Rob Harris

A picture of a number of people sat at tables in a board game cafe, playing board game prototypes.

We had one of our busiest playtesting sessions last night at The Ludoquist in South London, with three full tables playing ten different game designs!

These are the games I played 👇🏻

@playtestuk.bsky.social 🎲✂️

Grab Bag Jungle THE GAME Embark on a thrilling jungle adventure with friends and family in this immersive animal rescue game!   Together, you'll race against the clock to save jungle animals by reaching into the Grab...

Woohoo! The game I co-designed with @mikeharrisonwood.bsky.social is now officially released. You can get it from the publisher's website, or a small but growing number of other places. Here we go...! 😁
gibsonsgames.co.uk/collections/...

A picture of Playfest London 2024, a hall filled with board game designers and players sat at tables playing games. The text reads 'Playfest London '25, registration now open!'.

Tickets for Playfest London are now available! Featuring all-day playtesting, a games raffle, and a special guest talk, this is the perfect opportunity to test your designs and play upcoming games.

Find out more and register here: www.minervatabletop.co.uk/playfest

🎲✂️ #BoardGameDesign

Made it today to the @playtestuk.bsky.social Meetup in #Leeds

Very happy to have to go to the table something terrible I made last night that feels like half an idea. Very happy we that these group exist and we induldge each by playing games in literally any state of development.

@timclare.bsky.social, @ava.foxfort.net and I are embarking on a new audio endeavour. Send us all your tabletop gaming related questions. We want to hear about your dilemmas, historical mysteries, and anything else you can think of. I can be reached here or below

giantbrain.co.uk/our-work-rev...

Getting In The Zone Volunteering at the Playtest Zone at UK Games Expo is always a privilege and a pleasure (if one that completely wipes me out, both physicall...

Following up on UK Games Expo nearly a couple of months back, I had some thoughts on conversations I had with new game designers wanting advice on how to proceed, so here is a blog post about that. 🎲✂️
firsttakesomedice.blogspot.com/2025/07/gett...

Thebes Become an archaeologist as you study ancient cultures, go digging, and exhibit.

Here are a couple of cool archeology family board games:
Thebes (boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30...) and Luxor (boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/24...)

Playtesters try a new game design themed on a pub crawl night out.

Great Playtest UK session at the Sunday meetup yesterday. We played a murder mystery party game prototype and then a thematic pub crawl board game prototype. Lots of potential for both designs.

Playtest Zone @ North East Tabletop Expo, Fri, Jul 11, 2025, 12:00 PM | Meetup Playtesting returns to Gateshead from the 11th to 13th of July this year! Showcase your tabletop game in our dedicated Playtest Zone at the North East Tabletop Expo where e

There are still spaces available for designers to playtest their prototypes at the Playtest Zone @ North East Tabletop Expo 11th-13th July. Details on how to sign up here: meetu.ps/e/P2RDN/1w7T...

This is where I plug the Horizon Fellowship program: if you're a newly established retailer or publisher in the BG industry, check out the program and see if it might make sense to apply. Applications open until July 31st! www.gama.org/Horizons

Another useful playtest today of Dwarf Union: the first public playtest with four players. Militant faction needs more fun choices, but I'm happy with the direction the Ruler has taken - feels a much fuller experience. Players began negotiating above the table almost immediately which was a joy ☺️ 🎲✂️

A game prototype being played by four smiling playtesters

A small space themed prototype in the middle of a playtest.

Three playtesters enjoying a game prototype with a pirate theme.

A game design prototype with lovely components with two playtesters and the designer.

Great turnout for the London weekend Playtest meetup last
Sunday. 3 full tables of prototypes across 3+ sessions. From pandas to pirate mutinies to the Zodiac to epic snail adventures. The creativity is always astounding. Search out your local friendly Playtest meetup here: www.meetup.com/Playtest

Lots of people playing games in a big hall

At #UKGamesExpo with @playtestuk.bsky.social and the Playtest Zone is getting good and busy.

I'll be there playtesting on Friday morning at 10am!

