Veteran game developer Denis Dyack, known for his work on titles such as Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain and Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, has voiced concerns that major publishers are "abusing early access." According to Dyack, these large companies are leveraging early access not for its intended purpose of collaborative development, but as a marketing strategy for games that are already near completion. This practice, he argues, is skewing player expectations and creating significant hurdles for smaller, independent developers.
Dyack explained that AAA publishers can release a highly polished product in early access, generate substantial revenue, and use it as a "marketing beat." This, in turn, leads players to expect a near-perfect experience, undermining the collaborative development model that early access is meant to foster. "AAA publishers are abusing early access, skewing player expectations in such a way that it heavily disadvantages smaller independent developers," Dyack stated.
He pointed to games like Subnautica 2 and Path of Exile 2 as examples that are reshaping the landscape of player expectations. This shift has created "significant barriers to entry" for games like Dyack's current project, Deadhaus Sonata, which is currently in early access on Steam. Ethan McKinnon, creative director at Apocalypse Studios, which is developing Deadhaus Sonata, echoed this sentiment, noting that players now hold all games in the same marketplace to a higher standard.
Anthony Gallegos, creative director for Subnautica 2, acknowledged that early access is no longer a niche practice and can be used for a variety of purposes, from long-term open development to a pre-release paid beta. He suggested that this variety contributes to a "more diverse and confusing landscape."
Dyack and McKinnon offered advice for developers considering an early access launch: prioritize stability and performance, actively monitor Steam reviews, and engage with influencers to increase visibility. Dyack admitted that Apocalypse Studios fell short on these points with Deadhaus Sonata's initial early access release, focusing too much on the game's unique aspects at the expense of core foundational elements and clear communication about its features. McKinnon summarized the advice concisely: "Developers need to treat early access like a real launch, because players do."