First playable demo

A first playable demo is the first version of a game that is playable outside of the video game development environment. In the game design process, it is a significant milestone. It is the first point at which a game has demonstrable gameplay. Often at this phase, the demo will be shown to others outside the department that developed it. It serves as a proof of concept.

For video games, this is a difficult step to reach. Often the graphics will only be partially implemented, and major bugs may still be evident.

For a card game, the first playable demo is effectively its own game. For a board game, the first playable demo may include many hastily scribbled together chits, pieces of paper, and some ad-hoc pieces.