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Early access lets you scratch that itch for something new because you get to play a game while it’s still in development. I used to be an avid supporter, but here’s why I never buy early access games anymore.
Paying to Be a Beta Tester
It used to be that signing up for a beta test was a fair exchange: I got a sneak peek at a game for free while helping the developers root out bugs. Buying games in early access, however, feels like paying for the privilege of being a beta tester.
I remember when the base-building game Factorio was in early access—whenever the game underwent a major update, my multi-hour save would break. Meanwhile, if the post-apocalyptic world of Rust wasn’t already unforgiving enough, I also had to deal with a cheater who would fly around naked while shooting at me with an AK.
Both of these titles are much more stable (and enjoyable) now after their official releases. If I had to do it all over again, I would’ve chosen to skip the growing pains.
Non-Existent Customer Support
Many games in early access are simply not equipped for customer support. This example might be obscure because I’m not sure if any of you have played Eternal Return. I don’t blame you, considering what went down.
Eternal Return is a battle royale MOBA game, like if League of Legends and Apex Legends had a funny baby. I was having a blast with its unorthodox gameplay and how hilarious its player community was. Wanting to support the game’s free-to-play model during early access, I bought battle passes over a few months.
Then without warning, there were a couple of weeks when the game wouldn’t load after an update. I also remember an extended period when the matchmaking algorithm broke on NA servers and would drop you into an endless queue. Both times, I was surprised when emails to customer support were dismissed with curt replies and a shrug when I couldn’t even play the game.
Paying for something in early access had given me misplaced expectations. Oh well, lesson learned; I won’t be making that mistake again.
Broken Promises
Sometimes, an early access game will take a completely different direction than what you signed up for. Case in point: BattleBit Remastered. BattleBit Remastered is an FPS that can handle hundreds of players on a single map. It’s like a Battlefield game, but more on the low-poly, fun-first side of things.
Unfortunately, the luster has worn off. Now, all I see every day are posts from disgruntled players who bought in during early access. Part of it stems from the fact that patches have changed the gunplay—perhaps improving balance but inadvertently reducing fun. Part of it also stems from promises for new features that haven’t materialized, supposedly because of broken source code. As of writing, there hasn’t been an update released for over eight months.
Some might argue that changes in direction are expected and thatgame delays are a good thingfor the long-term health of a title. This might be true, but early access is a gamble I’d rather wait out.
Beta Burnout
Burnout is actually the primary reason I’ve stopped buying games in early access, but I put it way down here because I thought it’d be thematically fitting to make you wait for it.
I realized beta burnout was a real phenomenon when playing Valheim. Valheim is a Viking-inspired co-op crafting game with randomized maps—yeah, I’m a sucker for procedural generation. My friends and I spun up a hosted server and burned the midnight oil playing together online.
Like a whirlwind romance, the passion flamed out and everyone just stopped playing. Valheim is slated for an official release in 2025, but I don’t think any of us will be returning. It’s a little sad to think we’ll never recapture the magic of that time again because I’m sure it’ll be a much better game once it’s officially released.
Playing a game too much in its early state can ruin potential enjoyment later on.
Waiting With No End in Sight
If you’re dealing with abandonment issues, holding onto games in early access won’t help. I’ve played Project Zomboid for less than 10 hours, but I can see the bones of an excellent problem-solving, procedurally-generated (yep, it got me again) zombie survival game.
I felt the game needed more time in the oven, so I took a long break. The idea was to enjoy the game in its full glory once it was finished. Silly me didn’t realize that a) updates happen at a snail’s pace, and b) Project Zomboid has been in early access for over ten years and counting.
I like to imagine the game’s zombies shambling along into eternity, like the White Walkers from Game of Thrones wondering when the next book in the series will be released. In other words, you could come into an early access game starry-eyed only to realize that you might never get to play the finished version.
It’s been fun, but I don’t thinkearly access games are worth it. Although I don’t regret snatching up Rimworld, this space refugee won’t be buying early access games in the future. Thaw me out from cryosleep when they’re actually done.
