Reach Your Next Milestone with Confidence
Our signature milestone playtest for publishers and developers of PC/Console games
A personally led service from Steve Bromley, bringing publishers and developers together around clear player evidence and practical priorities.
Discover what’s working, understand what needs attention, and agree where to focus before your next major development decision.
“an essential part of plotting our course towards launch” – Alex Bonnett, SEGA
Experience across leading game studios and publishers
Bringing together in-house research experience at PlayStation and independent playtesting for studios and publishers.
Player evidence for confident prioritisation
An approaching milestone brings difficult questions. Is the core experience working? Do players understand what makes the game enjoyable? Which problems need attention before the next demo, review or release?
We help you answer those questions with evidence from your genuine audience, giving publishers and developers a shared basis for deciding what happens next.
Our milestone playtests are purpose built to address your most critical decisions:
- You need to assess whether a prototype or vertical slice delivers the intended experience.
- You’re approaching an alpha or beta review and need to identify the most important player problems.
- You have a public demo or launch ahead and want time to address barriers to understanding and enjoyment.
- Existing feedback is conflicting, or you need to understand whether recent changes have improved the experience
What your team receives
Live observation and daily debriefs
Watch your intended players experience the game and discuss emerging findings at the end of each testing day. See first-hand what’s working, where players struggle and why it matters for your milestone.
Key findings within 24 hours
Receive a top-line report within 24 hours of the study ending, highlighting the most important findings to inform your upcoming development and publishing decisions.
A full report focused on what matters
Get a clear assessment of the player experience, supported by evidence and organised around your research questions. We distinguish known limitations from new discoveries and explain the implications for your game, in a report ready to share with your team and stakeholders.
An optional workshop to agree next steps
Bring publishing and development leads together to turn findings into priorities. We help your team weigh player impact against development effort, creative goals and existing commitments, so you can agree where to focus next.
Planned around your production schedule
Each study covers the complete playtest process – including scoping, recruitment, moderation, playtest labs, reporting and a debrief workshop.
Together we will:
1. Agree what the milestone needs to tell you
We work with the relevant publishing and development leads to establish the decisions, research questions and intended audience. We also agree what is unfinished, what is already known and what can still change.
2. Choose a realistic testing window
Together, we establish the build requirements and schedule. Where findings need to inform a milestone review or public release, we work backwards to allow time for analysis, discussion and changes.
3. Observe your target audience
We use careful screening & validation to recruit players whose gaming experience matches your genuine audience and run the study in a secure playtest lab or remotely, according to your practical requirements. Your team can observe the sessions live in-person or streamed remotely.
4. Decide what follows
You receive a clear report to support publisher & developer alignment on the state of your game. We help your team identify priorities, questions that remain open and changes worth checking in a future test.
High Impact Playtests For Studios & Publishers
An essential part of plotting our course towards launch
SEGA Europe have partnered with Steve on a number of different projects where our core questions have centred on getting a deep understanding of player experience and expectation. Despite the variety in genre and audiences, Steve brings a level of expertise across all projects that is invaluable.
These in-lab playtests are an essential part of plotting our course towards launch, and Steve’s synthesis of insights along with his presentation within workshop-style debriefs have led to an actionable output for our studio teams to move forward with
validate key features before moving into production
I’ve done several multi-seat tests with Steve over the years, across different types of projects, from PlayStation to CI Games, and they have invariably produced very useful results.
A key ingredient, in my opinion, is Steve’s willingness to dig into the project and understand the game’s direction and needs, extracting key insights from the players. This was even more valuable in the earlier stages of development, when those insights allowed us to uncover issues that would likely have surfaced later down the line, as well as validate key features before moving into production.
Vital to us improving our game
I was fortunate enough to be able to work with Steve on our project and he was incredibly professional through two sets of playtests. His approach and engagement from helping us put together the questionnaires to organising the playtests, through conducting them, being on hand for support and hosting the discussions is first class. Between him and Emma, the playtests went smoothly and we got some great information and data back.
It was an absolute joy to watch Steve hosting the post-playtest discussions with players as he is able to work the group, pull on threads, make everyone feel included and get to the core of what each individual was saying. I have never seen someone do this as well as Steve and our team watched in awe as he conducted the room in the most inclusive and attentive way. Everyone felt heard and listened to and even the quietest in the group spoke up under Steve’s encouragement.
The final reports we received were well put together and considered and have been vital to us improving our game. I recommend Steve and Emma to any team looking for playtests and player insights to improve their games.
concrete, actionable findings
Steve clearly understood our goals from the outset, and to gather the most thorough feedback, he recommended a mix of lab and remote playtesters with a targeted recruitment profile. This thorough approach resulted in clear data that validated our assumptions with genuine insights.
