Steam is giving users the chance to play games while they are still in development in a new program it calls "Early Access."
Introduced on Wednesday, the program gives gamers super early access to games that aren't quite ready for prime-time. For this privilege, users can give companies up to the full-price of the game. Some will offer discounts to early adopters but you know the big names will charge as much as they can. The move is similar to how Mojang's hyper-successful "Minecraft" launched in 2009 in Alpha. Mojang's insight was to charge a low price in the beginning and gradually escalate it as the game progressed through its testing stages.
Steam says in the "Early Access" FAQ: "We like to think of games and game development as services that grow and evolve with the involvement of customers and the community. There have been a number of prominent titles that have embraced this model of development recently and found a lot of value in the process. We like to support and encourage developers who want to ship early, involve customers, and build lasting relationships that help everyone make better games."
All Steam users can get into the program. Here's Steam's advice on whether or not you should buy early access to a game:
"What is the game like to play right now?
When you buy an Early Access game, you should consider what the game is like to play right now. Look at the screenshots and videos to see what the game looks like in its current state. There are a lot of ways a game can go as it develops over time, so if you aren't excited to play the game in its current state, then hold off and wait until the next update--it shouldn't be far off.
How often is this game getting updated?
Take a look at the recent update announcements from the developer (shown on the store page for that game) to get a sense of how active the developer is. Does it look like that game is getting updated a lot? Are they valuable and interesting updates?
Pricing of individual games may change over time
Some developers will start by offering a discount for buying early while others will charge a premium, depending on their goals and the level of commitment and feedback they desire from Early Access customers."
Some of the first games up are: "Arma 3 Alpha," "Prison Architect," "Kerbal Space Program" and "Kenshi." The full list is here.
