Two ways communities handle playtest calls
Most designer communities use one of two patterns.
Async link-drop: You post a recruitment message to a group or channel. Interested players click your call link and sign up on their own time. You are not expected to be present when they respond. Facebook groups work this way.
Live session: You show up to a scheduled session alongside other designers. You play each other's games in real time, one at a time. Break My Game and Virtual Playtesting work this way.
Knowing which mode a community uses changes what you post and when.
Recruitment, not marketing
Every community listed here is for playtest recruitment. Posts should describe what you are testing and what kind of testers you need. They are not the place to announce a launch, promote a crowdfunding campaign, or build an audience. Communities enforce this and will remove off-topic posts.
Reciprocity
Some communities make reciprocity a written rule: if you want others to test your game, you must test theirs. Even where it is not written, it is the expected norm. Check each community section below for whether it is required.
Facebook groups
Facebook groups are async link-drop communities. Post your recruitment message, then add your call link as the first comment. Facebook suppresses links posted in the body of a group post, so putting the link in a comment gets better reach. The Promote view generates both the post text and a separate first-comment line for this reason.
Desperately Seeking Playtesters
- Size: about 2,000 members
- Platform: Facebook group
- Sharing mode: async link-drop
- Posting rules: Recruitment posts only. Frame your post as seeking testers, not showcasing your game. Never post Kickstarter or crowdfunding links.
- Link placement: Post the text first, then add your call link as the first comment.
- Reciprocity: Expected. Offer to test another member's game.
- Join the group
Tabletop Game Playtesters Guild
- Size: about 5,700 members
- Platform: Facebook group
- Sharing mode: async link-drop
- Posting rules: Rule 5 bans promotions and marketing. Posts must be genuine playtest recruitment. Give more than you take - the group actively monitors reciprocity.
- Link placement: Same as above - post the text, then add the link as the first comment.
- Reciprocity: Required. The group expects members to test others' games in return for having theirs tested.
- Join the group
Break My Game
- Size: about 6,500 members
- Platform: Discord server plus a companion site
- Sharing mode: live session roster (you post ahead of time, then show up)
- Posting rules: Go to the #Playtest-rules channel and follow the roster format. The roster line includes the game name, platform, player count, and duration. The Promote view generates a roster-formatted line for you; add the scheduled session time to it before posting.
- Best timing: Post your roster line up to a week before your planned session. Last-minute posts get less pickup.
- Reciprocity: Expected. Sign up to test another designer's game.
- Visit Break My Game or join the Discord
Virtual Playtesting
- Size: about 2,300 members
- Platform: Discord live sessions
- Sharing mode: live session (you show up, you bring your game, you rotate through tables)
- How it works: Add your game to the shared session sheet at is.gd/playtesting using the blurb format. Then attend a session. When the host calls your game, share your Playtest Parlor table link in the lobby and run your test.
- Session times: Monday/Thursday at 1pm ET, VPT Wednesday at 2pm ET, and the 2nd/4th Sunday at 10am ET.
- Reciprocity: Required. The written rule is that you give at least as much time to others as you receive. Attending only to get your game tested and then leaving is against the rules.
- Visit Virtual Playtesting