Steve skillfully transformed our hypotheses into concrete, actionable findings, which have had a direct impact on both our strategy and the user experience we’re creating. Thank you Steve!
10/10 would do again!
Steve helped us get much better insights into our sales funnel, understanding where potential buyers leave, where we can improve our marketing message and what untapped potential there might be. 10/10 would do again!
fast, actionable insights to help us develop a strategy
When we approached our game’s positioning, we had several gameplay features we could focus on, but we needed to figure out how significant each was to the player. We sat down and discussed the problem with Steve, who devised a plan. The result was a series of in-depth player interviews that delivered fast, actionable insights to help us develop a strategy, putting the most compelling game elements at the centre of our campaign.
external, unbiased viewpoint
We contacted Steve after conducting some playtests, as we wanted a more objective viewpoint on our data that didn’t come with the biases we had after working on the game for so long.
After a quick chat, we sent over all our footage and data to Steve, and he quickly generated a full report which exceeded our expectations in terms of detail and execution time.
Steve was able to provide an external, unbiased viewpoint which was invaluable to us!
Fed directly into the team’s next iterations
Bigger Games have partnered with Steve to run user research on a mobile casual puzzle title, at a point where we needed clear answers about player expectations and how players are experiencing the game. Steve owned the whole process end to end: structuring the research around the questions that mattered to us, ran the test, and brought his experience to interpreting the results.
Rather than a pile of observations, he came with a clear picture of what was working, what wasn’t, and what to do about it with actionable insights, which fed directly into the team’s next iterations. The whole engagement was smooth and low-effort on our side, and we’d happily work with Steve again.
produced strong insights
Steve is an absolute professional. Working with him was a great experience from start to finish.
He brings positive energy to every conversation and delivers real results. The user test he ran for us produced strong insights, and everything was delivered on time with personalized & thoughtful support. As a small team, his responsiveness and efficiency made a huge difference.
I’d confidently recommend working with him, no matter the size of your company.
timely and thorough
We worked with Steve on a playtest for our early beta, and he was incredibly helpful and adaptable to our needs.
The process was timely and thorough, providing us with valuable insights. These insights are now shaping Spellscaper according to our players’ needs and desires.
We highly recommend Steve’s expertise in user research to anyone looking to improve their product.
an expert in his field
Steve is an expert in his field, and his exceptional manner is very suited to working with a range of clients. I don’t hesitate to recommend him.
the experience was exceptional
We asked Steve Bromley to help playtest and analyze the FTUE of our game to improve it, and the experience was exceptional. Steve’s attention to detail and keen observation skills during the playtest gave us valuable insights into the user experience and what was lacking in the game.
What sets Steve apart is not only his expertise but also his clear and insightful communication.
The analysis report we received was comprehensive, highlighting strengths and suggesting actionable improvements. We are very happy and grateful to have worked with him.
Allowed us to move forward with confidence
Steve supported us in conducting research for one of our competitive studies across our portfolio. Working with him has been an absolute pleasure.
He was able to take on most of the work independently, based on the briefs we provided, and was extremely thorough throughout both the study design and execution. His support took a significant load off the team’s shoulders and allowed us to move forward with confidence.
In addition to the excellent work he delivered, we also greatly appreciated the mentoring and perspective he brought to the team. During one of our on-sites, we invited Steve to share his point of view on how the industry has evolved over the many years he has been active in it. Hearing his stories, experiences, and reflections as such a seasoned researcher was highly valuable and very much appreciated by our research team.
We would gladly work with Steve again at any time and highly recommend him.
well-structured, informative, actionable feedback
When Wish Studios created the PlayLink concept for PlayStation, we developed a new gameplay paradigm in which casual players would use mobile phone apps as controllers for console games. Such a radical shift, aimed at a non-technical audience, naturally required in-depth playtesting to ensure we got it right.
Steve’s test team provided the answer, delivering well-structured, informative, actionable feedback for our development team to work with.
practical unbiased tests
I have found Playtesting to become a vital tool in making good development decisions at different times in the project from concept to finishing. It is an additional data point that helps prove out and support ideas and assumptions we have created. It gives me additional information and insight I didn’t have before which is useful both for internal and external discussions around the game.
I worked with Steve on a title where we had many thorny issues that only playtesting could aid us to make headway on.
