#Dayz standalone beta release date how to#

There are a few examples of ultra-successful Early Access runs, but they’re exceptions, not the rule. That’s why it’s a good idea to softly launch an alpha or beta build of your game in Early Access first, gather feedback and fix bugs, then use all of the above to prepare for a successful launch. Without any player feedback, testing, or the QA you’d get from an Early Access launch, it’s hard to gauge whether your game will sell successfully. Steam specifically warns against using Early Access solely for generating income. One rocky launch could cause irreparable financial ruin for your game or studio. The Early Access market is extremely volatile and unpredictable. For example, the number of concurrent players and Twitch viewers skyrocketed when Besiege released after 5 years in Early Access. Steam users are likely to wishlist your game even if they don’t buy it outright, which adds to the potential pool of customers once you release.Įven if your game stays in Early Access for long periods of time it can still benefit from accumulated hype. More eyes will be on your game if you take this route, and if there’s something uniquely entertaining about it, word will spread. The marketing potential of releasing on Early Access can’t be ignored, either.

At that point I had been working on the game for about 6 years.” I had a bunch of testers buy and play the game and give great feedback that improved the game. “I see Early Access as just a public beta test, so it’s cool that people are into that. MoonQuest developer Ben Porter shared a few thoughts about his game’s time on Early Access: Developers can collect valuable feedback from Early Access buyers before the game’s final launch, saving the studio both time and money fixing major issues after release. The most obvious advantage of releasing a game on Early Access is the ability to engage in public beta testing. Advantages of Early Access for Developers This creates a sense of ownership and helps turn one-time buyers into lifelong customers. They offer feedback and suggestions the developers often add to the final build. Most players who participate in Early Access purchases develop a sense of ownership from the moment they hit the buy button. They’re also entitled to the final version of the game once it releases. When customers buy an Early Access game they get to play current and all future builds. These aren’t demos or simple pre-orders, they’re unfinished, unpolished, and sometimes buggy alpha and beta versions of a game that’s still a work in progress. What is Early Access?Įarly Access is a program where game developers can release early builds of their titles for the public to purchase.

#Dayz standalone beta release date how to#

Below we discuss the pros and cons of releasing games on Early Access along with tips on how to maximize your chances of success if you do put it to use. Others simply aren’t a good fit for pre-release access.Įarly Access is a tricky platform, but there are ways to do it right. Some fail miserably on the platform and their reputations never recover. Not all games are destined for success in Early Access, however. The program is popular with indie and mid-tier developers, but many big-name companies also participate, including EA. We’ll honestly be happy as long as Hall can keep the beta on schedule.Steam’s Early Access program provides a wealth of unfinished, usually cheaper titles available for purchase long before their official release. That said, you never know, maybe things won’t take as long as expected. It took already quite some time and several delays to get the game to its current alpha stage, and while Hall and company are being open about the length of the game’s development, it still has to be frustrating for fans eager to get their hands on the final product. Some of the features the team is working to implement or improve include hunting, customizable vehicles, player created constructions and a streamlined UI, among others.Įven so, we wouldn’t be surprised if this news left some fans a bit disappointed. In a recent blog post, the DayZ team revealed that the game probably won’t even “reach Beta status sooner than the end of 2014.” That being the case, the posting also affirmed that current players can expect “huge progress in 2014” and that the developer already has a fairly in-depth to-do list improve the game. If fans were hoping this might mean a swifter development however, they might now find themselves a tad disappointed.

These numbers were well in excess of Hall’s expectations, prompting him to say that the game’ssuccess would have “a very positive effect” on its roadmap going forward. DayZ‘s development team are predicting “huge progress” over the course of the coming year.Ī few days ago creator Dean Hall and Bohemia Interactive revealed that the early access alpha version of DayZ‘s standalone edition had sold 800,000 copies in its first month.