Daybreak Insiders FAQ

General

What is Daybreak Insiders?

Daybreak Insiders is a new program run by the User Research team at Daybreak! We're scientists who work at Daybreak to help the developers make improvements to their games and help gather, collate, and distribute feedback from players like you. The Insiders program is built to help our team gather feedback more effectively.

Is this a job?

Nope, this is purely voluntary participation in a feedback gathering program. You may receive gifts in recognition for your participation in certain studies, but these are not payments, are not calculated hourly, are not taxed, and do not represent any binding or legal relationship between you and Daybreak as employer and employee. If you're looking for openings, check out https://www.daybreakgames.com/careers!

Is this QA?

Nope! Our in-house Quality Assurance testers are working to track and squash bugs around the clock, and Daybreak Insiders is totally unrelated to QA. We're looking for feedback on the game's experience and overall look and feel, not bugs.

Signing up

How do I sign up?

Navigate to Daybreakgames.com/Insiders and fill out the form! If you don't have a Daybreak account, you'll need to set one up. Insiders will never use your data for any purpose not related to user research.

How old do I have to be to sign up?

You must be at least 18 years old. Laws get really complicated if you try to gather data on anyone under 18, so we have to restrict based on age.

Do I have to sign up again after I participate in a playtest?

Nope! Once you're in our system, you're eligible to participate in surveys and playtests. No need to sign up multiple times.

Do I have to live in San Diego to sign up?

Nope! We will be running surveys, interviews, and other research methodologies that don't require you to come down to our studio. Anyone who wants to give feedback on Daybreak games is welcome.

All playtests will take place at our San Diego studio, so if you live in the San Diego area tell your friends about us!

I'm having trouble signing up. What do I do?

Email UX-Research@daybreakgames.com with the subject line "Insiders error" and we'll get you sorted.

When will you contact me?

That depends on what game we're testing and what kind of test we're running. We're developing a lot of exciting things here, and each project has different needs at different times. We use targeted and randomized sampling, so there's no way to guarantee when or if you'll be selected to participate.

Will I be able to playtest from my home?

Currently, for security reasons, all playtests, usability tests, and accessibility tests take place on-site at our San Diego studio.

If I'm not interested in participating anymore, can I opt out?

Yep! Just send an email to UX-Research@daybreakgames.com with the subject line "Unsubscribe" and we'll remove you. 

Playtesting

How will I know if I've been selected for a playtest?

You'll receive an email to the address you submitted during signup. For on-site playtests, you'll also be asked to complete a phone screener to verify you meet the criteria for the playtest, and then you'll get a confirmation email with more information about your on-site visit.

What is a playtest?

Game developers want to make the best game they possibly can. Part of reaching that quality bar is putting a real player in front of the game as it's in development to verify comprehension, minimize frustration, and generally find unexpected problems with the player experience. Playtesting is a formal process run by a scientist for gathering this feedback and improving our games. 

What do I get for playtesting?

It depends on the type of test and the duration, but our standard thank you gift is Amazon.com or Steam giftcards. 

Is there a dress code?

Wear whatever you would normally wear! You may want to bring a light jacket in case you get cold easily.

Which games am I going to play?

We can't tell you in advance what you'll be testing. But you'll find out in the lab!

Can I bring my friends?

If we recruited both you and your friends for the same playtest, then by all means please carpool! Otherwise, please don't bring anyone with you who isn't scheduled to playtest with us.

Where do these playtests take place?

All playtests take place on-site at our studio in San Diego.

What do I do if I have to cancel?

Unexpected schedule changes happen, and we understand if you have to cancel. We ask that you email us as soon as you can at UX-Research@daybreakgames.com to let us know. No call/No show can lead to removal from the Insiders program.

Surveys

Why are you sending out surveys?

As part of our goal to be community-focused, we want to hear from the community! Surveys are the best way for us to reach out to a broad spectrum of players to get accurate information.

Why haven't I received a survey invite?

We use random sampling for our surveys, and each survey's needs are different. Sometimes we need opinions from ultra-hardcore pro players, and sometimes we need opinions for people who like to keep it more casual.

I suggested (change X), when can I expect you to implement it?

When you fill out our surveys, we can't guarantee any outcomes that could result from your input. We can, however, guarantee that your feedback will be heard. 

When will you publish the findings for each survey?

Our surveys are part of our iterative development process, and therefore in the vast majority of cases we will be unable to make the results publicly available.

If I give negative feedback am I going to be banned from receiving future survey invitations?

Absolutely not! If you're being honest, then your feedback is valuable, whether it be positive, negative, or indifferent. And profanity isn't a disqualifier, but be aware it will be judged based on creativity and originality.

On the other hand, certain content in your responses WILL lead to immediate and irreversible lifetime bans:

• Slurs (racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation)
• Auto-generated responses (using bots to flood the survey)
• Threats (direct or indirect, targeting developers, streamers, other players, or the research team)

Can I share the survey link with my friends/guildmates/Twitch followers?

Unless we explicitly ask you to share, please don't share survey links with people who haven't received them directly from Daybreak.

I noticed an error in your survey; should I tell you about it?

We're human too! If you see a typo or error in one of our surveys, let us know about it at UX-Research@daybreakgames.com; make sure you include the survey link, whether you're on mobile or a web client, and a brief description of the issue.

More Info

I told you what to fix, why haven't you fixed it yet?

Game development is the extremely complex interaction of dozens or hundreds of people, sometimes on opposite sides of the planet, who all have to work together to build something that players like you can enjoy. The Daybreak Insiders program helps provide information to help make development more effective and efficient, but we don't give anyone orders on how to do their jobs.

I told you what to fix, and you fixed it; where's my credit?

Unfortunately, participating in Daybreak Insiders does not give you any ownership or attribution rights in and for Daybreak games. 

I have a question not listed in this FAQ about playtesting, surveys, or signing up for Insiders.

Send an email over to UX-Research@daybreakgames.com with the subject line of "General inquiry" and we'll respond as soon as possible!

I have a question not listed in this FAQ about a specific game.

For specific games, head over to Daybreakgames.com for the latest news, announcements, and coming attractions. Or check us out on our amazing social media channels!