Beachhead’s Playtest Zone is where designers get to push their games to the limit—and where you get to be a part of something really exciting. Playtesters are the secret ingredient that can help turn a game into an award-winning masterpiece!

Never tried playtesting before? No problem! Our friendly team is here to guide you through the process and make sure you have a blast while doing it. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just curious about how games are made, you’ll find something fun to dive into.

Afterward, share your thoughts with the designer—your feedback could make all the difference! And if you’re really enjoying the game, you can stay connected and watch it grow as it evolves. Who knows? You might just help shape the next big hit!

Here are the games you can playtest this weekend:

Big AdventureA rules-light storytelling game in which players send their characters on epic quests of their own design! Use a picture card as your cue to create a problem for your character. The other players will then use picture cards to help solve it. Imagine Dixit meets Cards Against Humanity, but with more arguments.

The MarinerInspired by the rime of the ancient mariner, players play as the aforementioned mariner during his 7 day curse. Gain the most favour in order to escape the curse, in this part roll and write adventure.

WUAT'S This? A Wonderfully Unexpected & Terribly Small RPG A play anything/everywhere diceless RPG where you always succeed at doing a thing but something wonderful, unexpected or terrible also occurs when you do the thing.

Pitch Battles Put yourself in the shoes of an under-pressure football manager from yesteryear taking on your rivals in a full-blooded local derby

Trouble on the TempusPlayers work together to form the crew of the first time travelling deep space exploration ship as their first mission goes horribly wrong and the ship starts to explode around them. Fortunately the players have a secret weapon, they have reconfigured the ship's time machine to perform localised time jumps, transporting the crew backwards through the game before the disasters get too much for them.

Kill Stealer Players drop onto the map at random, with no items and must search chests to find weapons, med boosts and building materials. Using whatever weapons they find to attack their opponents. Players can build structures to gain tactical advantages and upgrade their weapons at upgrade machines for maximum damage – it’s a fun, fast paced, easy to learn game for all the family.

How does it work?

Designers book in advance to demo a game prototype on either the Saturday or Sunday, during trade hall hours. Once set up, attendees at the expo are free to visit the Zone and see what games they might enjoy, assisted by the Playtest UK volunteers. If they sit down to play a game, the attendees will give the designer feedback and then possibly stay connected to the project as it develops.

What do designers need to do?

Email Richard on olympusmaster@outlook.com if you are interested in demoing or would like more information. Be prepared to supply details and maybe photos for social media posts ahead of the event. Then spread the word amongst your friends and gaming groups - the more the merrier! A designer gets a free ticket Beachhead Tabletop Games Expo ticket and is guaranteed a table for at least half, and often all, of the day.

What do playtesters need to do?

Keep an eye on social media for updates about the games at the zone. Buy your ticket for Beachhead as normal, then pop over to say hi when the doors open. Feel free to play, watch and discuss as much as you want during the expo.