Confused on Steam Play and Proton? Be sure to check out our guide.
Early Access Fatigue
Page: 1/2»
  Go to:
razing32 Jul 11, 2023
Anyone else sick of Early Access titles ?
Between mainstream games releasing at times unfinished and missing core parts released later as DLC and indie games always being in Early Access i just feel sick of it.
Maybe I'm showing my age , but I grew up playing complete games.
The game released , there might have been a patch later but that;s it.
I get releasing a game in Early Access if you're a small team , don't have a budget for QA so having the game in EA for one or two years makes sense.
But , maybe i am a bit entitled , maybe , but - when does it release ???
As an example Project Zomboid has been in EA for TEN years.
0 AD has been in Alpha since i was in college more than a decade ago.
Do you have any games you follow that are stuck in EA limbo ?
Do you think i am wrong on this and the old model is gone and i should change my way of thinking ?
damarrin Jul 12, 2023
I never subscribed to the idea of early access. I have enough finished (or “finished”) games to play to be getting and playing unfinished ones that will get huge overhauls down the line so I’ll need to start from the beginning.
StoneColdSpider Jul 12, 2023
[Old Man Mode Engaged]
Yes..... Although I have never liked Early Access.......

I have no idea how to do it or how to police it but a game cant be in Early Access for years...... Its getting beyond a joke how long these games stay in Early Access for......

Another is "My Summer Car"...... That has been in Early Access since 2016....... This simply should not be allowed to happen......

While I have a few Early Access games...... Some have been "Fully released" but others are still in limbo........ I just flat out wont by any Early Access games any more.......
Ehvis Jul 12, 2023
No fatigue here. But to be fair, the number of early access games that I have played is fairly limited. And most of them were either practically finished (like Zachtronics games) or far enough along that it wasn't an issue. The biggest offender is 7 Days To Die. But with almost 800 hours in the game, I can't say I'm really complaining. Sure, they seem to have issues deciding what they want, but it's also given me an opportunity to play several different versions of a game that is meant to be replayed. Don't really regret it. Another lengthy EA is for Satisfactory, but that was kind of expected. Also no complaints about the quality of their updates.
Grogan Jul 12, 2023
Sooner or later it becomes a matter of semantics, as some things never leave "beta" or "early access" or whatever. Just like some software projects never leave "v0.4.1" version schemes lol

The significance is that it implies less responsibility. That's why they do it.
CatKiller Jul 12, 2023
Personally, I just never buy games in Early Access. If I bought it but didn't play it in the Early Access period then there's no point in buying it early, and if I bought it and did play it in Early Access then I'm not going to play it again when it's actually released (and ostensibly better) because I've already played it. A game that's in perpetual Early Access is just perpetually not getting my money.
saellaven Jul 12, 2023
I generally avoid early access games unless it's fully playable and just needs some polishing to finish.

Early Access = "would I continue to play this game if development ceased today?"
Grogan Jul 12, 2023
Quoting: saellavenEarly Access = "would I continue to play this game if development ceased today?"

Yes, that's how I am about it too. I don't want garbage for $19.99, and I don't want garbage for free. I extract a heavy toll when people waste my time. (In the case of games, nothing will get me to write a bad review, and vocalize bad opinions, more than a poor effort that wastes my time)

However, the other side of your statement has often been, for me, "I want my early access game back, I don't like what they did with the release, and subsequent updates" :-)
Mezron Jul 13, 2023
I did one Early Access game and it was Jupiter Hell. Great game but I've had my fill of paid early access right there and then.
denyasis Jul 13, 2023
don't forget the EA games that go on sale (what??) and then announce DLC's!!!

In principal... Ridiculous
In practice EA = Released (so why not??)
eldaking Jul 13, 2023
I don't particularly mind, I think those games are upfront about what you are getting and I can just wait until they are finished, or at least "finished enough" for me. Very different from rushed buggy "releases".

I generally wait until it goes out of EA completely, but with some games like Factorio, Satisfactory or Northgard I jumped in late but still during early access. Those games are replayable enough that I don't feel bad for playing the not-final iteration if it is already good. And if I'm waiting for it to be completed it doesn't really matter if it is in early access or not (and yes indie dev takes a long time and lots of things can go wrong and delay it more, I don't hold it against them).

For FOSS games and a few other cases (like crowdfunded games), I think it is inevitable to follow this model (releasing partial builds for people to play instead of waiting for the complete, perfect game). Development is happening in the open, you aren't trying to do a big reveal or build hype, and you can actually benefit from player feedback, bug reports, even contributions. So you show your progress, and let people choose if they want to play it or wait.
While you're here, please consider supporting GamingOnLinux on:

Reward Tiers: Patreon. Plain Donations: PayPal.

This ensures all of our main content remains totally free for everyone! Patreon supporters can also remove all adverts and sponsors! Supporting us helps bring good, fresh content. Without your continued support, we simply could not continue!

You can find even more ways to support us on this dedicated page any time. If you already are, thank you!
Login / Register


Or login with...
Sign in with Steam Sign in with Google
Social logins require cookies to stay logged in.