How to Playtest Your Indie Game: A Developer's Guide

When to Start Playtesting Your Game

Start testing as soon as you have a playable concept. The earlier you get feedback, the less time you'll waste on features that don't work. Your first test doesn't need polished graphics or sound, it simply needs to demonstrate your core gameplay loop.

Key Benefits of Early Testing

Early testing validates your core concept before you invest in assets and polish. It also helps you practice communicating game rules through design rather than tutorials. You'll quickly learn things like if your button schema is counterintuitive, your art isn't legible, or your core loop is too hard to understand. Perhaps most importantly, it builds momentum through small wins that keep you motivated.

How to Create Game Prototypes Fast

Focus on testing specific questions about your game. Is the movement fun? Do players understand the objective? Is this puzzle too hard? Build the minimum viable product that answers your question, not a polished demo that tries to offer the whole game at once.

Quick Prototyping Methods:

• Paper Prototypes: Cardboard tokens and hand-drawn maps test core mechanics, UI flow, and strategic decisions. Perfect for board games or complex systems.
• Greyboxing: Use basic shapes in Unity, Godot, or Unreal to test level layouts, camera angles, and gameplay loops before creating art assets.
• Narrative Prototypes: Tools like Twine quickly map narrative choices and dialogue systems without game engine code.

Where to Get Game Testing Feedback

You don't need a marketing budget to find playtesters. These free channels connect you with players and developers:

I'd also be happy to test it myself! While I sometimes crawl those subreddits, feel free to send me a message either on Bluesky or to my email at james@kokutech.com and I'll give it a try and let you know what I think.

Building Your Playtesting Process

Regular playtesting cycles help you understand what makes your game engaging. Each session, no matter how small, brings you closer to a better game. Like most things in gamedev, your ability to conduct and learn from a playtest is a skill that improves with practice.

Making Decisions Based on Feedback

After 3-5 test builds, evaluate your core idea. Use feedback to decide whether to pivot, polish what's working, or move on. It's also worth noting that playtesters who provide valuable feedback often become your first fans so it's worth it to put in the effort to make sure they have a good experience and to stay engaged with them as you make progress.