> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://playtestmaterial.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Playtest Material launches its first ever subscription drive - URL: https://playtestmaterial.org/playtest-material-launches-its-first-ever-subscription-drive/ - Published: 2026-09-20T16:45:01.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-20T16:45:01.000Z - Description: Playtest Material needs 75 subscribers to break even — one of those could be you. - Author: Laurie O'Connel Hello all, I’m told the best way to do this is to lead with an ask**. We’re launching a subscription drive. Playtest Material needs 75 subscribers to break even — one of those could be you.** I’ll get into those numbers in a second, but first of all: I’m thrilled today to be able to say that the layout for the first issue of Playtest Material is complete. Though there are still refinements to be made, (proofreading, reference checking and final layout shifts) we’re looking at almost 100 pages and over 44,000 words of analysis, critique and experimental writing about our moving and developing scene. Our cover provided by the amazing Tori Truslow is ready. You can read the introductions of the two editors for this issue [here.](https://playtestmaterial.org/role-playing-games-are-raucous-and-transformative/) And, for the first time, you can take a look inside the pages of this issue to see one section: *Playing With Words*, which features some of our shorter articles in the issue. You’ll find that [here](https://playtestmaterial.org/issue-one-of-playtest-material-a-look-inside-our-pages/), and at the bottom of this page. The full issue will launch on **October 1**, with completely open digital access, and print subscriptions shipped in the first week of October. And worry not: no subscribers will be charged for Issue Two: Histories until it is ready to ship next quarter. ## Why the magazine exists It is incredibly clear that there is an enormous appetite for this magazine. We have been absolutely inundated with positivity and pitches from some of the most talented writers this scene has to offer. I would love to make this first issue a success to repay everyone who has put hours and hours of work in, largely on trust and a belief that the role-playing game scene needs the slow, fair, and non-marketing oriented criticism we are providing. We have tried to create a space where writers from all backgrounds have the editorial support and platform they need to write rigorously and thoughtfully, removing as many barriers and outside pressures as possible. ## About the drive We are launching the subscription drive in advance of hitting print on Issue One. **Currently, Playtest Material has twelve physical subscribers. In order to break even on Issue One, after paying royalties to our writers, we need 75.** Even if we don’t meet this in Issue One, we have had a few generous supporters whose contributions will help us to bridge the gap. However, in order to be sustainable for Issue Two, we need to make this gap up as soon as possible. Because the magazine is not for profit, we have priced it relatively low for something of this size. Nonetheless, each £18 subscription goes an incredibly long way. There are some further goals too: - Having an idea of how many magazines to print for Issue One is a necessity, which is why we are launching our drive now. Meeting that 75 benchmark will allow us to print extra, so that back-issues of the magazine can be available as a resource for the future. - Reaching 100 subscribers will allow us to move to an honorarium system, where we pay each writer a lump sum in advance of publication, rather than relying on royalties. - Reaching 150 will allow us to pay an honorarium for an editor and guest editor, who are also putting in 100s of hours of unpaid work. These are vital benchmarks for the future of the magazine. I’ll update progress on our subscription drive in the top bar on the website, so you can see how it’s going as the week progresses. You can subscribe today on our [**subsail link here.**](https://playtest-material.subsail.com/subscribe/8c396zib/?ref=playtestmaterial.org) A call to our readers Playtest Material is a young magazine which needs reader support. If you are enjoying this article, consider subscribing to our print magazine, which is what allows us to pay our writers and maintain hosting fees. You still have a few weeks to subscribe in order to receive Issue One in your mailbox when it releases. If that's too much to ask right now, consider signing up for updates or even grabbing a supporter subscription here on our website. [Print Edition ](https://playtest-material.subsail.com/subscribe/8c396zib/?ref=playtestmaterial.org) If we don’t ship to your country yet, you can sign up for $5/month for a supporter membership on the website, which will also help us immeasurably. Sharing this article and spreading the word about the magazine will also help us. This is a call to our readers and future readers: please, consider before scrolling away, if you think that our magazine is worth £18+postage. It is not just an investment in a bundle of paper, but in meaningful critique in the tabletop role-playing space, the shortage of which is much lamented. Laurie O’Connel Lead Editor, *Playtest Material.* *Please note that the above snippet is a preview and thus it will almost certainly contain minor layout errors and typos*