Poll: Should game publishers sell the Alpha & Beta versions of a game?

[warlordofpeace]

Alpha & Beta, should they get sold like the "finished" product? It seems like a good idea, right? They could rake in some more money but at the same time possibly lose money. For an example, people who buy the alpha or beta version might not buy the full game ether because it's all they really need or because money, but at the same time it could get people into buying the full game with all the bells and whistles.

"Well it would be a bad financial decision to sell the Alpha & Beta version at full price". Well of course, but what if we sold them at a reduced price? The Alpha version could be sold at 1/4 or maybe 3/8 the price of the full finished game, and the beta could be sold at 1/2 or maybe 3/4 of the price of the full finished game. So a full price would be $60, Alpha would be $15-$25, and beta would be $30-45. They could also give people who buy the alpha and or the beta version a discount, 20%-40% for those who desided to get both, and 10%-30% for those who got ether one but not both.

"What about updates?" What they can do is make it so that Alpha could update, but only up to the point the Beta version comes out, and same with Beta, only updates till the full finished game comes out. So people who stick to the Alpha wouldn't get as much out of the game as the Beta player & those who buy the full game. Also they would have to deal with more bugs than the Beta players & those who buy the full game. Same with Beta players wouldn't get as much and more bugs than those who buy the full game.

So should they sell Alpha & Beta versions of a game? Would you buy the Alpha and or Beta version game if they where cheaper, but with more bugs?

 

[Zhukov]

I fine with it.

After all, those Kickstarter projects that folks are going gaga over often basically consist of buying a game that doesn't even exist yet, let alone one that's in Alpha/Beta

Just so long as they make it really damn clear that people are paying for an incomplete game.

Fortunately most developers are actually eager to make that very clear, since they want to avoid outrage. Bad news spreads faster then venereal disease. Hell, most developers are scared to even release a less-than-perfect trailer in this age of the rather whiny online hive mind. That's why a lot of trailers have "DOES NOT REPRESENT FINISHED PRODUCT, PLEASE DON'T HURT US, WE HAVE CHILDREN TO FEED" plastered across them.

 

[shrekfan246]

Uh... considering Alpha builds usually don't even have all of the features planned to be implemented into the final game, and often don't even have fully finished levels/mechanics, no, probably not. Unless upgrading to Beta/Full Release were done for $5 or so, then maybe I could see it being... well, at least not ridiculously insane. If the Alpha version is free, the cost to upgrade could be higher I suppose, but wow, this is making my head hurt.

I'll have to agree with Topaz here. Considering how many games hit shelves on release day with game-breaking bugs and massive, hilarious glitches, I'd say we're already paying for Beta versions most of the time.

 

[Ljs1121]

I don't think I'd spend money on an alpha or a beta unless it looked like something so amazingly awesome that every second that went by without me playing said alpha/beta resulted in a part of me dying.

Since no game has ever struck that chord with me yet, though, I'll say no.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I fine with it.

Just so long as they make it really damn clear that people are paying for an incomplete game.

My opinion is this. ^^^

As long as people know without a doubt that they are purchasing a sometimes vastly incomplete product and are more funding development than buying a finished work, I don't see any issue with it. But it's gotta be clear not only that it's not done but it should also be clear just how done/not done it is.

 

[Rawne1980]

Alpha & Beta, should they get sold like the "finished" product? It seems like a good idea, right? They could rake in some more money but at the same time possibly lose money. For an example, people who buy the alpha or beta version might not buy the full game ether because it's all they really need or because money, but at the same time it could get people into buying the full game with all the bells and whistles.

Hold on here....

You mean sell alpha and beta and then pay AGAIN for the full game?

I say they should go for it.

I run out of people to openly point and laugh at sometimes and any numpty willing to pay twice for a game is a prime candidate for some aimed giggling.

 

[warlordofpeace]

Alpha & Beta, should they get sold like the "finished" product? It seems like a good idea, right? They could rake in some more money but at the same time possibly lose money. For an example, people who buy the alpha or beta version might not buy the full game ether because it's all they really need or because money, but at the same time it could get people into buying the full game with all the bells and whistles.

Hold on here....

You mean sell alpha and beta and then pay AGAIN for the full game?

I say they should go for it.

I run out of people to openly point and laugh at sometimes and any numpty willing to pay twice for a game is a prime candidate for some aimed giggling.

