How to run a remote playtest
2 min read
By Eduardo Orellana ·
A remote playtest needs four things: a build testers can get and run easily (a link, a Steam Playtest, an itch.io page); a way to see what they did, either screen and voice recording or telemetry such as crashes, deaths and play time; a short feedback form; and, for a few sessions, a video call where you watch them play live. Unmoderated tests scale; moderated ones teach the most.
You lose the room, so capture what the room showed you
In person you see a player's face when they get lost. Remotely you see nothing unless you plan for it. Every remote playtest method is a substitute for being in the room: a recording, a log, or a call.
The parts
- Delivery: one link or key; testers should not have to configure anything.
- Observation: screen and voice recording with consent, or in-game telemetry (where players died, quit, got stuck, how long they played, crashes).
- Feedback: a short form after the session.
- Live sessions: two or three video calls per round, the tester sharing their screen, you silent.
Moderated or unmoderated
Moderated (you watch live) finds why players struggle; unmoderated (they play alone, you read logs and forms) finds how many do. Use both: a few watched sessions to understand, a wider unmoderated round to measure.
Where Flockbay fits
Flockbay's playtest links do the delivery and the observation: testers install the free Flockbay Playtest app (Windows, or Apple silicon Macs on macOS 15 or later), play your build sandboxed, and errors, crashes, frame times, play time, hardware and input by action come back to you, with a clip, session recording or voice when the tester allows it (Windows). F7 files a bug report. Playtest links are free in beta until 1 December 2026.