Running an Effective Closed Beta Test for Your Game

Running an effective closed beta test is crucial to ensuring smooth and user-friendly game releases. It provides game developers with valuable feedback that helps improve gameplay and game quality while addressing design flaws. By involving a select group of game QA and testing professionals, developers can unearth problems that might otherwise go undetected. This ensures an enjoyable and polished gaming experience upon release. This article explores key strategies for executing a successful closed beta test to optimize your game’s quality. But before that, let’s start with some basics.

What is Closed Beta Testing?

Closed beta testing comes after alpha testing. This stage is often split into several short-focus sessions known as stress tests. However, in some instances, it is executed in one longer session. The time committed to this testing phase may vary depending on the developer’s requirements.
As the name suggests, closed beta testing is designed to be “closed” from the public. Therefore, you must register and approve the testers before they can download the game for testing purposes. Like in alpha testing, the number of testers is limited. Since closed beta testing isn’t open to the public, developers often “wipe” the servers after this testing stage is over. This implies that character information and game progression details are permanently removed and reset. Usually, closed beta testers are compensated with unique rewards for their efforts to test the game.

7 Strategies to Consider to Run an Effective Closed Beta Test

Here are several key strategies to consider when running closed beta tests to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the exercise:

1. Create Clear Goals and Objectives

Any closed beta test should start with defining clear goals and objectives. Ask questions like, “What do you want to achieve with closed beta test?” These goals and objectives guide the closed testing process while helping focus feedback on aspects that need improvement. Simply put, clearly defined goals help closed beta testers understand the focus areas. The outcome? Actionable insights and more targeted feedback from the closed beta testing exercise.

For example, you can create several objectives like evaluation, communication, and understanding. For evaluation, outline the areas of the game that testers should evaluate, such as user interface (UI), gameplay, game level design, and mechanics, to mention a few. In terms of communication, clearly communicate to the selected beta testers about your goals and objectives. Also, ensure the closed beta testers understand the most valuable feedback. This way, the selected group of testers can offer tailored testing feedback and insights that address your goals.

2. Pull Testers from Diverse Groups

Diversity is crucial when it comes to selecting the group of testers to engage in close beta testing. It helps avoid repetitive feedback or missing out on key feedback. Choosing a diverse pool of testers ensures they bring a wide range of experiences and perspectives into the testing process. This helps identify issues that may impact various player demographics.

When selecting testers for closed beta testing, consider the following criteria:

• Playstyles. Find testers with varying playstyles, such as exploratory, competitive, and casual. Doing so will help bring diverse perspectives into the game testing process. Also, it helps assess how different players interact with your game.
• Gaming experience. Seek testers with varying experience levels, from newcomers to experts in the genre. This helps identify basic to complex issues that may affect the overall gameplay.
• Demographics. Target diversity in gender, geographic location, age, and other relevant demographics. This will help identify and address gaming issues affecting varying groups of gamers.

3. Offer Comprehensive Instructions

Closed beta testing is crucial to ensuring seamless gameplay. Therefore, providing detailed instructions is essential to guiding the selected beta testers through the testing process. Also, it ensures their feedback is actionable and comprehensive, as they follow the given instructions.

Give detailed instructions about how beta testers can access your game, report bugs, and provide feedback.

4. Monitor and Analyze Feedback

Monitoring and analyzing beta testers’ feedback is crucial in identifying common issues and prioritizing key improvements. Regularly check the tester’s feedback for new updates and submissions. This way, you can prioritize the reported issues based on their frequency, impact, and severity. Also, identify common trends and themes in the feedback provided by testers. This ensures you address the widespread issues thoroughly and more efficiently.

5. Engage With the Testers

Testing is a comprehensive and complex process that requires collaborative efforts. Engaging with your closed beta testing team creates a collaborative environment for testing your game. Therefore, consider maintaining open communication channels with your testers through live streams, emails, or forums, and encourage everyone to participate actively.

Acknowledge your testers’ efforts and contributions and express gratitude for their invaluable feedback and time. Also, host Q&A sessions with your testers to address any concerns or questions raised. This helps foster a positive relationship.

6. Test Iteratively

Iterative testing is crucial as it helps implement changes based on the testers’ feedback. Also, it helps monitor how the changes made affect the gameplay mechanics. Continually test and iterate on gameplay, progression systems, and difficulty levels. This way, you can ensure the game delivers optimal balance, performance, and satisfaction.

7. Honor Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)

If necessary, put a requirement for the selected testers to sign NDAs to protect sensitive information about your game. Clearly highlight the terms and conditions of the NDA, including what data is confidential and the repercussions of violating the NDA. Respecting the NDA instills professionalism and trust, ensuring confidential information remains secure.

Wrapping Up

Closed beta testing is a crucial process in game development. It provides developers with vital insights to finetune and enhance their games. However, you must consider several best practices to ensure successful closed beta testing. These practices include outlining clear goals and objectives, offering detailed instructions, tracking and analyzing feedback, engaging with testers, and respecting NDAs. By considering these strategies, you can easily navigate the challenges of running closed beta tests, enhancing the overall quality and efficiency of the final product. If you struggle to implement these practices, consider engaging a professional in the industry to help you run an effective closed beta test campaign.

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