Early Access Keeps Ruining Games Before They Launch
Early access has helped many games succeed and gain more publicity ahead of their official launch, but the strategy has factored into the failure of countless games as well. This approach of soft-launching games continues to be popular in the games industry for highly anticipated releases like the upcoming Dune: Spice Wars, so it will be important for both developers and consumers to understand its pitfalls moving forward. While early access supporters can hope for successes like Valheim, they should be aware of the fact that the practice can just as easily ruin a game.
The convention of launching a game in early access, sometimes called beta access, is often used as a method of gaining funding for a game prior to its official release. Early access involves a developer or publisher releasing a game, typically on PC storefronts like Steam, and charging players a smaller amount than a full game, with the caveat that the affordably priced version of the game is not the finished version. Somewhat less common is a pre-date release of a full game for certain players, which has proven to be less than ideal in situations like Sifu's broken early access period on PlayStation.
Related: Disney Dreamlight Valley Early Access: When & How To Join
Beyond an early access period simply not working for players, this approach to game development can take the wind out of a game's sails pre-launch and tarnish its public image. Even when a game is successful during an early access window, that popularity doesn't always translate well to a title's official release. Many times, the choice to launch a game in early access can even spoil the chances of a once-promising title.
Although the majority of gamers who put their money down for an early
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