Planetary Annihilation: Early Access Edition Available Now!

True agree

Besides, remember the main point of that, is every time there is a game crash, they have the server crash on their servers, so they have the log and can read it out to see what common crashes occur for players.

That helps them focus their game development, what to optimize and fix first if you will. That is what makes it worth it during early access. Once there is very few reports of crashes, and all the features players could need, and a functioning server side that is coherent enough for the typical person to understand and operate, then they don't need the servers for bugtracking anymore, they can send that baby out into the wild.

Oh dear god... please do NOT tell me that the only way to get that absolutely EPIC looking commander is to buy the game again...

Yep, it is

The Armalisk look and sounds like the hydralisk from starcraft

This thing is misleading as hell, unless i'm misunderstanding the hole thing.

You can buy the game physically but it's not a finished game. That is by far not what people will expect. If people see a game in a store they even more expect it's a finished product, this is going to create a terrible shitstorm!

What on earth are you doing Uber, is the money problem getting bigger and bigger because it reeks like it.

Welp, there's already one worthless review on Amazon. "can't scroll the planets by holding right click, the traditional method" 2/5 stars.

http://www.amazon.com/review/RQVMVM9CAEY7B/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00K8PWIWK

If you look at the packaging, there's a massive yellow banner that clearly says "early access game."

Yeah but people don't know what this means if they buy it in a store, your the world first who is going to sell an unfinished product physically in a store.............................don't you see the consequence the **** is gonna have, or am i just being so smart

Noooooooooooooooo... I can't stand seeing a grayed out commander in the armory, but at the same time I don't want to spend even more money on this game...

Edit: I just looked at the armory, and we can buy the $1000 level custom commanders!?!? WTF Uber, I thought those would be exclusive to the people who paid as well as 5 friends! (Also christ, $10-$15 for a commander?)

Believe it or not, there are people out there who don't like to buy things online, but at the same time, they're willing to have the same early access experience that you are currently having. This is a boxed set for them.

Also, how is pioneering new sales practice in a world of dying gamestop and a deathdate marked on their calendar, an obvious case of money trouble?

They are just trying to, as I said above, collect "preorders" that also include "early access". Because currently, online, if you buy, you get instant access and full game access on release. Well, if you find that box in stores, without using a credit card, you can buy at the counter, the instant access with full game on release.

Currently, tons of people sale a game as preorder, without even giving anything until release. Then, to bolster new sales instead of used sales, they offer a new sales bonus like a dlc or something. Now, Uber is offering the "account", "instant early access", and "the Armalisk Commander" for preorder. It is still a physical copy sale, and a preorder for that physical copy, but gamma access in current state is a "preorder bonus".

And the account is used for early access, but it isn't necessary on release because you have physical copy and offline play. HOWEVER, the account is STILL a bonus as it provides updates for the life of the game and stat tracking and modding ease and matchmaking and such.

Yeah, another way to think of this is like a pre-order that you can actually play.

Also keep in mind that we were always going to do a boxed edition. Take a look at the kickstarter. Why wouldn't we sell it in stores if we are making it anyway? Boxed PC games are mostly dying but doesn't everyone want a box for their shelf? I do!

As for doing an early access box we love trying out new things. As far as I know this is yet another new thing we are trying that nobody else has done. I like being out front.

Cool, a new thing for people to complain about! Balance is sooooooo last month.

But, but, but, ethics and stuff...

Don't you know that if you can play the Pre-order it's not alright, if you can't play it then it's fine.

Or something like that...I don't know...

It's brave and bold at the same time, but you are going to catch the speer in the chest and bleed. It's a risky decision, but hey it's your company. I wish you luck ^^

As usual, it is better than following another successful model without planning.

This sounds well planned as far as recognition of the way game sales are changing.

Nowadays, the only phyiscal sales, are consoles, and that is just this one generation, Xbox almost started phasing it out anyway but chicken'd out at the negativity around it. They got boo'd, yet Steam has been doing the same thing to PC games for years before, you buy a game at Best Buy for the PC and the bloody box is empty.

This takes the best of both worlds. An offline copy, with earlier access to the game online only until release, a unique commander for "new sales", a physical offline copy on release, and online account support post-release.

It is like, if steam games, gave you a physical copy, incentive to buy "new", and incentive to use online without requiring it.

The interesting thing, is unlike other steam games, you can show your friends easier, which means post-release sales might be stronger than most games because the eyewitness friends of players will decide to buy.

Many years ago I saw stuff like trial versions of wow boxed in some store. A trial version of a game that only works completely online in a box. Dunno, don't think it is that bad if it has a big sign, and PA has a pretty big sign indeed.

I am pretty positive that there actually is absolutely no way to hack into the game for free. Apart from rewriting the whole server, in which case you could just develop your whole own game anyway.

Maybe I'm dense but I don't see much in the way of failure mode for us here.