Early access

Early access is a way of selling a game while it is still being developed, so players can buy and play an unfinished version and the developer can shape the rest with their feedback.

On Steam, Early Access is a label a developer applies to a game that is not finished. Valve describes its purpose as letting developers sell a game during development while telling buyers it should be treated as unfinished. The store page carries a section in which the developer explains the game’s current state, its plans and how long it expects development to take.

Valve’s rules for developers set limits on how the label can be used. A game must be playable when it enters Early Access; the program is not meant as crowdfunding for an idea, nor for a game that is already complete. Developers are told not to promise specific future features or dates, and to warn players about problems such as saves that may stop working after updates. The price on Steam cannot be higher than on other stores.

For a buyer the practical meaning is risk. You pay for the game as it is today, with the developer’s plans as an intention, not a guarantee. Reading the developer’s own description of the current state, and the recent patch notes, says more about what you will get than the trailer does.

Early access games follow the ordinary Steam refund rule: 14 days from purchase and less than 2 hours of play. Being unfinished does not extend it. See our guide to Steam refunds.

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