I’m a sucker for restaurant management games. When a new one promises cozy New York vibes, Italian tradition, and a dash of “culinary mafia,” my ears perk up. Gaming Factory and Quest Craft are running a closed Steam playtest for Pizza Slice from August 26 to September 16, 2025, with sign-ups open now. It’s a limited slice – five in-game days to run your family pizzeria as Tonio – but it should reveal whether the core loop actually cooks.
The test build targets fundamentals: sourcing ingredients, prep, composing pizzas, and running service. You’ll get a brisk five in-game days to prove Tonio’s pizzeria can keep up with the lunch rush. The studio says they want to validate the basics before layering in the bigger features teased in the pitch (expanding tables, better kitchenware, co-op, rivalry battles, and the comedic “mafia” encounters). That’s the right order. If chopping, topping, ticket flow, and cleaning don’t feel satisfying, no amount of extra systems will save the dish.
Restaurant sims are having a moment. PlateUp! turned co-op chaos into a roguelite loop; Cook, Serve, Delicious! makes service a twitchy balancing act; Chef Life chases a more grounded management-and-service blend. Pizza Slice is aiming for a different flavor: cozy New York setting, an Italian family angle, and a business layer that goes beyond just slinging pies. The bit that makes me raise an eyebrow (in a good way) is the “fight the competition” hook and the nod to a “culinary mafia.” That’s straight out of the Pizza Tycoon/Pizza Connection playbook, which — if handled with humor and care — can add spice without dragging the game into cartoony stereotypes or RNG nonsense.
But style is nothing without substance. For Pizza Slice to land, recipe creation has to matter mechanically (ingredient quality, oven types, baking times affecting crust, customer preferences by neighborhood). If “new recipes” are just menu swaps with no systemic impact, players will bounce. Likewise, pathfinding and table flow need to be clean; anyone who’s lost a PlateUp! run to a waiter jam knows the pain.
Feedback that will actually help the devs: service pacing (are orders readable and fair?), oven timings and burn windows, station interaction friction (too many clicks?), customer AI (queue logic, table assignment), and the early economy (ingredient costs vs. margins). If they’re still tuning the “daily loop,” those notes move the needle more than broad “make it harder/easier” asks.
Access is handled through Steam’s Playtest feature. Head to the Pizza Slice Steam page, hit “Request Access,” and wait for an email. The team says selection is based on internal priorities and the ability to run the game — so it’s not guaranteed day one. Expect waves of invites throughout the period. The upside: the tech bar is low. If you’ve got an old GTX 560, 4GB of RAM, and DirectX 11, you’re likely fine. In 2025, supporting Windows 7 and modest specs is a nice inclusivity win for sim fans on older rigs.
This caught my eye because I love when a management sim gives me both tactile service and meaningful business decisions. If Pizza Slice nails the feel of building a pie — stretching dough, balancing sauce and toppings, minding the oven — while also forcing smart choices about suppliers, layout, and staff, it’ll carve its own niche. I’m cautiously optimistic about the “competition battles” and “culinary mafia” flourishes; they could be memorable events or cheesy roadblocks. If they become cooldown-gated hassles or random “pay a fine or lose a day” pop-ups, that’s a miss.
Gaming Factory often backs quirky sim pitches — some land, some feel concept-first, depth-later. A tight playtest focused on fundamentals is a good sign Quest Craft wants to get the dough right before adding all the toppings. If you’re coming from Overcooked or PlateUp! for co-op specifically, note that you won’t see it yet. Personally, I’d rather they perfect the single-player loop before risking network headaches.
After the test, watch for clarity on progression (restaurant expansion, staff systems), how recipes impact customers and reputation, and a roadmap for co-op. If they can show that your choices genuinely change the lunch rush, Pizza Slice could be more than another cozy sim — it could be a weeknight staple.
Pizza Slice’s closed Steam playtest serves a five-day sampler focused on the core pizzeria loop. If the basics feel good — ordering, prep, baking, service — the bigger ideas (co-op, rivalries, “mafia” hijinks) might be worth sticking around for. Sign up on Steam, manage your expectations, and bring useful feedback.
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