How do you feel about Early Access?

[Steph285]

Larian Studios going EA again is a bit weird, though. They don't really need the money with the success of DOS 1 and 2, so they probably want community feedback then? I guess that's a positive thing and I do trust them. Getting BG3 sooner as a playable demo (let's call it that) is a good development. In any case, I wouldn't use Larian Studios as a bad example for EA.

Not that weird as i understand it. DOS2 was early access and look how that turned out, it seems they want to repeat the same method that brought success.

In the end of the day, EA is as good as the developers use it. It can be either a genuine attempt to get feedback for a developing game and some investment or a cynical attempt to gain as much money as possible for a bad product. It is another of a long list of tricks consumers like us need to be suspicious of. Dont we have a great hobby?

 

[judgecsk]

- This is a real perplexing subject for me, so far i've supported 2 games in EA and both of em launched successfully and got critically acclaimed (Darkest Dungeon and Don't Starve) though i find my self disappointed by the scamming that most EA devs are involved with.
If you don't call it a scamm then what can you call it, total mismanagement..?

- Like others mentioned before me, if it's a simpler project (in comparison to AAA titles) then I find it easier to support.
EA in general it's not a bad idea but it's a sad fact that most of games that enter the market as EA rarely reach a status that can be considered completed.

 

[MacSalty]

Loot boxes were never a good thing, but early access can be. It still remains a double-edged sword because it can be abused to release a buggy incomplete game under the banner of EA (reference intended) so users are more accepting towards bugs. Either way, the reality remains that certain games would have never seen the day of light if not for EA to give them a financial boost or community feedback that was needed to improve the game.

Larian Studios going EA again is a bit weird, though. They don't really need the money with the success of DOS 1 and 2, so they probably want community feedback then? I guess that's a positive thing and I do trust them. Getting BG3 sooner as a playable demo (let's call it that) is a good development. In any case, I wouldn't use Larian Studios as a bad example for EA.

You're correct about not casting Larian in a negative light for EA. I was looking to use that as an example of a successful studio doing another EA in comparison to my initial though for this thread - CDPR doing EA for CP2077. I know now that your question is EA as a practise in general, and not specifically for CP2077. I chose it for a more equal footing example. That being said, while I can agree on principle with your points, I, still, personally take issue with the practise. I'm glad it exists because there are some great games that have come out of EA, however there are just as many or more that haven't. It's kind of like Kickstarter - you're gambling your money. That and for myself as a gamer I know I would buy in, play what was available and then probably never come back to the finished product because I've found something new and shiny to take my interest away. I'm bad like that, but that's on me and I own it.

 

[Spomph]

In Cyberpunks case, I'd rather they release it in early access than delay it again.. couldn't handle more waiting.

 

[4RM3D]

[...] couldn't handle more waiting.

 

[Cargan2016]

Early access of paid beta tests are just greedy money grabs that usually just put off many players after short time playing as they assume its complete game when its not. it really hurts the longevity of game as people cant get past the bad experience in the early access.

 

[Quote_97]

I can understand it from a monetary perspective, developers might need the $ before the game is finished.

Wasn't Minecraft in Alpha/Beta for a very long time until release?

 

[SuperRigger.808]

I don't buy into EA anymore, games get abandoned and you're left with a tech demo.

 

[.Vileblood.]

I think early access is just a scam. We get to play a buggy mess, report these bugs, basically do the dev's job for free, and we even have to pay for it

 

[Garrison72]

It's bad.