No worries. We always have some drop-in sessions left that you can’t prebook. Come to the Playtest Zone and we’ll try and find you a space.

Playtest Zone 2025 Schedule

Playtest UK is running the Playtest Zone @ the UK Games Expo 2025 next weekend: Friday 30th May-Sunday 1st June.
169 designers are signed up to playtest their prototypes, with more drop-in spaces available on the day.
Here is the schedule:
tinyurl.com/2umhtv55

Looking forward to UKGE next weekend. Have a 3 hour playtest session booked in the afternoon at @playtestuk.bsky.social Will be there on Saturday. Drop by to try Domino City and maybe a couple other games!

Poster with details for Playtest UK Bristol: Friday 23rd May, Excelsior!, 51-53 Merchant Street, Bristol, BS1 3EE, 10:30-16:30

The next Bristol Friday daytime playtesting event will be on 23rd May. Please sign up if you're interested!

@playtestuk.bsky.social

www.meetup.com/playtest/eve...

Bristol Daytime Playtest meetup, Fri, Apr 25, 2025, 10:30 AM | Meetup If you're working on a game, whether it's an early idea or almost done, we want you! Board games, card games, puzzle games, silly or serious, short or long, any kind of gam

The next Bristol daytime playtest meetup is on 25 April at Excelsior! Please see the Meetup page for more information and sign up for a slot if you're coming.

@playtestuk.bsky.social

www.meetup.com/playtest/eve...

London Playtest weekend meetup, Sun, Mar 16, 2025, 1:00 PM | Meetup If you've designed a game, bring it along and give it a play or just enjoy playing other people's prototypes in a friendly and constructive atmosphere. If you would like t

Game designers & playtesters please join us this Sunday at The Jugged Hare pub in Vauxhall for the London Playtest UK weekend meetup. First-timers welcome. We’re a friendly bunch.
meetu.ps/e/NNBcb/1w7T...

Yesterday was the #Leeds @playtestuk.bsky.social Meetup.

I don’t seem to had time to work on anything recently. How do people manage to find time to do everything they want to do!

We always love playtesting!
It's one of the most valuable things we do to make sure all new aspects of our game development work 😵‍💫

Join us 21st February for a Playtest UK event at LHG Brewpub, Bristol.

Dm us to sign up!

#boardgame #boardgamedevelopers #playtest #bristolboardgaming #bristol

Images of nominees from FIJ As d'Or press release. Daybreak, Kutna Hora, and Sankoré: The Pride of Mansa Musa are the 3 games shown.

What a pleasant surprise and honour to see Sankoré nominated for a Cannes As D'Or.

Seems we did well @flopiano.bsky.social @ospreygames.bsky.social @ianotoole.bsky.social and SuperMeeple for the VF.

Anyone interested in boardgame design? In Sheffield UK today? The local Sheffield branch of PlaytestUk have our monthly meet up today (Saturday 18th January) at noon at Patriot Games, organised by Tom Coldron. Come along just to play or bring your test prototype. @playtestuk.bsky.social #boardgames

Jams and Playtesting A couple of weekends back, I was lucky to be invited to a board game designers' weekend. It was just a small event, held in a private house,...

Earlier this month I was at a weekend board game design meetup and had a great, though exhausting time. Really great exercise doing some high speed game jams as part of it. 🎲✂️

…of a meetup before you attend to see how it could work. (3/3)

… and (usually) 2-3 playtesters to a designer to use how they want. You would have to be present to explain and provide all the necessary equipment. And also to playtest for other designers. Depending on your game we could tweak the format to suit. I would recommend contacting the organiser (2/n)

Hello. Random questions always welcome. It would depend on each group organiser, as we mostly deal in card/board games. I run the monthly London third Sunday meet-ups and you would be welcome. We have had a few video/VR games in the past. Our group works by allocating 60-90 mins (1/n)

I had a great day out at the Subbuteo Football World Cup in Tunbridge Wells in September. Amazing level of skill.

Thanks everyone for a really enjoyable day. Great to meet some new people and play some cool prototypes.