Getting Playtesters

Playtests are the lifeblood of board game design. A game might go through a hundred revisions, and will need a playtest each time.

You need to get more and better playtesters, over time.

You need them

If you don't have a reliable source of playtests, you can't really design board games. You can also only design at the speed of your access to playtests.

Playtesting against yourself is not a genuine game experience. Also, other people's feedback is essential.

You need playtesters, but you also need a variety of playtesters. These different groups will all have different aptitudes and preferences.

Real world: Family and friends

If you have a partner or very good friend, who's happy to consistently playtest more than once a week, you have no problems.

I run a games group regularly, at my house. In the early days, friends were happy to playtest, but not too regularly.

Friends and family are also useful for very early playtests. They'll be much more tolerant of things going wrong.

Real world: Board games club

I joined a board games club, mainly as a source of testers for my games. I enjoy playing board games there, but people come to play published games, and I get only the occasional playtest in. This is not an ideal place to go for playtesting.

Real world: A board game design group

I've seen these, and attended meetups. These might be a great place to get very hands-on feedback, if you're new. More likely, they're a huge time-sink, as you spend all afternoon playing other people's big games.

A group is still not a terrible choice.

Online: Discord groups

Online Discord groups are the place to get playtests, for most people. I started out in a small, inefficient group, testing terrible, long games. Later, I found better groups. Search for Discord board game design groups like VPT.

Buddies

Out of the good things that will come out of groups is that you'll acquire a game design buddy or two. You want someone with the same level of seriousness as yourself.

This gets you away from wasting hours playing other people's epic multiplayer games, just so that you can test your two-player 30-minute game.

This will be a reciprocal arrangement, where you test each other's games. It's very helpful to have someone who knows your game well, and can discuss changes with you. They'll also be crucial when you're early in design, and the game isn't fun yet, and after big changes, when things often break. You can work under the expectation that the game won't be good, without any pressure.

Helping someone else with their game will teach you things, as well. It's like a second game you're working on, but you don't have to do any work.

A buddy is also a very good source of motivation. Even when you're busy or unmotivated, you keep helping with their game, and it keeps you connected to game design.

Board game design communities are overwhelmingly composed of level-headed and intelligent men in their 30's.

Fans

If you're a published designer, you have access to the ultimate source of playtesters: your game's fan base.

I needed playtesters, so I posted a request on the Radlands forums. I ended up getting more playtesters than I'll ever need. As of 2025, I'm cycling through about 15 different people, each with their own perspectives and strengths.

Fans will be excited to be given the honour of helping you, the great designer of their favourite game, and you don't have to playtest their game in return.