"Monetization Isn't King: Your First 10 Playtesters Are"

Monetization Isn’t King: Your First 10 Playtesters Are

The biggest mistake I see new indie devs make isn’t a coding error or a bad art style.

It’s obsessing over monetization before they even have a game worth monetizing.

We’re all dreaming of that sweet, sweet revenue, but trust me: chasing the dragon of income prematurely is a recipe for disaster.

Forget the Spreadsheet, Grab a Controller

Stop fiddling with in-app purchase prices.

Close that article on loot box mechanics.

Your priority right now isn’t figuring out how to squeeze every last penny from your players.

It’s finding out if your game is even fun to play.

And the fastest, most reliable way to determine that is through playtesting.

Specifically, getting your game into the hands of your first 10 playtesters.

Why Just 10?

You don’t need hundreds of playtesters at this stage.

10 is enough to identify core issues and initial reactions without getting bogged down in overwhelming amounts of feedback.

It’s about quality, not quantity.

These first 10 people will give you critical, foundational information.

They’ll reveal the parts of your game that are confusing, frustrating, or just plain boring.

Finding Your First Playtesters

Don’t just ask your mom.

While she might be supportive, she’s probably not the most objective critic.

Look for people who genuinely enjoy the genre of game you’re making.

Online forums, Discord servers, and local game dev communities are great places to start.

Be upfront about what you’re looking for: honest, critical feedback.

Offer incentives, like early access or credit in the game, but don’t pay them.

Paid playtesting is a different beast and usually comes much later in development.

Preparing for Playtesting

Don’t just throw your game at them and hope for the best.

Give your playtesters a clear objective.

What do you want them to focus on?

Is it the core gameplay loop?

The tutorial?

A specific level?

Prepare a short questionnaire or feedback form to guide their experience.

Ask open-ended questions, like “What did you enjoy the most?” and “What did you find frustrating?”

Avoid leading questions that might bias their responses.

Common Playtesting Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)

One common mistake is taking feedback personally.

Remember, you’re not your game.

Their criticisms are about the game, not about you as a person.

Another pitfall is arguing with your playtesters.

Don’t try to explain away their issues.

Listen to them, acknowledge their concerns, and ask clarifying questions.

Resist the urge to immediately defend your design choices.

Another big one is ignoring negative feedback.

It’s tempting to focus on the positive comments and dismiss the negative ones.

But the negative feedback is often the most valuable.

It highlights the areas where your game needs the most work.

Finally, don’t just fix the symptoms, address the root cause.

If a playtester complains that a level is too difficult, don’t just nerf the enemies.

Figure out why the level is too difficult.

Is the level design confusing?

Are the controls unintuitive?

Is the difficulty curve too steep?

Iterating Based on Feedback

After each playtesting session, take some time to analyze the feedback.

Look for patterns and common themes.

Prioritize the issues that are mentioned by multiple playtesters.

Make a list of changes you need to make to the game.

Implement those changes and then test them again.

This iterative process is the key to creating a fun and engaging game.

Don’t be afraid to make major changes to your design based on feedback.

Sometimes, the best ideas come from unexpected places.

I once had a playtester suggest a completely different control scheme for my game.

At first, I was hesitant to try it.

But after experimenting with it, I realized that it was a huge improvement over the original controls.

The game became much more intuitive and fun to play.

Monetization Can Wait

Once you’ve iterated on your game based on playtester feedback and are confident that it’s fun and engaging, then you can start thinking about monetization.

But not before.

Focusing on monetization too early is like putting the cart before the horse.

You need a good game first.

Without a solid foundation, no amount of monetization trickery will save your game.

Remember, your first 10 playtesters are more valuable than any monetization strategy.

They’re the key to unlocking the potential of your game and turning it into something truly special.

So, stop worrying about the money and start focusing on the fun.

Your game, and your future players, will thank you for it.