Early Access is one of those new things in videogames, where the devout can spend cash to get access to a game well before its completed. For some reason, people actually want to pay a premium to play broken, unfinished games. It’s something that the DICE is considering doing for future Battlefield games – though that exactly what they did with Battlefield 4.
“We have nothing to announce, but we are having discussions when it comes to [early access],” DICE general manager Karl Magnus Troedsson told Gameinformer.
Of course EA and DICE don’t need the cash injection that smaller developers gain from paid early access. Their reason for considering it would be to help make their games better at launch.
“It comes not from a business perspective, but more from a perspective of if it would help us have a stable launch of the game.”
It’s a little different from a public or even semi-public beta though, like the one that they’re currently running for their Cops and Robbers simulator in which people will level entire cities because somebody stole something, Battlefield Hardline.
“We probably wouldn’t open the floodgates for everyone, but we might do it for geographical territories or people who bought the last game,” Troedsson said..
“It is something we are considering, not from a business standpoint, but from one of creating quality in our products.”
In short, DICE Is contemplating charging people to play unfinished games. Business as usual, then.
Last Updated: June 13, 2014
Admiral Chief Cyber Commando
June 13, 2014 at 11:36
Am I the only one who am not phased by Early Access? It doesn’t float my boat or stir my tea or tickly my fancy or salt my meat or nothing
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 13, 2014 at 11:48
It does nothing for me. I’m not actually against it, I’ve got early access to a couple of Kickstarter games & never bothered to even install them, but I’ll never actively buy something in early access.
Marcus
June 13, 2014 at 12:31
I’m all for it. It really does help to know what works and what does not. And the only way to test this is by playing for hours. BUT don’t sell me a “complete” game that does not work! (BF4)
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 13, 2014 at 11:43
Oh EA, sorry “Dice”…
Kromas
June 13, 2014 at 14:59
Would have been better if you said. “Sorry EA no D.I.C.E.” 😛
Alien Emperor Trevor
June 13, 2014 at 15:03
lol, if only I’d thought of that.
Maxiviper117
June 13, 2014 at 11:43
Well of there is one positive about early access is that it allows thorough testing before launch. Take Space Engineers for instance, that game is literally the perfect game where early access is done right.
Marcus
June 13, 2014 at 12:27
Fix the GAME!!!
Rince&exhale
June 13, 2014 at 14:15
They can fuck right off. What kind of world are we living in when you get the CONSUMER to PAY to test the game they will.. Pay… For… Fuck this. So long, thanks for the fishes…
Consumer of Little Rabbits
June 13, 2014 at 14:18
L O L
Greylingad
June 13, 2014 at 15:05
This… THIS…. You know when you have a stone or a pebble in your shoe right? It’s annoying for the first, say 5 minutes, you take of the shoe, bliksem the pebble out and you’re Ok, right? Now imagine someone takes a glass, breaks it into your shoe, so much so that all the fine bits sit in one corner and all the big shards in the other, still with me? Ok, then they take a pitchfork and slam it through your shoe,foot still inside it…. What kind of executive decides on something like this? Really? I mean goat simulator was meant to be broken, those guys didn’t care if there were bugs, but ea/dice, their attitude is so wrong… Who does that to paying customers and expects them to fork out even more in an industry where they have to be immaculate about their work? Aish…. Haibo… Sorry, this was my rant for today…
SOME_ANGRY_CAPS_LOCK
June 13, 2014 at 21:19
THEN YOU SHOULDNT HAVE STOPPPED MAKING DEMO’S AND HIRE ACTUAL PLAYTESTERS.
Sk3tz0
June 15, 2014 at 13:45
Lol yeah why pay people to test a game. When you can have them buy ur game and then test it.
Sk3tz0
June 14, 2014 at 11:37
Was it not Eric Cartmen that said. “If you pay for a game before its finish all you really get is a fat cock in ur mouth”
Brian Murphy
June 14, 2014 at 15:33
Isn’t it Eric Cartman who also got the townsfolk to March, while saying “Es ist Zeit für Rache. Wir mussen die Juden ausrotten.” (The time for revenge has come. We must exterminate the Jews.)
Not entirely sure one should be basing one’s life decisions on the sociopathic rantings of a Cartoon 4th grader heh.
Sk3tz0
June 14, 2014 at 23:54
He is not socuopathic he is just misunderstood
Brian Murphy
June 15, 2014 at 00:34
Misunderstood indeed 😉
Sk3tz0
June 15, 2014 at 20:17
I see nothing wrong with that, like i said poor misundertood Cartmen
1whiteguy
June 15, 2014 at 05:01
And fools will happily hand that cash over. Gamers aren’t the smartest bunch