing, tricky rules), then deliver a ranked backlog and a shareable highlights pack so collaborators can see the moments that matter. Turnaround in 5–7 business days.
Best for: Mid-stage designs needing confirmation on onboarding, edge cases, or balance hotspots before locking the core loop.
Outcome: Evidence-backed priorities, 6–10 clips/quotes you can circulate, and a focused plan to land the next build.
You get:
2 × 3-hour sessions (separate cohorts)
4 vetted players per session
Variant probes (teach, pacing, rules)
Highlights pack (6–10 clips/quotes)
Prioritized backlog with impact notes
Turnaround: 5–7 business days
Campaign Prep
$2,700
Three longer sessions pressure-test systems and onboarding at “ready for reviewers/backers” depth. You get everything from Deep Dive plus an onboarding audit and a crisp launch-readiness memo — risks, mitigations, and FAQs — delivered in 7–10 business days.
Best for: Final polish ahead of conventions, reviewer sends, or crowdfunding; verifying stability across counts and sessions.
Outcome: A shareable readiness memo, cleaner teach, and confidence your game holds its shape from first session to finale.
You get:
3 × 4-hour sessions
4 vetted players per session (new-player emphasis)
Onboarding audit (teach, setup, component UX)
Launch-readiness memo (risks, mitigations, FAQs)
Multi-audience stability read
Turnaround: 7–10 business days
Playtest Add-Ons
Precision add-ons for playtests: expand coverage, validate changes, or accelerate results — no hidden costs.
Extra Player Seat
Add one vetted player (per session) for broader coverage.
Extra Session
Another moderated run (same project) to validate changes or probe variants.
Stakeholder Workshop
Remote working session to align on fixes and next test plan.
Clean Transcript
Lightly edited transcript with timestamps for your records.
Rush Report
Pull delivery forward (−2 business days) when timing’s tight.
Upgrade Credit
If you upgrade a Quickstart to a Deep Dive within 14 days, you’ll receive a $300 credit toward the Deep Dive.
process
From Intake to Insight
We define test goals, run moderated playtests with vetted players, and hand you a ranked backlog, highlights, and a one-page summary within 72 hours.
Quick Intake
Tell us what you’re trying to achieve, where the design feels stuck, and your constraints. Share a TTS mod or draft rules; no art needed. We align on hypotheses and success signals.
Smart Prep
We sanity-check teachability, set test scenarios, and hand-pick a small panel of sharp players and working designers. If you need it, we tune or build a TTS mod. NDAs available. You can observe live or stay heads-down — we’ll record either way.
Moderated Session
Clear teach, clean rules, and real probing. We watch tempo, decision load, economy, edge cases, and how theme & mechanics click. Our facilitators know systems; they’ll try alternate sequences, stress the simulation, and note where delight spikes or friction piles up.
Synthesis → Next Steps
We turn the session into a one-page brief, a prioritized backlog, and a clear next-test plan — crafted by working designers. Rubric scores available on request.
Optional Iteration Sprint
Need a quick re-test after tweaks? We can update the TTS build and run another session to confirm the fix.
faqs
Popular Questions
What types of games do you test?
Board and card games at prototype or near-final rules stages (solo, co-op, competitive). No video games.
Do you test physically or digitally?
Digitally. We run remote sessions; Tabletop Simulator is our default.
Can you use Tabletopia instead of TTS?
Yes, by exception. Note it in intake and we’ll confirm feasibility.
How many players are in a session?
Typically 3–5 vetted players per session, matched to your target audience.
Can I watch the playtest live?
Yes. You can observe quietly, or skip and review the recording and notes later.
How soon will a playtest be scheduled after the intake?
After completion of the intake process, we typically schedule the first playtest session within 7-10 days. This may be delayed due to holidays and special requests.
I don’t have a TTS mod. Can you build one?
We can quote a lightweight TTS build so testing can proceed smoothly.
What exactly do you test?
We test every aspect of a board game that we can think of.
What do you need from me before testing?
A short intake, your current rules draft, any aids, and test goals/success criteria.
What do I get after a session?
A concise report: one-page summary, prioritized backlog, rubric scores, quotes with timestamps, and appendices. Highlights reel on request.
How fast is the Quickstart report?
48–72 hours after the session. Longer packages list timelines up front.
Who are the playtesters?
Pre-screened players with relevant experience; we recruit to match your audience.
Will testers sign NDAs and are sessions recorded?
Yes, we run consent and NDAs. Sessions are recorded for accurate reporting. All sensitive data is kept secure as per our Privacy Policy.
What if I start with Quickstart and need more?
You can upgrade to Deep Dive with full credit within 14 days.
What time zones do you operate in?
We have playtesters all over the world, and schedule to match their availability. We can coordinate with you if you wish to join the session.
Can you help test specific rule variants or balance questions?
Absolutely. For Deep Dive and Campaign Prep we plan variant probes and targeted measurements.
Leave a request
Book a Quickstart Playtest
Real players on TTS, a clean session, and a report you can act on in 48–72 hours. Tell us your game and top questions — we’ll send a plan and a slot.
