Single Session Playtest

When to conduct a single session playtest

Single session playtests are essential for gathering quick, actionable player feedback. These focused 30-60 minute sessions, typically lasting between 5 and 60 minutes, help validate core mechanics and test specific features, providing insights that can transform your game's player experience.

Some of the most common scenarios where Single Session Playtests are used include:

• Your core gameplay loop is ready but not fully polished, allowing you to validate fundamental design decisions early

• You want to understand what the First Time User Experience is like for your players

• You've implemented new features or mechanics and need focused feedback on specific components

• You're validating changes made from previous feedback and need to verify your solutions

• Resources or deadlines are tight, requiring cost-effective research methods

The key to successful single session playtests isn't just in running them efficiently – it's in building a consistent testing practice that feeds directly into your development cycle. Each session should generate insights that inform your next iteration, creating a continuous feedback loop that steadily improves your game's player experience.

For more details on setting up a playtest, check out our Help Center article: Setting up your playtest.

Adding surveys to your playtest

While you will have access to the playtest video and the audio recording from the playtest, adding a survey to your single session playtest is a way of getting to know the player experience better. Sometimes, not all players are vocal about their experiences while playing the game or they may be too immersed in the game to share their thoughts aloud. In such cases, having a survey after the playtest enables the player to provide structured feedback about the game.