[BLOG] GOG would consider Early Access - except doing it their way
Posted: 20 May 2014, 18:00
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Early Access is one of those topics that's talked about a lot in gaming right now. The pros, the flaws of such a system and where lines ought to be drawn if they're not already. Right now Steam is the only digital-distribution platform that offers Early Access and now GOG are saying that they haven't ruled out doing something similar – only under their own terms.
If they ever offered a system similar to Steam's it would be curated by CD Projekt, says its co-founder Marcin Iwinski, in an attempt to protect consumers from the threat of 'hit and run' early release games. This really doesn't come as a surprise as curation is something that exists on GOG anyway, as they feel that they are responsible for what gets sold to the gamers who come to them looking for games to buy.
Iwinski has said that while the uncurated approach has worked well for Valve with Steam, they would always be going to take any sort of GOG Early Access down the path that GOG has always taken. But it is going to be fair too. “If you’re unhappy [with your purchase] and they’re constantly updating it, that’s fine,” he elaborated. “But if you’re unhappy and they just took your money and ran away like typical hit and run there is somebody who has to be on the hook for it.”
Sounds good. With Steam having recently had to refund all customers of Earth: Year 2066 due to that game's problems and dishonesty from its creators, GOG's idea of 'Early Access' does sound appealing. What do you think?
Early Access is one of those topics that's talked about a lot in gaming right now. The pros, the flaws of such a system and where lines ought to be drawn if they're not already. Right now Steam is the only digital-distribution platform that offers Early Access and now GOG are saying that they haven't ruled out doing something similar – only under their own terms.
If they ever offered a system similar to Steam's it would be curated by CD Projekt, says its co-founder Marcin Iwinski, in an attempt to protect consumers from the threat of 'hit and run' early release games. This really doesn't come as a surprise as curation is something that exists on GOG anyway, as they feel that they are responsible for what gets sold to the gamers who come to them looking for games to buy.
Iwinski has said that while the uncurated approach has worked well for Valve with Steam, they would always be going to take any sort of GOG Early Access down the path that GOG has always taken. But it is going to be fair too. “If you’re unhappy [with your purchase] and they’re constantly updating it, that’s fine,” he elaborated. “But if you’re unhappy and they just took your money and ran away like typical hit and run there is somebody who has to be on the hook for it.”
Sounds good. With Steam having recently had to refund all customers of Earth: Year 2066 due to that game's problems and dishonesty from its creators, GOG's idea of 'Early Access' does sound appealing. What do you think?