Why did they put the actual release date behind a pay wall?

[Tech]

Really despise companies that still do this practice.

Still stoked to play, I'll get the game 5 days late and play, just sooooo stupid that they still put release dates behind $20 dollar pay walls. Money gouging losers.

[RobbenDuMarsch]

You may wish to wait for some reviews of late game content, or lack thereof, before making a purchase.

[Captain Worthy]

Those who go for the 5 day early release are placed on separate servers than those who get the game on launch day, so things are more fair than they may seem at first glance.

[Cheyenesku]

Originally posted by Tech:

Really despise companies that still do this practice.

Still stoked to play, I'll get the game 5 days late and play, just sooooo stupid that they still put release dates behind $20 dollar pay walls. Money gouging losers.

They admitted that early access is to test the servers and get them ready for launch, those who bought the 5 days access will stress test it. It will still be kinda bad, but thats expected for online games. They should do free open beta instead or also to see how servers perform with lots of people in my opinion.
Why companies forgot about open beta tests?

[Boomerang]

So don't pay it. You will get the same game and will be able to play on fresh new empty servers when you start on the 20th. Zero difference.

[Kyutaru]

Originally posted by Cheyenesku:

Why companies forgot about open beta tests?

People showed they were willing to pay for them. Have you seen Ashes of Creation? Or the Kickstarter campaigns? People have forked over thousands of dollars to test a product. It's almost like you don't even have to pay someone else to do it anymore. Though rest assured, there are still testers for games like this or they'd be even buggier and less playable than what the beta testers are receiving. But those tests tend to be much more secretive, rarely reported or public, and use friends and family or professional game testers for their services. All software needs rigorous testing.

[RobbenDuMarsch]

Originally posted by Cheyenesku:

Why companies forgot about open beta tests?

They haven't. Most companies make a decision to either have an open beta test, or not, depending on if they think this will be profitable for them.

One may infer that Funcom has decided to monetize the game with a flat fee, without public preview of the game prior to launch, for a reason.

[🕹️Mr.Griffin]

Originally posted by Tech:

Really despise companies that still do this practice.

Still stoked to play, I'll get the game 5 days late and play, just sooooo stupid that they still put release dates behind $20 dollar pay walls. Money gouging losers.

Be happy, we will stress test the servers for you!

And for the extra 20 bucks, we will experience delays, issues, problems, messed up account names, disconnections, and more! All of that for the sweet price of 20 bucks extra.

We all know that I will be happy if I can even play for one day without issues. And all of that is because we have faith in Funcom and want to help them make it the best game ever and prepare the servers for the big public launch, namely, for you, my friend!

And in the case that it all works like a charm, we will be very happy from the start, won't we? And play for 5 days instead of 1, because I think Funcom will have us covered, but you never know, do you?

[hypehype]

People actually proud of being paid beta tester, pathetic.

At op,

Go read the T and C of advance access, it does not count towards Steam's 14 day/2 hour policy. You can play the game as much as you want during advance access then refund the game on release day

[(J)]

Originally posted by hypehype:

People actually proud of being paid beta tester, pathetic.

At op,

Go read the T and C of advance access, it does not count towards Steam's 14 day/2 hour policy. You can play the game as much as you want during advance access then refund the game on release day

I already played it. So in my case I am deciding if I want to play 5 days earlier or later (plus cosmetics if I want them). I already know I like the game.

[Partyrock]

If their progress isn't wiped at the 5 day mark, then it's P2W. You can't do "early access" in an MMO unless the progress is separated. Maybe put them on different servers? I doubt any of that is going to happen tho. I'm considering skipping now. Damn. The best part of MMOs is launch.

[(J)]

Originally posted by Partyrock:

If their progress isn't wiped at the 5 day mark, then it's P2W. You can't do "early access" in an MMO unless the progress is separated. Maybe put them on different servers? I doubt any of that is going to happen tho.

You are correct. This is what was stated.

5 day start goes on one set of servers.

Regular start goes on another set of servers.

[Partyrock]

Originally posted by (J):

Originally posted by Partyrock:

If their progress isn't wiped at the 5 day mark, then it's P2W. You can't do "early access" in an MMO unless the progress is separated. Maybe put them on different servers? I doubt any of that is going to happen tho.

You are correct. This is what was stated.

5 day start goes on one set of servers.

Regular start goes on another set of servers.

oh! Damn nice. Ok happy to hear that, thank you!

