Pitfalls of Early Access

[NeonSamurai]

I'm really starting to dislike Early Access (EAc), or I'm getting burnt out with it.

In a way I really like EAc (Early Access). Its a way of helping games that I want get made, and it really helps get a lot of indi titles get made. But its also getting abused, and can be a problem as a gamer too.

Some big problems are scam games, garbage games (early access is swamped with terrible games right now, it is very hard to find the few gems amongst all the filth), games that suddenly go in a direction you don't want at all, and games that suddenly drop development and get put out or abandoned.

But then there is the toll it takes on players. I find myself quite frequently getting totally burnt out on early access games. To the point where I have little interest playing the final polished version due to having spent so much time in alpha and beta. Right now for example I am burnt out on Subnautica, The Long Dark, Prison Architect, ARK Survival Evolved, Don't Starve, and Nom Nom Galaxy (I'm very dissapointed with that one). It kind of sucks as the experience I end up with is the buggy mostly unfinished version.

For me it is kind of getting to the point where I don't want to do early access anymore. It is getting too risky, and often I can't even enjoy the final version due to burnout.