Buyer beware: Bad reviews are censored
Ever notice that all the GMs have ratings between 4.8 and 5.0? Isn't that amazing?!Well, no, not really. Turns out that it's because the site literally won't let you leave bad reviews. When you try to leave one that the GM wouldn't want players to see, they get to flag it before it goes public.And if you dispute this, then the site's support person will persistently side with the GM. Even when you rewrite the review to be brief, bland, and factual, the process will just repeat and they will never allow it to be posted. Ask me how I know.Or don't: I'll tell you. I literally got to the point that I said, "Please explain how I can leave an honest review that is not immediately removed." And their response was, "[...] you will not be permitted to leave a review for this Game Master."I guess the site wants to make it look like they've got nothing but the very best GMs and they're willing to do whatever it takes to maintain this illusion, including throwing their players under the bus. As a result, you literally cannot trust their reviews and should expect any money you spend to be gone for good, no matter what happened.Buyer beware.
Steve Cognito
A fairly good site to let you find paid…
A fairly good site to let you find paid Gamemasters to run a game, either joining into a group they are making, or as a group.The site is fairly well run, and there's a good choice of games to select from. Trying to find a good fit can be work, but that's the nature of TTRPG's. There seems to be a lot of mediocre and generic games, but again, that's the nature of TTRPG's, and some people like their games predictable and vanilla.The safety tools, while nice for trying to make a more comfortable table, sometimes have the opposite effect, creating a feeling of tacit bullying and intimidation that you don't dare complain about. Not a common problem, but one that has occurred.Generally, a decent site, as long as you expect to try out a few gamemasters and games to find some that suit you.
Jadelink
Made friends, made memories
I've had an absolutely wonderful experience both with our DM and with the other players from outside my immediate group that we've met along the way. We've truly had some memorable adventures. The sky's the limit if you're an enigmatic, independently wealthy orphan. I'm looking forward to more.
Sam
Ive only played 5e on here which is…
Ive only played 5e on here which is great expressly when you got a certain time zone you need and can only play at a certain time. However i think it would shine with less popular systems since people can search based on that. Either way ive played campaigns and ones shots with the system and ive meet so many awesome people. Ive only had maybe two bad or meh experiences out of like 20 or more great ones.
joeyfish
Employee and Customer Who Loves My Bosses
As an independent contractor working for Startplaying.games as well as a regular customer, their service brings people together in communities where they can feel safe, which is worth every dollar.
Ross
I genuinely love not just the business…
I genuinely love not just the business and system, but the people and the community more so than anything. I greatly enjoy and love teaching other professional GMs skills, and the community first approaches that Devon, Sarah and the rest of staff dedicate to listening to us and helping make the world a better more connected place. Thank you!
Paladin
The best way to RPG
I used the site for over three years and it was easy to use and introduced me to a wonderful community and experience. I would definitely use it again when I'm able to commit to another long running campaign.
Jesus Ramirez
I am glad that I can find someone to…
I am glad that I can find someone to run games I'd like to try. Still navigating the options. Considering running some myself as a side hustle.
CHRIS VERMETTE
Longtime User
I've been using StartPlaying.games for 4 years now and even before I found my current GM I had great experiences with them. The ability to look for games when I'm available and the buy in from the other players due to the fact that you pay for your seat made the games better.
Jonathan Mendez
I love startplaying !!!!
I’ve had some of the most fun moments of my entire life during games I’ve joined through startplaying. The DM’s I’ve met are professional, quality, best of the best, goofy, kind, and amazing people. The community is fantastic. And startplaying is one of the best platforms that I can recommend.
Danny Saydkhuzhin
Straightforward
The pricing is up front, they make cancelling or quitting a campaign easy (no dark patterns), they use modern credit card tech, and have been responsive to questions and concerns.
Matt
Does the right thing
SPG is a trustworthy business that stands with the queer community and I'm proud to use it.
Pyropus Squantscale The Well-O
So easy to use
So easy to use and able to find what you need. The options are endless and the user interface makes everything easy to navigate to find your next game night
Erick Seda
love startplaying
I have been on startplaying since the pandemic started. I have never had any issues with this site. its easy to navigate, search and join games. I have been and will probably always be a satisfies customer.
Todd Masters
amazing
I'm in 4 dnd games they run regularly and have been going for over a year thanks to this service.
robert mangione
We were a group looking to play D&D
We were a group looking to play D&D and Start Playing gave me nice and easy ways of searching for a GM that met our criteria: mixed experience levels, online, etc. Was able to read bios and reviews from other players.Nice to get game session reminders to be sure everyone showed up on time. Was able to do flexible setup for paying the GM (I covered the cost for all the players). Could even send a tip for special moments.From a player's perspective, it simple and straight-forward to use and "does it says on the tin"
Christian Sauer
GM since Jan 2021
I’ve been GMing on the site since January 2021. Every time I’ve had a customer service issue, the team has resolved it quickly and efficiently. The Start Playing Discord server is a wonderful resource for Game Masters. The company even does “onboarding” to show new GMs the ropes, and to help set them up for success.
Bob Boberton
DMing for SPG is FUN!
Start Playing makes it easy to set up a profile, get games on the schedule, and develop relationships with other GMs and players!
Claire After All
Great for finding games and easy to switch groups
StartPlaying has been excellent for finding TTRPG DMs and games when that can be so hard in-person. Even the one time the group wasn't a good fit, it was easy and stress free to tell my DM and drop out of the campaign. I then found another for the same published campaign quickly.
Alex Bea
Great platform, use common sense
With a critical eye of the game masters you patronize, this website is a great way for players and GMs to find each other. It actively promotes the use of safety features like lines & veils and the X card. I have had nothing but great experiences through StartPlaying; not only have I played some truly phenomenal games, I have met friends for life.
Alice Jooren
