[Download] MVP Checklist, from Idea to Playable Prototypes

MVP checklist plays a crucial role in game development, as an MVP is more than just a rough prototype. Many MVPs fail when they try to be everything at once: over-scoping, neglecting essential performance checks, or lacking clear goals can easily cause delays, budget overruns, and missed opportunities.

That’s why GIANTY created the 3-Part Game MVP Checklist – a step-by-step framework that ensures your MVP is lean, playable, and ready to impress.

Why We Made This Game MVP Checklist?

After years of building MVPs for both in-house projects and client games, we kept seeing the same pain points:

• Teams unclear on their MVP’s real goal (investor pitch vs. playtest vs. internal validation)
• Bloated feature lists that distracted from proving the core gameplay loop
• Avoidable bugs and performance issues slowing down approvals and feedback
• Outsourced teams working without a clear scope or milestones

This checklist was designed to solve those issues. It brings clarity, focus, and structure to what’s often a chaotic stage in game development. 

Why You Can Trust It

This isn’t a “generic template” pulled from theory. It’s the same checklist GIANTY uses in real Unity projects for indie studios, publishers, and startups worldwide.

Every item is battle-tested:

• Built on 20+ years of GIANTY’s game development experience
• Refined across genres – from roguelike survival games, RPG games to narrative-driven experiences
• Applied successfully in both internal builds and client MVPs, from browser-based WebGL to mobile-native prototypes

Benefits of Applying MVP Checklists in Game Development

Using a checklist may seem simple, but it’s one of the most effective tools in game production. Here’s why:

• Forces the team to focus on features that truly validate the core gameplay.
• Cuts down unnecessary development work and helps you launch faster.
• Ensures non-negotiables like performance, controls, and onboarding are always addressed.
• A clean MVP makes it easier for players, communities, and investors to understand and respond to your vision.
• Provides clear deliverables, reducing delays and miscommunication with Unity game development outsourcing partner.

When to Use the Checklist

The GIANTY Game MVP Checklist is designed for the critical “pre-build” and “core build” stages of development, the moment you’re moving from concept into something playable.

It’s most valuable when:

• You’re preparing a vertical slice for investors or publishers
• You’re running first playtests with your community
• You’re outsourcing part of your MVP and need clear scope control
• You’re transitioning from prototype to scalable build

Why It Works

The checklist aligns with the Build – Track –  Optimize loop, ensuring every MVP is:

• Built with a clear goal and lean scope
• Tracked with performance and player data from day one
• Optimized based on real feedback, not guesswork

It takes the strategic thinking from product MVP checklists and applies it directly to the realities of game development where fun, feel, and feedback matter as much as functionality.