[ThugDragonz]

NOT looking soooooo good..... IF that is true about the bigger area being one server. https://youtu.be/8Fwv1kleMzk?si=V2eqybksUTsreK-n&t=1050

[N3tRunn3r]

Originally posted by ThugDragonz:

NOT looking soooooo good..... IF that is true about the bigger area being one server. https://youtu.be/8Fwv1kleMzk?si=V2eqybksUTsreK-n&t=1050

he is not correct about the Deep Desert connection to the early head starters. it is like this as stated officially by Funcom ::
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1172710/discussions/0/595142571487960595/?ctp=2#c604150170601458877

1. Early Access EU Server #1

   1000's of players
   1 Deep Desert map for all shards on this server combined !!
   
   
   • Shard #1 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #2 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #3 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #5 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #10 (< 100 players)
   
   all shards of an "isolated" region server exclusively inter-connect to a single Deep Desert map, this is where all players of all shards of this server connect together and so acts truly as a MMO here
   
   

2. Early Access EU Server #2

   1000's of players
   1 Deep Desert map for all shards on this server combined !!
   
   
   • Shard #1 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #2 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #3 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #5 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #10 (< 100 players)
   
   all shards of an "isolated" region server exclusively inter-connect to a single Deep Desert map, this is where all players of all shards of this server connect together and so acts truly as a MMO here
   
   

3. Early Access US Server #1

   1000's of players
   1 Deep Desert map for all shards on this server combined !!
   
   
   • Shard #1 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #2 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #3 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #5 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #10 (< 100 players)
   
   all shards of an "isolated" region server exclusively inter-connect to a single Deep Desert map, this is where all players of all shards of this server connect together and so acts truly as a MMO here
   
   

4. Early Access US Server #2

   1000's of players
   1 Deep Desert map for all shards on this server combined !!
   
   
   • Shard #1 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #2 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #3 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #5 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #10 (< 100 players)
   
   all shards of an "isolated" region server exclusively inter-connect to a single Deep Desert map, this is where all players of all shards of this server connect together and so acts truly as a MMO here
   
   

5. Release EU Server #1

   1000's of players
   1 Deep Desert map for all shards on this server combined !!
   
   
   • Shard #1 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #2 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #3 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #5 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #10 (< 100 players)
   
   all shards of an "isolated" region server exclusively inter-connect to a single Deep Desert map, this is where all players of all shards of this server connect together and so acts truly as a MMO here
   
   

6. Release EU Server #2

   1000's of players
   1 Deep Desert map for all shards on this server combined !!
   
   
   • Shard #1 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #2 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #3 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #5 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #10 (< 100 players)
   
   all shards of an "isolated" region server exclusively inter-connect to a single Deep Desert map, this is where all players of all shards of this server connect together and so acts truly as a MMO here
   
   

7. Release US Server #1

   1000's of players
   1 Deep Desert map for all shards on this server combined !!
   
   
   • Shard #1 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #2 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #3 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #5 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #10 (< 100 players)
   
   all shards of an "isolated" region server exclusively inter-connect to a single Deep Desert map, this is where all players of all shards of this server connect together and so acts truly as a MMO here
   
   

8. Release US Server #2

   1000's of players
   1 Deep Desert map for all shards on this server combined !!
   
   
   • Shard #1 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #2 (< 100 players)
     
   • Shard #3 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #5 (< 100 players)
     . . .
     
   • Shard #10 (< 100 players)
   
   all shards of an "isolated" region server exclusively inter-connect to a single Deep Desert map, this is where all players of all shards of this server connect together and so acts truly as a MMO here

so you see, the 5 days head starters will have their own isolated Deep Desert .. as each Deep Desert is exclusively available to a single region server with all its shards / dimensions .. this has even be announced at current official stream .. and generally last year in summer

for example the "Early Access EU Server #1" with all its shards and its exclusive single Deep Desert is not inter-connected / crossover-connected with "Early Access EU Server #2" and its exclusive Deep Desert map, not to mention to US #1 or to whatelse

If the head starters want to play on a "Release Server", they need to create a fresh new character and progress. equal chances for everyone ... and i think the release players can create a character at the early access servers, in this way you are 5 days late for sure then ..

additionally rumors tell the Deep Desert map is 9x times as big as the full Conan Exiles map, what is sure to tell is as the Deep Desert map is completely wiped once a week .. just check the links above ..

[Psiotic™]

Originally posted by Tech:

Really despise companies that still do this practice.

Still stoked to play, I'll get the game 5 days late and play, just sooooo stupid that they still put release dates behind $20 dollar pay walls. Money gouging losers.

Funcom hasn't done anything innovative since Anarchy Online.
I fear this is going to be a little of what all their other games are, with very little new to consider. The graphics look the same as Secret World, along with animations.
I get the vibe this is a massive money grab before Funcom sails off into the sunset.
I do hope I'm wrong and they're doing something that's akin to AO back in the day.

If they were concerned about making something long lasting, they'd reboot their AO IP, which would garner a grand number of players both old and new.

Let's hope I'm wrong...