Moff Jerjerrod
Deity
Last week I fell, at least I believe I fell, for the old early access trick. Early access, for those of you who are not video gamers, is a way for game developers to get their product to market earlier than usual. What early access does then is it offers the consumer an opportunity to play an unfinished video game months or even years in advance of the game being released in it's final official version.
Steam early access games have a clear warning to all who are about to purchase an early access game. The warning mentions buy at your own risk, the game may never make it to market in a finished state, etc. Most of us, me included, have been tempted to buy a game that appeals to our inner child but is no where near a finished product. We know the risks and we buy anyway. Reasons.
So why do I say fell for the early access trick last week? Because it dawned on me that some unscrupulous developers may use the legal mumbo jumbo to extort money out of trusting customers and then run away never to be heard of again. In other words, they use what is intended to give honest developers a chance to receive further income to support a game they're trying to finalize and release as a way to just take "free" money from the internet.
Never again will I buy another early access game. What happened to me last week is the last straw. I don't want to mention the developer's name or the game but I do want to at least warn fellow gamers that early access is like playing with fire.
Have any of you been burned by early access?
Extra data: Only 2 of around 15 games I've bought in early access ever made it to official final release.
Steam early access games have a clear warning to all who are about to purchase an early access game. The warning mentions buy at your own risk, the game may never make it to market in a finished state, etc. Most of us, me included, have been tempted to buy a game that appeals to our inner child but is no where near a finished product. We know the risks and we buy anyway. Reasons.
So why do I say fell for the early access trick last week? Because it dawned on me that some unscrupulous developers may use the legal mumbo jumbo to extort money out of trusting customers and then run away never to be heard of again. In other words, they use what is intended to give honest developers a chance to receive further income to support a game they're trying to finalize and release as a way to just take "free" money from the internet.
Never again will I buy another early access game. What happened to me last week is the last straw. I don't want to mention the developer's name or the game but I do want to at least warn fellow gamers that early access is like playing with fire.
Have any of you been burned by early access?
Extra data: Only 2 of around 15 games I've bought in early access ever made it to official final release.