FirstLook has announced a new partnership with Team17, which will see the publisher adopt FirstLook as its exclusive playtesting platform across its portfolio of titles.
Founded in 1990, Team17 has grown into one of the most respected publishers in the industry, with a catalogue spanning globally recognized titles like Worms, Overcooked, The Escapists, Dredge, Golf With Your Friends, and Hell Let Loose.
“We’ve got a wide portfolio and a lot of passionate player communities, and keeping up with what those players actually want is something we take very seriously,” said Team17 senior brand marketing manager Phil Boylan in a press release. “FirstLook lets us do that in one place, across lots of titles, instead of cobbling things together.” said Phil Boylan, Senior Brand Marketing Manager of Team17, in a press release.”
Through its partnership with Team17, FirstLook, which describes itself as a player relationship platform, will support the publisher’s playtesting and player feedback programs across its portfolio. The goal is to help Team17 to gather structured player insight, refine gameplay experiences, and make more informed decisions throughout development and beyond launch.
“Team17 has built a reputation for creating games with strong, lasting communities, and that comes from really understanding their players. We’re excited to support a team that takes that approach seriously,” said FirstLook CEO Eden Chen in a press release.
Team17 and FirstLook’s partnership will extend to upcoming titles including Hell Let Loose: Vietnam, which recently opened PC playtest signups following its reveal at the Galaxies Showcase. FirstLook will support these playtesting efforts as development continues.
As studios increasingly look to build closer, more direct relationships with their players, many still rely on fragmented tools and disconnected feedback channels. By adopting a more unified approach to playtesting and player insight, Team17 will be able to better understand what players want from its games, and continue improving the player experience throughout the lifecycle.
“Across the industry, we’re seeing more studios putting an emphasis on listening to players earlier and more consistently, and using that insight to guide how games are developed and supported long-term. Team17 is a shining example of how to do it right,” Chen said in the press release.
Team17 is the latest game maker to join FirstLook’s expanding list of studio and publisher partners. The company continues to support over 200 studios ranging from indie to triple-A developers, providing tools to manage playtests, gather feedback, and build stronger relationships between developers and players before, during and after launch.
“With Hell Let Loose: Vietnam on the way, having a proper playtesting setup from the start is exactly what the team needs,” Boylan said in the press release. “We’re glad to have a partner that gets how games are actually built.”