Mastering Playtesting: 6 Essential Steps for Indie Developers to Succeed

Player feedback is an exceptionally effective resource. It plays a crucial role in developing products that genuinely resonate with the audience. While this may seem like a straightforward point, such oversights occur far more frequently than one might expect.

Numerous indie developers fall into the trap of attempting to create a groundbreaking game, overlooking that complexity doesn’t always guarantee success. Our team is no exception to this rule.

We have observed how quickly players can abandon a game if it feels unjustifiably difficult. Just days before one of our releases, after reading a particularly critical pre-release review, we decided to reduce the game’s difficulty. We enhanced the resources and abilities available to players while significantly diminishing the power of the adversaries.

Yet, even after this adjustment, Highfleet (the earlier mentioned release) proved to be excessively challenging for some players. This issue is not unfamiliar to us—studios have faced similar challenges with titles such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Rain World. This often arises due to the common cognitive bias: what seems obvious to the developer can be completely perplexing to the player, resulting in frustration and a distorted perception of the game. Here, the only solution is thorough testing and careful collection of user feedback.

Before jumping to conclusions—playtesting doesn’t always have to be expensive. Indie developers with a reasonable budget often start by testing games for free: engaging colleagues, friends, or followers. Later, when there’s a bit more budget available, developers use low-cost methods such as surveys and questionnaires. What’s in it for the participants? They might be rewarded with in-game bonuses or complimentary access to the complete version post-release.

Professional playtesting, which is generally the most expensive option, is typically reserved for targeting specific demographics (using expert testing services), testing complex or expansive games, or preparing for a multi-platform launch.

Regardless of the budget, these six steps will guide indie developers toward obtaining valuable and insightful feedback.

1. Prepare for the test.

Without adequate preparation, feedback can become vague (e.g., “the visuals could be enhanced,” “the controls feel clumsy,” or “the interface is confusing”).

Such feedback does not address the fundamental issues. For instance, what specifically needs improvement in the visuals—is it the design, texture quality, or overall atmosphere? Likewise, what makes the controls feel clumsy— is it the character’s sluggishness, the button layout, or delayed response time?

2. Create a playable demo or early access version.

The purpose of a demo is to provide a focused, polished experience that conveys the core essence of the game, engaging players while also offering sufficient context for actionable feedback. When developing a demo, several critical factors require the team’s careful attention:

The game demo should be sufficiently brief to maintain interest yet lengthy enough to exhibit the primary features of the game. An ideal duration would be between 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the genre and testing objectives. This timeframe allows players to explore the fundamental mechanics, grasp the overall progression and atmosphere, while preventing fatigue or disinterest.

If the demo is too short (for instance, 5 to 10 minutes), players may not have enough time to immerse themselves in the game or appreciate its potential. Conversely, if it takes too long (such as 1 to 2 hours), players can become exhausted, particularly if the content being tested is repetitive or lacks a definitive conclusion.

The ideal balance would consist of a modest amount of content, showcasing the key aspects of the game, including controls, core mechanics, and unique features. Additionally, an ending featuring an engaging moment would leave players intrigued and eager for the full version.

3. Build channels for player feedback to conduct surveys and facilitate playtesting at various stages of development.

Choosing the appropriate platform to test your game is crucial, as it influences the type of audience you will attract, the feedback you will receive, and how beneficial it will be for optimizing your project. Different platforms offer access to various types of players, from a creative community for early prototypes to a larger audience for testing final versions. The right platform will enable the team to focus on the essential features of the game and gather constructive feedback, thereby conserving time and resources. It also shapes the interaction format with players, whether in person, through analytics, or via gameplay observations.

Consequently, the platform directly affects the success of testing and refining the game before its release. We can categorize the main platforms based on the testing phase:

Platforms for Initial Testing (Prototypes and Concepts):

Platforms for Extensive Testing (Later Stages):

For community engagement, these could be an excellent choice:

Participating in game conventions presents a valuable opportunity to assess games at both early and advanced stages. These events provide studios with firsthand observations on how attendees perceive and interact with your game, delivering essential insights into player behavior. Feedback can be obtained not just from players but also from peers and game development experts attending the conference. A myriad of perspectives can significantly enhance the final experience. Additionally, taking part in such events allows you to feel like a player-tester, learning from other developers’ games.

This dual perspective aids in understanding the challenges faced by new players as they explore the game, fostering a deeper comprehension of their difficulties and experiences – all within a truly relaxed and vibrant environment.

4. Conducting a test

Throughout the testing process, players engage with a demo version of the game, generally accompanied by prior guidance from developers regarding specific features to examine (e.g., controls, level design, or new mechanics).

In synchronous testing, developers observe the process in real-time via streaming platforms like Discord or Zoom, or in person, taking note of players’ actions, delays, mistakes, or reactions. Gamers articulate difficulties or shortcomings directly during gameplay.

In asynchronous testing, players assess the game individually, documenting their actions through screenshots or videos, or by completing a questionnaire afterward. Analyzing findings happens through surveys that include both closed and open-ended questions, gameplay recordings (videos or screenshots), automated metrics (completion time, number of errors), and verbal feedback. Surveys help aggregate the information, recordings enable observation of player behaviors, and metrics provide objective assessments. All of this is analyzed to identify bugs, highlight issues, and understand player behavior, which ultimately assists in enhancing the game.

5. Identify the most valuable feedback.

Differentiate constructive feedback from irrelevant comments. Constructive feedback is typically clear, actionable, and echoed by multiple individuals. For example, “I don’t like this option” isn’t particularly useful; however, “I find this option too difficult because…” provides context and potential areas for refinement.

Identify recurring themes: Look for common complaints or requests among the feedback. Repeated issues often signify broader concerns among players.

Balance player feedback with the game’s vision: Not all feedback will align with the original vision. Avoid straying too far off course unless the suggestions contribute greatly to the core experience.

The reality is that, no matter how meticulous the planning, it’s impossible to predict every scenario. For instance, one must account for the myriad combinations of hardware and software. A game might run smoothly on one computer but crash or fail to launch on another. In Highfleet, we encountered a situation where the mouse failed to work for us.