Has the concept of Early Access gone too far?

[Easy Rhino]

8-9 or years ago "Early Access" was a way for small development shops to finance their game. Today however if you check early access games you have a majority of them that are 3-4 years old still in early access. What are the benefits to the consumer of purchasing an early access game?

 

[ir_cow]

Basically Early Access is the new kickstarter except they don't have to finish the game. It is usually a scam and I won't buy up for a unfinished game that has no timeline for completion.

 

[nguyen]

I only ever bought 2 early access games, they were PUBG and Baldur Gate 3 which provided incredible value.

 

[AsRock]

8-9 or years ago "Early Access" was a way for small development shops to finance their game. Today however if you check early access games you have a majority of them that are 3-4 years old still in early access. What are the benefits to the consumer of purchasing an early access game?

7 days to die has gone though many changes over 12+? years and basically you should have a version you like. Never mind the mod community which update the newer versions and can have options you miss from older versions of the game.

And yes you can still today after 1.0 came out still download the older versions.

But i cannot see why it stayed early access unless it's some thing to do with steam and a agreement(s) with the Fun Pimps.

Maybe it's a question you should ask them or others to see why.

I only ever bought 2 early access games, they were PUBG and Baldur Gate 3 which provided incredible value.

We did too as being big fans of Dos 1 and 2 even played though them twice at least. How ever with the new D&D BS we just have not played it much at all.

 

[Ruru]

Luckily I played one early access VR game for 119min in under two weeks so I could refund it. Realized that it was basically a tech demo and basically abandoned.

 

[unwind-protect]

Well, UBOAT went from EA to full with a huge update. Sometimes it works.

 

[kapone32]

Everspace2 was Early access and I finished 90% of the campaign before it was released.

 

[natr0n]

7 Days to Die on Steam

7 Days to Die is an open-world game that is a unique combination of first-person shooter, survival horror, tower defense, and role-playing games. Play the definitive zombie survival sandbox RPG that came first. Navezgane awaits!

store.steampowered.com

10 and a half years in early access. I still havent played it.
This has to be a record for longest early access.

 

[dirtyferret]

8-9 or years ago "Early Access" was a way for small development shops to finance their game. Today however if you check early access games you have a majority of them that are 3-4 years old still in early access. What are the benefits to the consumer of purchasing an early access game?

the only game I purchased early access was BG3 and you knew Larian would finish the game. Glad I did, enjoyed early access and the finished product as well. I know eleventh hour used early access to help put together Last Epoch and that seemed to go well for them otherwise I agree with ir_cow as most EA are scams unless free.

*I'd would get EA to Divinity Original Sin III if they go that route

What are the benefits to the consumer of purchasing an early access game?

mostly you get to give some feedback to the developer and "support" those few specific games you want to see made by more independent developers

 

[ir_cow]

7 days to die has gone though many changes over 12+? years and basically you should have a version you like. Never mind the mod community which update the newer versions and can have options you miss from older versions of the game.

I bought 7 Days on the PS4 when it came out. Didn't know it was still in Beta for years after. Just thought it was a fun, but really bad zombie game lol.

 

[R0H1T]

I'm thinking about that never ending pre alpha(?) which has probably already cost its backers over a billion? Anyone remember the name

 

[Frick]

There's also the discussion of what "finished game" means. Stardew Valley still gets updates, as does Terraria, deep into their "finished" state. I'm playing Timberborn a lot and honestly I don't see any difference between that and a game on version 1.22. Or heck, what about No Mans Sky, or like Europa Universalis 4, a game I want to get back into but at this point it is so different from when I was playing it I don't even know where to start? To me there is very little functional difference between that and a good Early Access game. As with everything there are good examples and bad examples of everything. If an EA game or its devs seem fishy, treat it as you would a "finished" game. Don't buy it.

 

[ir_cow]

I'm thinking about that never ending pre alpha(?) which has probably already cost its backers over a billion? Anyone remember the name

Star Citizen is supposedly finally leaving alpha this year. Now that is the funny scam. Somehow people haven't figured it out yet.

 

[wNotyarD]

I'm thinking about that never ending pre alpha(?) which has probably already cost its backers over a billion? Anyone remember the name

Closest that comes to mind is Star Citizen.

 

[R0H1T]

It is Star Citizen.

Star Citizen is supposedly finally leaving alpha this year. Now that is the funny scam. Somehow people haven't figured it out yet.

It's just hopium at this point in time, really though I wouldn't want anyone to do what CIG did to its fans if you can call them that.

 

[64K]

I'm thinking about that never ending pre alpha(?) which has probably already cost its backers over a billion? Anyone remember the name

716 million dollars so far according to their site and.....still in Alpha. I'm sure the $42,000 Ship Package is helping to get to that billion dollars.