Best Effort Playtests
When we give it our best shot…
Playtesting is an essential process in the development of any game. It helps game studios identify and address issues in their games before launch, ensuring that the final product is as polished and enjoyable as possible. At PlaytestCloud, we offer a range of playtesting services to game studios to help them achieve this goal. We often have a saying “if you can dream up a test we can find a way to create it” that's why we even have a custom playtest request form on our website - for those unusual playtests.
However, sometimes a game studio may have specific testing needs that cannot be fulfilled entirely. Especially when it comes to very unique and specific custom targeting requirements a studio might request. Just when we think we have heard them all, we are sometimes quite surprised by what target audience a game studio might bring to us. And although we have a player panel of over one million players. In some cases we might be left with no other option than to offer to you what we call a best effort playtest.
What is a best effort playtest?
A best effort playtest is a type of playtest we run when we anticipate that we won’t be able to get the number of players requested by a game studio. In these cases, we offer to publish as many good videos as we can, but it might not be as many as you requested. There are several reasons why we might run a best effort playtest. For example, we may not have enough players that meet the game studio’s needs, or the playtest setup may be complicated and make it difficult to find suitable players. The game studio may also be unable to modify their target audience or playtest setup.
When running a best effort playtest, game studios should expect the following:
- The playtest will almost certainly take longer than our standard 24-48 hours.
- We will most likely deliver fewer results than were requested.
- There will be no replacements available for players who drop out of or fail to complete a mult-isession or longitudinal playtest.
It's important to note that while a best effort playtest may not deliver the exact results you as a game studio might be looking for. However, it can still provide valuable feedback and insights. Our team at PlaytestCloud will do everything we can to ensure that the playtest is as effective as possible, given the specific circumstances.
You will never need to ask for a best effort playtest – they are either started by our team automatically or offered by us if you place an order with a special request that might not be possible.
To wrap things up, we know that playtesting is a crucial aspect of mobile game development that provides valuable insights and feedback for game studios. That's why we are willing to work with you to fulfill any custom target audience you may come to us with. And while a best effort playtest may not provide the exact results a game studio desires, it still provides some important feedback pieces that can help improve the game. At PlaytestCloud, we are committed to helping game studios create the best possible games, and we're always willing to go the extra mile to meet their needs.