Steam is adding a playtest button to its store

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Steam is adding a playtest button to its storeA beta test for beta testing

A beta test for beta testing

Looks like Valve are rolling out a way to play games in beta, or a purpose-built way to do so at any rate. A new button for requesting access to a playtest has appeared over on the store page for theHearthstone-looking card gameTotal War: Elysium. It appears to be the first so far, though more may follow.

Valve shipped play tests on the Steam Store. Anyone can request access to the play test.They also added new app type “beta” in app info.https://t.co/dsDy7ujqGIpic.twitter.com/pTLV8AkzWT— xPaw (@thexpaw)July 24, 2020To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings

Valve shipped play tests on the Steam Store. Anyone can request access to the play test.They also added new app type “beta” in app info.https://t.co/dsDy7ujqGIpic.twitter.com/pTLV8AkzWT

Playtest builds have been added as a new application type for Steam, according to xPaw. In addition to being a game or demo or DLC, it sounds like developers will now be able to mark store items as a “beta”. Don’t you start in on the Early Access jokes now.

So far, the button has only been spotted on the store page for Total War: Elysium. It doesn’t look like Valve have dropped an official line on the addition, so it’s not clear exactly how the system will work for players or developers.

I’ve requested access to Total War: Elysium just to see what happens, but it looks like xPaw has gotten aproper invitealready.

Valve have been adding all sorts of tweaks and features to their storefront via the Steam Labs experiments they’ve been cooking up. Most recently theyadded community recommendations to the front pageand nowrecommend which game you should play nextfrom your library. Interestingly, they didn’t make mention of the playtest button in their bigblog postabout the first year and future features for Steam Labs.