Steam Playtest lets devs easily invite players to test their games Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Steam Playtest lets devs easily invite players to test their games In-line. News by Wesley Yin-Poole Deputy Editorial Director Updated on 5 Nov 2020 4 comments Valve has added a new Steam Playtest feature that lets developers easily invite players to test their games. It means developers no longer have to bother with managing keys or external mailing lists, Valve said in an announcement on Steam. They control how many players get access, when they want to add more players, when to open testing and when to end it. Existing tools such as demos and release-override beta Steam keys, which are already in use, will remain. Steam Playtest is an option in addition to these. Watch on YouTube What happens to your Steam account when you die? - Here's A Thing From they players' point of view, all they have to do is click the button to sign up, and they go into a queue. Developers can then see all those signups on the backend and let in as many as they want. Here's how it looks for Creative Assembly's upcoming strategy card game Total War: Elysium: Steam Playtest is currently in beta, and developers can make use of it while Valve works on a full release. It's free for developers and players. "It doesn't support commerce or monetisation, and is not a replacement for Steam Early Access," Valve stressed. "You could even use Steam Playtest prior to, or alongside, Early Access." Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 3 Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 10 Latest Articles Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 59 Modder dives into Demon's Souls files following PS5 jailbreak, discovers fabled Ring of the Chieftain Who knows what's nexus? 3 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store