“Early access” where you can play the game 48 hrs early if you buy the super deluxe edition is ridiculous
Honestly, that’s a form of premium that I’m onboard with. I wouldn’t buy it myself…but by the same token, I don’t mind waiting 48 hours, so it has a very minimal negative impact on me. A game could just as easily have crashed into a bug and slipped release by much more than 48 hours.
And if you’re getting a game 48 hours prior to release, you’re at least getting a finished game. The curse of early access schemes is games that never really make it to a finished game. You’re paying more, but you’re still getting the product, and it’s pretty easy to judge what you’re getting and whether it’s worthwhile to you.
Game publishers normally do have some form of leveraging price discrimination to get people who want a game sooner to pay more…but it’s usually in the form of prices dropping over a much longer period of time, older games costing less. I don’t mind waiting 48 hours. Frankly, I’d rather wait a couple of weeks anyway for bugs to be patched and reviews to come out. I care more about waiting five years (though there’s the whole !patientgamers@sh.itjust.works crowd who intentionally wait a period of time after release, maybe a year or more).
And if you’re getting a game 48 hours prior to release, you’re at least getting a finished game.
True. But, personally, I think it has all the downsides of pre-ordering but at extra cost. The game could be an absolute disaster (Suicide Squad, anyone?) and there’s no way for anyone to know that. Not waiting to be able to properly inform yourself about what you’re spending money on is so stupid.
I’m honestly reaching the point where I think pre-ordering games should be legislated against. Sure, it’s only stupid people being parted from their money, but it’s clear some consumers need protecting from themselves and it’s only really the corporations that would lose out.
48hrs of early access is also nice for games like MMOs, getting a chunk of people through starting zones before the masses is good for everyone. Competitive games can get more dedicated players out of the lower leagues a bit faster.
Moonring is early access. Hell, it’s technically some sort of beta-not-a-release…thing.
I played Inkulinati in early access.
I played Potion Craft in early access.
They were not without their issues and bugs, but they were typically updated and fixed within reasonable amounts of time. (Sometimes too reasonable… Get some you time Dene!) If it was something game-breaking, it would get updated asap.
I guess the lesson here is small indy studios are usually a safe bet when it comes to early access if you do a little due diligence, but never trust the big corpos.
That’s not what they meant though. In this case people are paying extra to GET the game 2 days early so they get a head start. I agree with your thoughts though.
Early access like BG3 where you got act 1 a year early can be cool.
“Early access” where you can play the game 48 hrs early if you buy the super deluxe edition is ridiculous
Honestly, that’s a form of premium that I’m onboard with. I wouldn’t buy it myself…but by the same token, I don’t mind waiting 48 hours, so it has a very minimal negative impact on me. A game could just as easily have crashed into a bug and slipped release by much more than 48 hours.
And if you’re getting a game 48 hours prior to release, you’re at least getting a finished game. The curse of early access schemes is games that never really make it to a finished game. You’re paying more, but you’re still getting the product, and it’s pretty easy to judge what you’re getting and whether it’s worthwhile to you.
Game publishers normally do have some form of leveraging price discrimination to get people who want a game sooner to pay more…but it’s usually in the form of prices dropping over a much longer period of time, older games costing less. I don’t mind waiting 48 hours. Frankly, I’d rather wait a couple of weeks anyway for bugs to be patched and reviews to come out. I care more about waiting five years (though there’s the whole !patientgamers@sh.itjust.works crowd who intentionally wait a period of time after release, maybe a year or more).
True. But, personally, I think it has all the downsides of pre-ordering but at extra cost. The game could be an absolute disaster (Suicide Squad, anyone?) and there’s no way for anyone to know that. Not waiting to be able to properly inform yourself about what you’re spending money on is so stupid.
I’m honestly reaching the point where I think pre-ordering games should be legislated against. Sure, it’s only stupid people being parted from their money, but it’s clear some consumers need protecting from themselves and it’s only really the corporations that would lose out.
As long as we start rephrasing for what it is. Premium users don’t get it 48hrs before release. It’s released and anyone who pays can get it.
It’s withheld from everyone else until the elites get their go at it.
48hrs of early access is also nice for games like MMOs, getting a chunk of people through starting zones before the masses is good for everyone. Competitive games can get more dedicated players out of the lower leagues a bit faster.
Xenotilt is early access.
Moonring is early access. Hell, it’s technically some sort of beta-not-a-release…thing.
I played Inkulinati in early access.
I played Potion Craft in early access.
They were not without their issues and bugs, but they were typically updated and fixed within reasonable amounts of time. (Sometimes too reasonable… Get some you time Dene!) If it was something game-breaking, it would get updated asap.
I guess the lesson here is small indy studios are usually a safe bet when it comes to early access if you do a little due diligence, but never trust the big corpos.
That’s not what they meant though. In this case people are paying extra to GET the game 2 days early so they get a head start. I agree with your thoughts though.