Summary
Just like any other part of the entertainment industry, creating video games, at the end of the day, is a business. Unfortunately, this often leads to some pretty predatory business practices from some of the top publishers. While things likedisc-locked content, microtransactions, and loot boxeshave all been tackled in one way or another, there are still plenty of unsavory business practices currently in use in the gaming industry, some of which are still adopted by even the most well-known developers and publishers.
The notion of apremium edition of a gamehas been around for decades now, and while it isn’t inherently a bad thing, it can easily lead to some pretty big issues. At its best, a premium edition can offer fans a ton of bonus digital content and physical goodies for just a few extra dollars, rewarding the most loyal fans for their continued support. But at its worst, a premium edition can pressure fans into spending much more money on a game just so they don’t miss out on vital experiences, and that’s exactly what this new wave of premium edition early access does.
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Premium Edition Early Access Needs to Stop
Offering an early access period as part of a more expensive special edition is unfortunately nothing new for the gaming industry. Some of the most heinous examples of this business practice come from EA’s output over the last few years, with game franchises likeBattlefieldandFIFAboth offering several days of early access if players drop another $30-50 on a special edition of the game. And while EA is the most prevalent publisher doing this right now, it isn’t alone, and it’s never a good idea to follow in EA’s footsteps when it comes to consumer practices.
The last few weeks have seen three high-profile, highly-anticipated games adopt this latest trend. At the start of the month,Starfieldlet players spend an extra $35 to upgrade their copy of the game to the Premium Edition. The biggest benefit of this upgrade was that it gave players five days early access to the game.Mortal Kombat 1just offered the same deal, giving players five days of early access if they dropped $40 on its premium edition upgrade. And now,Payday 3has just become another example of this new early access trend, giving players just three days of early access for $30.
While all of these premium edition upgrades also come with various digital bonuses like additional in-game cosmetics, extra missions, and future DLC expansions, the biggest draw of these upgrades is undeniably the ability to play each game early. This is especially true for games likeStarfieldandMortal Kombat 1, which have been two of the anticipated games of the entire year. Bethesda and NetherRealm knew that their audiences would shell out the extra cash for the chance to pay early, and that definitely feels a little icky.
But what elevates this practice past uncomfortable and more into predatory territory is the context of the modern world. Right now, most Western countries' economies are in shambles, and there’s a cost of living crisis in just about every part of the globe. While a lot of fans will be happy topay the extra $30-40 to get the game early, there are countless fans out there who physically cannot afford that upgrade, and for them, this whole practice feels more like a punishment than an exciting bonus. This gets even worse when the games in question are story-based, as it’s practically impossible for those who can’t upgrade to avoid spoilers in the lead-up to the game’s full release.
