What is early access? How buying an unfinished game works, and the risks

Early access, also called alpha access or game preview, means paying for a game before it is finished. The developer uses that money to keep working on it, and players report bugs and suggest changes along the way. It is very common among indie studios and is often combined with crowdfunding.

How it works on Steam

Valve launched Steam Early Access on March 20, 2013, with 12 games. In November 2014 it tightened the rules: games must be in a playable alpha or beta state, set clear expectations for the final product and come from a developer who plans to keep working on them and can afford to finish. If you buy one, the playtime limits of Steam’s refund policy still apply.

What you gain

• You play much earlier than everyone else
• Your feedback can shape the game
• You usually receive the final version, sometimes with extras such as your name in the credits

What can go wrong

Not every game reaches version 1.0. A 2014 study found that only a quarter of Steam Early Access titles had been released as full games, and some stay unfinished for years. Valve removed Earth: Year 2066 and refunded buyers after judging its marketing dishonest.

Games that made it

Hades spent nearly two years in early access, Besiege about five before its 2020 release and Scum seven before its full launch in 2025. Ark: Survival Evolved sold over a million copies in its first month of early access, and Fortnite had a paid early access period of nearly three years.