- Denis Dyack says some AAA publishers use Early Access more like a marketing beat than a development tool.
- Dyack argues that highly polished Early Access launches are changing what players expect from unfinished games.
- Smaller studios may face higher expectations, while Valve’s rules still require every Early Access game to be playable and transparent about its unfinished state.
Apocalypse Studios CEO Denis Dyack says major publishers are “abusing” Early Access by using it as a marketing beat for highly polished games, arguing that the practice raises player expectations in ways that disadvantage smaller independent developers.
Dyack made the criticism while discussing the changing Early Access market with GamesIndustry, as reported by PC Gamer. His argument is not that large studios should be barred from Early Access, but that near-finished, heavily marketed releases can change what players expect every unfinished game to look like.
Dyack’s Early Access Criticism Is Really About Expectations
Steam’s own rules give the debate useful context. Valve describes Early Access as a place for playable alpha or beta builds that are still being developed with customer feedback. Its documentation also says Early Access is not a pre-purchase, is not simply a crowdfunding mechanism, and should not be used when development is essentially finished and only final bug testing remains.
Dyack’s criticism is that some big-budget projects use Early Access more like a marketing beat than open development. He told GamesIndustry that major publishers can arrive with a polished product and make players expect the same level of finish from much smaller teams.
He pointed to high-profile releases such as Subnautica 2 and Path of Exile while discussing how the landscape has changed. The comparison is about market expectations rather than an allegation that those specific developers broke Steam’s rules.
There is also a counterpoint from within the same discussion. Subnautica 2 creative director Anthony Gallegos said Early Access now covers a much wider range of approaches, from long-term open development to games that are only a few months from 1.0 and use Early Access more like a paid beta or soft launch.
That broader mix can be confusing for players because everything still appears under the same Early Access label. A rough build from a small team can sit next to a highly polished project backed by a large marketing budget, even though the two developers may be using Early Access for very different reasons.
Dyack’s own studio also acknowledged mistakes with Deadhaus Sonata. Creative director Ethan McKinnon said smaller teams are judged against everything else in the marketplace, while Dyack admitted Apocalypse failed to prioritize basic quality and communication properly during its own Early Access launch.
That admission makes the issue less one-sided. Higher player expectations can create real pressure for indies, but studios still need a playable, stable product and clear communication when they ask customers to pay for an unfinished game.
The debate comes down to competing expectations. Dyack believes AAA-style polish and marketing are shifting the bar for smaller teams, while Valve’s own rules still define Early Access as a development tool where customers can influence an unfinished game.
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