GOG Unveils Its "Hand-Picked" Early Access Program

[StewShearerOld]

GOG Unveils Its "Hand-Picked" Early Access Program

//cdn.themis-media.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/1262/1262922.png
GOG's "Games in Development" program will offer customers DRM-free early access titles.

Back <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134604-GOG-Considers-Adding-Early-Access-Program>in May 2014, GOG revealed that it was considering launching its own Early Access program to help bolster its library of games. Today, it finally and formally entered the Early Access ring.

In an announcement on <a href=https://www.gog.com/news/introducing_games_in_development>its site, GOG confirmed that it has added a selection of "Games in Development" titles that its customer can now purchase and play. Immediately attempting to contrast itself with larger competitors like the Steam, the company also affirmed that it would only be selling In Development titles that it feels to be worthy of gamer's money. "We're hand-picking only the games we can truly stand behind," said the site's announcement. "Offering a selection of the most promising titles, and those most highly requested on the Community Wishlist, is our way of avoiding bloat and ensuring that every game will be worth your time." The opening round of releases is currently on sale at a discounted rate and includes the following:

Starbound
Ashes of the Singularity
Project Zomboid
TerraTech
The Curious Expedition

GOG would go on to confirm that its already existing 14-day "no-questions-asked" <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/130338-GOG-Launches-New-Guaranteed-Refund-Policy>refund policy will extend to its In Development games. GOG customers using its Galaxy client will also be able to roll back their games to earlier versions if they decide they don't like additions made by the developers. As per the rest of its catalog, all of GOG's In Development titles will also be DRM-free.

Source: <a href=https://www.gog.com/news/introducing_games_in_development>GOG
[gallery=5542]

Permalink

 

[Erttheking]

Hand picked? Probably for the best. Don't want to flood GOG the way steam did.

 

[InsanityRequiem]

Hand picked? Probably for the best. Don't want to flood GOG the way steam did.

And if anything, since it?s handpicked, I?d expect GOG to get some form of contractual ?We will finish the game? type of statement from the devs. In some form to prevent continual/unfinished Early Access games.

 

[The Enquirer]

Oooh, indie titles with quality control! What a time to be alive.

 

[Jburton9]

I have some games that I Kickstarted awhile ago and they are "still in development". One example is Starbound, it has been over two years and it still has not released.

I understand the business side of things in that if GOG does not offer the same competitive option in the marketplace, they stand only to lose potential money.

I get that, but what is lost along the way of profits over everything else? GOG policy is a two week refund but how does that work with a game that goes off into development hell like we have all seen so many times where we either get dumped on or it never finishes?

 

[webkilla]

Starbound?

...but that thing has been in beta for years by now - its one of those games that just scream "we had a neat idea but this will never be finished"

 

[Riotguards]

Hand picked? Probably for the best. Don't want to flood GOG the way steam did.

And if anything, since it?s handpicked, I?d expect GOG to get some form of contractual ?We will finish the game? type of statement from the devs. In some form to prevent continual/unfinished Early Access games.

I think i can vouch on TerraTech being finished, went to london comic con and talked with the devs, they're really passionate and pretty swell people (well i talked with one but quite a bit)

 

[Arnoxthe1]

I do fear thouh that GoG may just accidentally bury itself in the incoming load of terrible and unfinished early access games and they won't be able to keep up.

 

[kekkres]

Starbound?

...but that thing has been in beta for years by now - its one of those games that just scream "we had a neat idea but this will never be finished"

i mean to be fair at least they actually work on it, they post progress updates weekly and have been going for semireguler updates to the stable build for a while now, we know that the game is actually being made even if it might never be done, which is far better than a lot of early access games can say.