He has a real clarity of understanding of how to translate your questions and needs into practical unbiased tests and programs to get the understanding you seek.
improved overall quality and player comprehension
We approached Steve in the middle of our dev cycle to validate our controls and difficulty on a platform that we were unfamiliar with.
Working with Steve was incredibly easy and very useful, watching the testing and reading the breakdown gave us great insight into how players were reacting and what they were learning. This led us to make great strives, improving overall quality and player comprehension.
shaped our future roadmap
Steve ran a study for one of our games to understand the impact that usability and accessibility issues were having on our players. Steve’s work was excellent.
He made a huge positive impression with our team and helped shape our future roadmap for game improvements.
Steve’s support throughout the whole project was amazing and we’re looking forward to possible future collaborations
Led by Steve Bromley
Work directly with Steve from the initial brief through to the discussion of next steps.
Steve brings more than 15 years of games user research experience, supporting publishers across the industry. Trusted research, recruitment and lab partners support delivery where needed.
Secure Playtest Labs
We work from secure playtest labs to provide a controlled environment for testing unreleased games, with screened participants, NDAs and security measures to help protect your work.
We support both one-to-one sessions for a detailed understanding of individual player experiences and multi-seat tests to understand the experience of larger groups of players at once, including multiplayer sessions.
Your team can watch live, see where players struggle or succeed, and build a shared understanding of what needs attention.
Creativity First
Milestone playtests are built around your team’s creative vision – we will identify gaps where players aren’t experiencing the game as you intended, but you are still in control of deciding how to act on them.
Experienced researchers conduct the sessions and analyse the findings, interpreting player behaviour in the context of your game, creative goals and known build limitations. We do not upload your game builds, session recordings or player data to generative AI tools, to help keep your data secure (and avoid shallow conclusions!)
Questions about milestone testing
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Does the build need to be finished?
No. It needs to support the questions we agree to investigate. We review build requirements and known limitations with you before testing, so we can distinguish unfinished content from areas relevant to the decisions your team needs to make
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Where do you run these tests?
Many teams prefer the safety of a secure playtest lab, and we work with labs in London, the US and China to ensure the build is kept safe.
We also support remote playtesting when this aligns with your milestone needs.
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What if we have very little time to make changes?
We scope the research around decisions you can still make. During planning, we uncover both the testing window and the time needed to act on the results. If the timing or build cannot support your question, we’ll discuss a more useful scope.
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Will this create another long list of tasks?
The milestone playtest is custom designed to help you cut through the noise, and prioritise what is important to act on.
Our action workshop helps your team weigh the findings against your existing priorities and capacity.
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Is this for publishers or developers?
The best studies happen when both developers and publishers work together on these tests. Agreeing the objectives and intended audience together helps both sides understand what the study will establish. Shared observation and discussion give everyone access to the player data behind the findings and helps both sides make decisions from the same evidence
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Will players dictate the design?
Your team retains ownership of the creative direction. Research & playtesting helps you understand whether players experience the game as intended and where obstacles get in the way – but you still need to decide how to act on this.
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How much does it cost?
Study costs vary based on the length of content, and number of players.
After an initial chat we provide a scoped quote based on your questions, recruitment needs and study format.
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How far ahead should we book?
We typically book studies 6 – 8 weeks ahead. Contact us early to plan around your milestone, or ask about availability if you need a study sooner.
We understand game development is chaotic, and we offer teams the chance to cancel up to two weeks before the test begins.
Why publishers and studios choose us
Expert-led throughout
Your study is led from brief to action by Steve Bromley, bringing 15+ years of games user research experience to every stage.
Understanding your vision
Learn things you didn’t already know – We’ll work with you to understand your vision and your most critical development decisions.
Your genuine players
Our participants are double-screened by phone to validate their experience and that they genuinely match your players
Confidential and controlled
Our secure playtest lab, screened participants and NDAs are a safe space to test unannounced projects.
Flexible when plans change
Builds slip. Priorities move. We don’t lock you into an upfront subscription or long-term commitment, and our late cancellation policy gives you more room to adapt.
Watch players live
Live stream sessions, or watch live in our London based labs and observation rooms
Immediate results
Game development doesn’t stop. We debrief at the end of each day, and send a top-line report 24 hours after the study ends.
Full reporting
A comprehensive user research report, suitable for sharing with your wider team and stakeholders.
Leading to action
Reports are too easy to ignore. We end each study with an action workshop, to help you decide how to move forward.
Have a milestone coming up?
Tell Steve what you’re building, when your next milestone falls and what decisions your team is making.
We’ll discuss whether a playtest would be useful, what it would involve and how it could fit your schedule.