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    Should Paid DLC Be allowed on Early Access games?



    This thought has occurred to me several times. I'll share my reasoning:

    • Early Access by definition means the game is NOT DONE. In this, the developer has an implicit promise of finishing the game that people have already paid for.
    • Paid DLC by definition is a paid addition to extend an already completed game.
    • A good example of my case would be ARK: Survival Ascended. A game that's been in early access for about 2.5 years now. In that time they've released a number of paid DLCs.
    • OK! So… why could this be an issue? Well, basically my question is, why are you (as the game developer) dedicating developer resources to making more things to sell instead of finishing the game you've already sold? Does this not provide developers with a morally grey business model incentive to prioritize profit over meeting your existing obligations?
    • Should Steam enforce a policy of not selling add-ons to games that aren't even "done"? Or perhaps only be allowed in a reviewed case-by-case process to sell things like the soundtrack or other add-ons to support the developer without taking resources away from completing the game?

    Am I alone in my feelings on this?

    Posted by Blitzsturm

    View 6 Comments

    6 Comments

    1. salad_tongs_1 on

      Is it a shitty thing for a publisher to do? Yes.
      Should Valve implement a policy against it? Ehhh.
      Valve is pretty hands off, and I kind of like it that way.

      Here is my silly take.
      Every Early Access game has a warning on it’s page:
      > Note: Games in Early Access are not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development.

      If you bought an EA game, you should have been liking/wanting it in its current state.
      If the publisher/developer adds paid DLC later, then don’t buy the DLC. You bought the game because you were happy with the state it is in.

      I see this as no different than if you bought an EA title, and then 6 months down the road they nerf some mechanic you absolutely loved. It sucks, but that’s just the risk you take with early access.

      If there is an Early Access game you are interested in at it’s current state AND it has paid DLC already. Then if that bothers you, don’t buy the game, don’t support the publisher, wait for it to come out to a full release.
      Or do buy it, I’m not your mother.

      I started thinking about milfs and got distracted, so uhm, no to your idea is what I’m saying.

    2. Hopeful_Leg_6200 on

      * **Paid DLC** by definition is a paid addition to extend ~~an already completed~~ game.