"AAA publishers are abusing Early Access," RPG dev says, and Steam games like Subnautica 2 and Path of Exile have warped "the landscape and players' expectations"

Denis Dyack, CEO of Apocalypse Studios, argues that AAA publishers are abusing the Early Access model, leading to skewed player expectations that disadvantage independent developers. He cites Subnautica 2 and Path of Exile as examples of games that have changed the landscape, making it harder for smaller teams like his own with Deadhaus Sonata to gain market impact. While acknowledging Early Access's potential for experimentation, Dyack believes its current use by large publishers undermines its collaborative purpose.

• Entities
• Person: Denis Dyack
• Person: Ethan McKinnon
• Company: Silicon Knights
• Topic: Early Access
• Topic: Player Expectations
• Game: Path of Exile
• Topic: Game Development
• Game: Deadhaus Sonata
• Person: Anthony Gallegos
• Company: Apocalypse Studios
• Game: Subnautica