First off, thank you.
After the December playtest, the amount of excitement, feedback, and questions we received honestly meant a lot to the team. One question keeps coming up more than any other:
“How do Enginefall playtests actually work?”
Rather than one always-on test, we run a few different types of playtests. Each one exists for a specific reason, and each one plays a different role in shaping the game.
Here’s how they work.
Open Playtests
What this feels like: This is Enginefall’s front door, open to all
Open playtests are when we invite everyone who’s requested access on Steam to jump in and experience the game with friends.
Why we run them:
To give new players their first Enginefall experience & importantly study first time player feedback
To see how the game feels at scale
To learn what works, what doesn’t, and what might still be confusing
These builds are the most polished versions we can make at that point in development. They’re not perfect, but they’re the versions we feel comfortable introducing to new players.
Who can join:
Anyone who has requested playtest access on Steam
No Discord requirements
Ideal for first-time players and groups of friends
Next Open Playtest:
To be announced soon so make sure you have wishlisted and followed us on Steam to get notified.
Closed Weekend Playtests
What this feels like: A step behind the curtain.
Closed weekend playtests are smaller tests for players who already have access. These are where we start pushing changes before they’re fully smoothed out.
Why we run them:
To test new systems early
To get feedback even when things are rough
To let returning players compare changes between builds
These versions can be buggy, unbalanced, or incomplete and that’s part of the deal. They help us move faster without surprising new players with half-finished ideas.
Who can join:
Players who already have Enginefall playtest access
Dates are usually shared through Discord
They happen roughly every few weeks, depending on what we’re working on Next Closed Playtest: Friday, January 30th 11:00 UTC - Monday, February 2nd 07:00 UTC
Friday Tests & Playground Servers
What this feels like: Early. Messy. Experimental.
These are our most raw testing environments, including:
Friday morning (GMT) dev playtests
Always-on Playground servers
Why we run them:
To try out ideas that are very early
To experiment without safety nets
To get fast feedback from players who know the game well
Things will break here. Sometimes badly. These tests exist so problems show up early, not later.
Who can join:
Available to dedicated Discord members who:
Reach Level 15 in the Enginefall Discord or have played 25hrs of Enginefall (super-testers)
Link their Steam account and accept our bot DM
Join one of the Super-Tester “Cults”
This is for players who already love Enginefall and want to help shape it at the roughest stages.
All of these playtests matter.
Together, they let us build Enginefall with the community, not just in front of it.
Want to know more?
We talk more about why we don’t leave playtests open all the time, and what we’re trying to protect by testing this way in our Discussions 'Dive Deeper’ post , make sure to check it out!
See you on the train!