I propose 2024 is the year of early access games boycott.
Bring back completed games only.
Ah yes, “completed” games like Cyberpunk, Fallout 76 or Battlefield 4.
What year is it that people don’t realize the only difference between early access and AAA releases at this point is lies?
Yup. I’ve made a rule for myself to buy only finished indie games. AAA games are way too long anyway. And paying $70 for an oversized hard drive hogging bugged out mess is just wrong. No beta, no early access, no pre-order. When in doubt replay Stardew Valley to soothe the soul.
I avoid AAA games because…well they’re corporate crap, simply put. I don’t like how they operate as a business, I don’t like the aggressive monetization, I don’t like how they treat their creative staff…so I buy from small studios and indies.
I do occasionally buy games in early access. I typically join the campaign fairly late, I don’t kickstart three pieces of concept art and a “now hiring programmers,” I want to see a pattern of updates along with regular communication that shows a pattern of being honest and transparent. I’ll join in when the game is already in a playable and fun state.
Project zomboid fans 🫥
Some of the best games ever made are early access. Like Project Zomboid.
The worst buy I ever did, boring ass game
Why the fuck did you buy it then? Like haven’t you looked it up before wasting money?
the last game I bought on launch day was no man’s sky. I’m done playing money to be a beta tester for half a game, you’ll get my money when it’s an entire game that works or not at all.
The irony that if no one had bought NMS it would still be a POS.
I’m very anti-pre-order, but early access I’m okay with. It comes with the same decision process as buying anything else, is what I’m getting right now worth the money I’m paying? If yes, then buy it, if no then don’t. I don’t buy promises, I buy products.
Baldurs gate 3 is a good example of early access done right. I knew going in I was getting the first 4 levels and roughly 1/4 - 1/3 of the planned final game, but what was there already was worth the price I paid, even if they never finished or released it, I got my money’s worth imo. I put like 200+ hours into it before it released, i can’t be mad at that for 30 bucks.
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Wait, people are buying EA from AAA studios? Cuz like the VAST MAJORITY of EA games are Indie
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My rule is that I only buy an Early Access game if I’d still be happy with it even if the devs never made another update (because sometimes they don’t).
This is my thoughts exactly early access tells me there’s gonna be bugs probably and the game will likely be incomplete. If that doesn’t stop me from having fun I’ll buy the game
That’s one of two scenarios where I’m happy to buy early access. Valheim and Palworld both fall in that category. The other category I’m happy to buy early access is for a project I am particularly interested in seeing succeed (and willing to give some feedback on to help). So far I think I’ve only done that with BG3 and that turned out pretty well for me.
I buy quite a few early access games on Steam. I read the reviews first. If it seems okay, then I buy and play. If I don’t like it then return. Seems pretty safe if you proceed with caution.
100% the way to play video games these days.
I’ve been happy with many, if not most, of the early access games I bought. But I tend to stick with cheaper indie games anyway. I don’t think I’ve paid more than $30 dollars for a game in over a decade.
I mean, just do a little due diligence, Jesus. I’ve bought PalWorld, Planet Crafter, Traveler’s Rest, and more in early access and had a blast with all of them. In fact, I’d say it’s some of the best bang for my buck in the last ten years of gaming. I’ve also not bought early access games because the five minutes of due diligence suggested that it was a garbage game.
I particularly think it’s fine with small, indie studios that don’t have a lot of devs or resources. No way in fuck am I buying an early access AAA release.
Satisfactory I bought for 30 dollars 4 years ago and it’s sitting at 1,600 hours for me. I think sweeping general statements are really the bad guy here
the journey of this game is wild.
it was super fun from the get go years ago, but somehow every single update made it better and better.
i haven’t seen a game with such a focus on quality of life updates before. that team is glorious
Yep. The indie boom that PC gaming experienced would not have been possible without early access funding, full stop.
Not every early access title has gone perfectly and there are some studios that have gamed the system.
Still, the stuff that managed to make it through the process and become successful has been some of the only stuff saving us from a live service hellscape
It’d be nice, if those AAA games were at least marked as early access instead of just being released and sold as something finished. But yes, you’re correct.
Eh, I bought Grounded in Early Access. Maye by Obsidian and backed by Microsoft. I think this should count as AAA. Also I think you don’t mean that “small, indie studio” cause those are few and far between. Sons of the Forest? They have a Publisher (literally the opposite of being independent). I think there are lots of games which you have put into that category that are not actually indie devs at all. Anyway, my point is just that it’s not a black and white issue.
Pocketpair releasing Palworld into Early Access when Craftopia is still in Early Access leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth
Same. I love both, but when I purchased craftopia I was funding the development of craftopia, not palworld. They’re a small company so I kinda get it, but it still has me concerned that they’re not going to properly finish craftopia.
I think it unfortunately just comes down to money. Craftopia wasn’t popular enough to pay the bills to finish it.
We’ll see what happens with palworld. If they abandon it too then we’ll know they’re just scumbags. But if they finish it then we’ll know abandoning craftopia was a financial need.
I can’t say I’ve ever played Craftopia, but after hearing about this I went to the steam page to see for myself. They have released consistent large updates in the last 6 months and even since the launch of Palworld.
Most of the reviews from people who’ve played it mention it’s getting review bombed because of this mis-information and is actually quite good.
Seems to me if they can pull off making two games with multiple teams both which continue to have development, I say more power to them. I’m enjoying Palworld and will at some point check out Craftopia now because of it.
I also saw those updates. I never played it so I usually just cede that they abandoned it for the sake of argument.
I agree with you though
Same, I looked at craftopia and thought “palworld is an obvious cash grab”, which it might end up being. I’m glad people are having fun now, but I’m not buying into its future :)
I’ve read they also have a HollowKnight look-alike in the works as well.
The HK ripoff is called “Never grave” and they are stretching their resources thin on three unfinished products simultaneously
Couldn’t agree more.
Games like Valheim or Satisfactory have also been great, despite technically still being in early Access. And, looking back, Risk of Rain 2, Hades and Dead Cells developers have all done excellent job at using early access to develop their games and listen to the community.
Early access, just like any other development model, is a tool. All depends on how it is used.
Right? People need to take a little responsibility. If you want early access, expect issues. If you don’t want to see issues, wait. Easy. What’s the point complaining about a company providing early access or other gamers purchasing it? You don’t need to make it your business, just don’t buy the game yet if it bothers you.
My rule is that it has to be an enjoyable experience in the game’s current state. Factorio was fantastic years before it left early access. I bought Space Engineers practically as soon as it hit, before there was even proper weapons in the game, and I had a blast building space ships.
I’m holding off on Palworld. I’m sure what’s there is enjoyable for many people, but I’d like to see the endgame fleshed out a bit first.
Correction: Completed game under $20. 🧐
yall spend money on GAMES?
RimWorld, Subnautica, darkest dungeon, streets of rogue, project zomboid, oxygen not included, starsector, skull the hero slayer, dead cells, caves of qud quasimorph and universim are games i bought in early access that I do not regret in the slightest.
I’d say the biggest problem is these big companies who release “finished” games that are clearly not finished and the people who keep pre-ordering them
I think the problem is that it’s a gamble, and there’s always potential to get burned.
Money up front for something you really have no idea how it is, is stupid.
Add Baldur’s Gate 3 and Hades to the list
Valheim, Grounded, Satisfactory
And Factorio as well.
What do you mean? Suicide squad early access purchasers got their games automatically completed!
Spares them from actually having to play it.
