Not exact matches
Speaking
to the BBC Ubisoft said, «We are working
to adapt our services and communications with
consumers accordingly, both by changing the way we work with reviewers and by offering customers open betas or other
early access to some
games, all so that they have the information they need and want,»
And happy is the
consumer who, after already purchasing the
early access edition of the
game, can buy the collector's edition without having
to buy a second copy of the title.
For platforms, I think Steam's inflexibility with custom business models and the forced nature of promoting
Early Access titles as final SKU's on their storefront next
to finished titles goes against the idea of providing developers safe ground
to sell their
game while in - development (while also sending conflicting messages
to considering developers and
consumers).
While I don't think there's anything wrong with either side from a
consumer point of view (after all, a lot of
games release in
Early Access to fund the rest of their development), I think that critiquing an
Early Access title inherently neuters the points being presented.
A «
consumer» sampling of the
game will arrive on other formats later on as well, a Square Enix representative has clarified following
earlier news of a tricky -
to -
access Xbox 360 - only demo, also backed up by developer IO Interactive through Twitter: «Fear not, dog lovers and dog walkers!
He went on
to claim it is «financial suicide»
to develop
games in today's market without getting
consumers involved, whether that's through Steam
Early Access or other forms of alpha and beta testing.
The idea was that
consumers pay for
early access to games that had not completed their development cycle, providing the developers with funding, feedback and suggestions.