Like i stated with some discount, maybe with a future DLC, or some other benefit for doing so.
Or take your route, that would benefit everyone else.

 

[skywolfblue]

We're pretty much there already, with developers selling exclusive "Buy this thing (usually something crappy) and get in the beta to our NextBigGame?!".

I am very opposed to it. Developers should be paying their testers, not the other way around. I wouldn't pay money on a bug-ridden halfassed beta, even for a game that I wanted. I seem to be in the minority on this though. Oh well, I guess some people just have money to burn.

 

[Joccaren]

Nope. Alpha's and Beta's should be free demos of the game to see if you'll enjoy it, and then the final game is what you buy and has all content for you to play with.
The exception to this is games like Minecraft where the Beta is basically just the game in all but name, and slowly gets updated to the "Full Release".

 

[Windcaler]

They kind of already do this. Minecraft was the most popular kind of game where it was released in its beta? stage at a reduced price and eventually people got the completed product. To buy minecraft costs more then it did in its beta state I believe.

By definition alpha and beta versions of the games are test versions where developers can make various improvments, fix bugs, fix exploits, etc. Selling these versions after the release of the finished product can hurt a game and a franchises name. So no I dont think they should sell them purely because many gamers cant differentiate between beta and full version

 

[warlordofpeace]

I wasn't talking about demos where you get to play one thing and maybe something else. I meant you get to experience most of the full game but with a lot more bugs and things here and things wouldn't be here & there that the full game would have.

They kind of already do this. Minecraft

There is a reason why I used the price 60 dollars.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

-snip-

No.

Why? Because a publisher would find a way to fuck this up enhance their revenue stream.

The way Notch and Kickstarter does it is fine by me but paying for (and receiving) a game in instalments doesn't sound fun.

 

[hazabaza1]

Not for full price, fuck no.
If it's a lot cheaper than full price and we get free access to future updates and stuff, sure, but I'm not paying £30-£40 for an unfinished, possibly never finished product.

 

[Another]

Pay for beta assess and eventually the final game isn't terribly uncommon. I paid for Minecraft and Path of Exile, so I voted yes.

BUT! They should not be sold at full price, and need to be clearly labeled and stated to be alpha's and beta's. I also don't think it should be on steam or other sites that sell full releases. Ideally, the process should be conducted from the game's site. It also needs to come with getting the full game eventually, beta/alpha only is dumb.

 

[Nexxis]

I don't mind it as long as they're not advertising it like it's the finished product. I also prefer if they sell it at a reduced price and/or you get perks (like pre-order perks) for, essentially being an unpaid tester for their game.

 

[janjotat]

I don't mind it as long as they're not advertising it like it's the finished product. I also prefer if they sell it at a reduced price and/or you get perks (like pre-order perks) for, essentially being an unpaid tester for their game.

exactly this but I wish the devs would listen to the community more and take their suggestions

 

[Candidus]

I think the current system of distributing alphas and betas works fine. A company gives you access to the alpha or beta in return for your pre-order. This gives the very bored and impatient earlier access to the product, and gives the company a higher public profile and the money to keep developing.

 

[Folji]

It's worked in the past so it's definitely gonna happen again more than once over the coming years... not sure if I really like it all that much, though! Its nice to get involved early and see how something grows, but who's gonna say the developers won't just go all laid-back and slacking on putting out an actual release when they've already made a profit with the unfinished product? Really cynical way to look at it, but still!

For all people swoon over Minecraft all the time, I got into the game during the pre-alpha and bought it when it started pre-release sales, but the state of the final version kind of left me a bit disappointed. It just didn't feel like a full game yet, but more like "screw it, it's been long enough, I think it's safe to 1.0 it and up the price tag now".

 

[Glaciatedhands]

If it's a big budget game or new IP and it's not going to be our for a while -cough-halflife3-cough- then releasing an alpha, even if it is buggy, can tell the audience that
A. Tell the players that the game is coming
B. Give a general idea of the game
If the company produces a way to give feedback then things such as bugs and glitches can be found early, The metrics of the game can be picked up for the company to balance and alter how the game works depending on how people play.
However, as a full priced game? No.
Either you pay full price and get the final product for free
or
You pay a small portion of the price and get the final product for cheaper