One of the greatest downfalls in playing video games is the financial burden of creating a collection. Unfortunately, being on a college budget only makes things harder. Although sale pricing may be helpful on occasion, there is never a guarantee that you’ll actually be interested in one of the games on sale. Early access games give people on a budget a larger array of games to look into.
Early access games are fully playable, but still under construction. They’re released at a discounted price, and if purchased, the customer will have full access to the completed game later.
Early access games create a large amount of controversy in the gaming community. When purchasing an early access game, gamers have to ask themselves if they’re going to enjoy playing the game at its unfinished, current stage. Unfortunately, some developers will abandon a game that has been released early access. This means that early-purchasers do not ever play the promised product.
The trick to avoiding this catastrophe is to really do your research. It seems like such a simple solution, but it can help people avoid games that are likely to be abandoned. Try visiting Steam, a digital gaming distribution platform, and check the particular game's discussion board. Some developers, like the one-man team behind “Software Inc.,” remains constantly engaged with the community of interested gamers.
For anyone interested in what alpha 9 is all about, here's a short write up on my thoughts: https://t.co/8TDUtErFBX
— Software Inc. (@SoftwareIncGame) June 20, 2016
For solo or indie developers like Software Inc.'s, they are given a chance to make a product that will actually get noticed by the gaming community. A large amount of those designers will notify the players of any updates made and any developed future plans. If the developers are more invested in the community following their game's progress, they’re more likely to stick around until the game's completion.
However, one of the main benefits of early access games is the reduced price. Although it doesn’t always say “sale” on the game page, there is typically a notice that the price will increase after its completion. For gamers on a budget, this makes life much easier. ASU journalism sophomore Vivian Johnson said that there are many games she would love to play but can’t afford. She said that there are many games she “would’ve purchased if she could’ve gotten them at a cheaper price.”
Early access games are just another means for people to find affordable entertainment, but they also allow gamers to be personally involved in the development. As an early access buyer, you can play the game in its current state and give the developer feedback. Sometimes, mainly with indie developers, these concerns and ideas are actually taken into consideration by the developer.
Though I understand people's hesitation to purchasing an unfinished product, there are a lot of benefits to early access games. Do your research on the developer before purchasing, and you may find a game just right for you.
