Here is an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of Early Access games to determine if they are a worthwhile investment.
Numerous early access games can be found in the industry, and although many are enjoyable and worth your investment, certain drawbacks may hinder you from fully relishing your experience
Early Access: What does it mean?
Games that are available for early access means they have been launched prior to the official release date deemed appropriate by its publishers or developers.
Mostly, the aim is to secure further funding from enthusiastic players so as to sustain ongoing development of the game. Besides being an avenue for feedback and bug testing by gamers, it also provides them with a chance to actively participate in shaping the final version of the game set for official release soon.
The development process of every game involves multiple versions, some of which might differ greatly from the final product. While certain games may be launched as early access when nearing completion, others could still require substantial work and are thus available for play at initial stages.
Aside from Steam, you can obtain early access to numerous games on Xbox or even Google Play – two equally favored platforms.
Advantage: Making a Contribution to the Advancement of the Game
Players are typically given an opportunity to actively participate in the development process of early access games. By joining Discord servers, they can conveniently communicate with developers and have their feedback, bug reports, concerns, and suggestions heard and carefully considered.
Dinkum is my ultimate favorite when it comes to this. It’s a farm building game that shares similarities with Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, yet has an unmatched Australian flair. Dinkum was crafted by one individual developer who actively engages with players’ concerns through their bustling Discord community server.
Thanks to early access, Dinkum has become an incredible game. It received both crucial funding and invaluable real player testing and feedback in its development process.
Possible rewrites: – One potential drawback is that the game could be stuck in early access limbo
A downside to consider is that the game may remain indefinitely in early access mode. – The concern with this game is its possible confinement to a state of perpetual early access.
BeamNG.drive is among the many games that have an extended development span before reaching their official release. This particular game has been available in early access since 2015 and although it has undergone extensive transformations, it’s still heavily dependent on community-generated mods, maps, cars, and plugins. Despite this reliance though, BeamNG.drive is now gaining a reputation as one of the top-notch rally simulators around today.
Rather than being a self-contained game that can be enjoyed without any additional downloads, it feels more akin to a racing simulator sandbox.
The downside is that games in Early Access often come with bugs
Releasing a game before it’s officially ready is bound to result in issues. The severity will depend on the progress of development; you might encounter critical bugs, performance glitches and other setbacks that may cause inconvenience.
Valheim was launched in an early form, allowing for the players to accomplish it. Nevertheless, numerous functions were yet to be introduced by developers such as annoying and restricted building mechanics, a spider biome with no substance.
My buddies and I encountered recurrent system crashes along with networking failures even if none of us had connectivity problems on our PCs.
Although there were some issues, we had an absolute blast playing the game for 90 hours in just one week. We eagerly anticipated further improvements to come.
Advantageous Point: Games in Early Access Are Typically More Affordable
Although it is not a universal truth, frequently the prices for early access are lower than those on release.
Due to the incomplete status of a game, developers frequently hesitate in setting a high price for it. As an alternative option, they offer early access at lower prices as compensation for your initial investment into their project. Additionally, some players who opt for early access may receive exclusive items or cosmetic upgrades that signify their support towards the unreleased game.
Although in some cases the price may decrease after its initial release, this decision could be attributed to strategies aiming for increased sales or early feedback from players who have had access. Ultimately, whether the cost fluctuates higher or lower, it’s key to purchase only if you believe it holds value.
Luckily, obtaining a Steam refund is a hassle-free process as long as you’ve played the game for less than 2 hours or owned it for no more than two weeks.
One potential disadvantage could be an unfinished narrative, setting, or gameplay components
If the game were already prepared, it wouldn’t still be in early access.
Therefore, it’s highly probable that you will come across various absent features such as storylines, locations or even entire gameplay mechanics.
Palworld exemplifies this concept perfectly.
Despite being a smash hit upon its debut, Palworld only offered the most basic of features and lacked variety in terms of playable terrain, repetitive components with no challenging bosses to defeat or fully-realized gameplay elements as it was still undergoing development.
Frequently, you have to wait for the updates to arrive before receiving the additional features that were initially pledged. Consequently, games such as Palworld experience a drastic decline in their player count within weeks because users find it tiresome waiting around without enough activities or amusement options available. It’s natural to feel deprived of any genuine gameplay and simply left with anticipation towards future upgrades when there are so few things keeping players engaged presently.
Positive: Witnessing the metamorphosis of the game
Although you’re aware that what you are paying for is not entirely finished, it should still hold value if you derive pleasure from it.
Learning about a massive update on your favorite game is always incredibly thrilling. New features that include gameplay variations, storyline advancement or additional universes are like receiving an entirely new game without added expenses. Your investment and participation have played a significant role in driving the evolution of the game.
Games like Rust, Valheim, BeamNG.drive, and Baldur’s Gate 3 have undergone significant transformations since their initial early access release. While games can still experience considerable changes even after an official launch, the difference with early access is that these alterations occur on a more rapid time scale for gamers to observe
One downside is that the game could potentially be altered beyond recognition
Depending on your expectations and decisions made by publishers and developers, a game’s transformation can either be advantageous or detrimental. While some games may become more profit-driven with an onslaught of microtransactions added over time or shifts in direction, others could potentially offer better experiences for the player.
The game that once brought you pleasure may have undergone significant negative changes and failed to deliver what you invested in.
One downside is the possibility of being abandoned
Although officially released games may also face abandonment, the likelihood of it happening is greater for early access games.
When a game launches in early access as a final resort to secure funding, the likelihood of abandonment is considerably high. This risk amplifies if there are few purchasers. Furthermore, indie releases that rely on single developers often face desertion due to financial difficulties since it’s challenging to survive off an unsuccessful game unless it attains immense prosperity.
If you’re seeking reassurance that the risk is minimal, there are some favorable indicators to keep an eye out for. These include active communities, developers who frequently communicate and release updates, well-defined plans for future development, as well as widespread popularity evidenced by high levels of game purchases.
As the trend of early access games continues to rise, it is essential to consider whether they are worth their price. Before making a purchase,
question if you would be willing to pay for an incomplete game and wait for improved versions or take the risk of losing your investment altogether. Ultimately, prioritize enjoying what you paid for above all else.
