If your Play by Post (PBP) game isn't appearing on the Find Games page, it's most likely working exactly as intended.
PBP games are hidden from the default search results on purpose. Here's why, and what players need to do to find your game.
How PBP games appear on Find Games
Play by Post games do not show up in the standard Find Games search. This is intentional.
To find PBP games, players must specifically filter for them using the Play by Post toggle or filter on the Find Games page. When a player uses that filter, your game will appear normally alongside other PBP listings.
This design exists to protect both GMs and players: it prevents players from accidentally signing up for a PBP game without realizing what they're joining, which in turn reduces cancellations and improves booking quality for PBP GMs.
Additionally, timing rules such as cutoff times and session start times also play a role in determining when PBP games appear in search results.
What this means for your listing
Your game is not hidden, removed, or penalized. It is simply in a separate category that players must opt into viewing.
If your game is set to Publicly Listed, is in Pending or Active status with open seats, and has not expired, it will appear correctly when players use the PBP filter. You do not need to change any settings.
Checklist: confirm your PBP listing is set up correctly
Even though PBP games use a separate filter, the standard listing requirements still apply:
Publicly Listed is turned on in your Adventure settings
The Adventure is in Pending or Active status
There are open seats available (fully booked games are removed from search)
The Adventure has not expired (see: Everything You Need To Know About Expiring Adventures)
Your Cut Off Time has not been reached for the current session
Games are automatically removed from search results once they enter their cutoff time window. For example, if a game has a 24-hour cutoff, it will stop appearing in search results 24 hours before the scheduled session start.
Games with at least one player signed up are removed from search results one hour before the session's scheduled start time to prevent last-minute sign-ups.
If all of these are in order, your game is visible. Players just need to use the Play by Post filter to find it.
How to tell players to find your game
If you're directing players to your listing, let them know they need to:
Go to the Find Games page on StartPlaying.
Look for the Play by Post filter and enable it.
Search from there — your game will appear in the results.
Be aware of timing rules, such as cutoff times and session start times, which may temporarily remove your game from search results.
Still need help? Use the chat widget on this page to reach our Support Goblins. Monday–Friday, 9 AM–6 PM EST.