Why Early Access Is Disastrous For Gaming

"News that the standalone version of influential zombie survival sim DayZ has sold a jaw-dropping three million copies should not be met with applause. It should be met with disdain."

[shodan74]

In theory, early access could be cool. An interesting way of experiencing a game you're excited for ages in advance, at a discount price, and even helping steer the development process.

In practice, like free-to-play and DLC, it's being used by a lot of companies to squeeze maximum value out of limited content.

[3-4-5]

* The Untrustworthy companies will abuse anything, including this.

* There will always be "That Guy/Women/company", that ruins it for everyone else.

There are multiple of those people/companies right now in the game industry though, and they are abusing these practices.

* If at first it is a way to give us more, it will soon be turned into a way to give us less, while making us think we are getting more, while getting more money from us.

* They need to hook you in with trust, then once they have that, they switch their tactics up to make more money without half the people even knowing.

* Would you buy a car that was 70% done ?

* Would you buy a live in a house that was 60% done, but "will include updates over the next two years" ?

^ Think about it. Like seriously.....think about it.

[Nerdmaster]

Every time I get interested in a game in Steam, if I open the store page and I see the blue banner saying that it's early access, I close it immediately.

[Roccetarius]

Same here. I have no intention of supporting early access, considering very few of them are actually a success, and the devs in most cases abandon the game.

I also hate the fact, that larger studios with funding available is abusing it, such as SOE.

[pompombrum]

I don't mind smaller independent studios utilizing it. It must be quite hard in todays's competitive market to release a polished product especially when you've got limited funds and resources. I think early access works well for these sort of studios because fan feedback is actually integral to their future so those who support the game actually have a voice. Day Z is probably in the middle really, developed by an independent studio but they're hardly small. It's sad to see bigger companies utilizing it though to squeeze cash out of players, especially those whose games are going to launch F2P like H1Z1 and Heroes of the Storm.

[Scatpants]

Early access seems fine to me. Nobody is forcing you to buy it.

[Fro_xoxo]

I remember when I said this. . I had to mount my flame shield afterwards.

early cash grab.

sure, I don't support it. But there are people who do. And, then we complain about the industry afterwards.

[HaydenJameSmith]

It's not disastrous but it is flawed...

[DougLord]

I agree. They make early access available to anyone with $$. The game sits in early access for YEARS. By the time it launches everyone has played it and thinks its buggy as shit, and no one wants to play it.

Controlled Betas that are actually hard to get into are FAR better. They are exclusive and build buzz. What I have heard out of the Fable beta has me drooling. Hoping I get into the next round.

On the other hand I was in the ESO Beta and it made me not buy the game. I just jumped back in with the Subscription drop and its GREAT!