POE 2 early access paywall

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Ispita#4020 wrote:

It is a soft release. The game is released and ready to be played. It is just a marketing naming.

Is it? Half the acts and classes are missing.

Ah, but it's the endgame that matters :)

I wouldn't call this a soft release... it's a release. The amount of hype and interest makes this a big fat release, actually, and the official 'release' will be more like a big DLC.

The term predatory is being thrown about in this thread often enough that I think some don't know what predatory means.

Both the buyer and seller know exactly what they are buying and selling. GGG offers early access to POE2 for a price, and the buyer gains access to POE2. There isn't anything hidden in that transaction or held back. Both parties opt into the transaction without coercion and consumers can opt to not buy it without any notable loss other than gaining early access to a game that they can access later without spending a dime if they so choose.

Predatory requires some form of coercion, monopoly, deceit or knowingly taking advantage of a party that doesn't know any better or has no other choice.

A good example of predatory is health care in some countries; mine included. Health care isn't something you can always opt out of and it's not something you can shop around easily. It's a monopoly in the sense that emergencies send you to the closest hospital and your options are pay the price or potentially die. It doesn't even require you to be dying immediately. Hospitals have no competition and have no reason to reduce or negotiate prices. Pay or die. Predatory. There is a reason why so many bankruptcies are caused by health care -- because people have no choice.

A less dire example being someone who has no transportation options that needs to buy a car for their job (or whatever) but has no credit so they are forced to take on a 30% car loan. That one does still require both sides to opt in but one side doesn't really feel like they have a choice if absolutely need transportation for something.

GGG isn't doing anything predatory here. I would argue what they're doing enables people with less to still enjoy the game that otherwise couldn't afford it. It's much closer to altruistic than predatory. Before anyone jumps on that comment, the key part of that comment is proximity to the meaning. Of course they are not altruistic.

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AlvinL_#4492 wrote:

Ah, but it's the endgame that matters :)

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Xyel#0284 wrote:

I wouldn't call this a soft release... it's a release. The amount of hype and interest makes this a big fat release, actually, and the official 'release' will be more like a big DLC.

Just because what matters to you or what you would call it, doesn't mean it is true or real.

Game is not finished yet, we miss 3 acts and some classes. I would reckon we miss some endgame too.
That is why the game is in beta, and that is why we got "early access" - stuff needs to be tested on a large scale.
It is not even a soft release since we still do not have all options nor will characters be kept after early access ends, everything is deleted and reset.


There is a reason why you need to buy a supporter pack to get the access.
IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT THE GAME, you can buy $30 pack and play test it.
If you do not want to do that, then you have to either get the key, or wait for the release.

You are only entitled to the stuff GGG gives you. Nothing more nothing less.
They could have easily priced it $60 since is a brand new game.

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Xyel#0284 wrote:

I wouldn't call this a soft release... it's a release. The amount of hype and interest makes this a big fat release, actually, and the official 'release' will be more like a big DLC.

It is not because a lot of hype is being generated by streamers, that this is a release? No it is not. It is just an early access. Similar to poe 1. You can call a cat a dog if you like but scientifically a cat is not a dog.

POE 1 had closed beta in 2012. Open beta in 2013 and the real official launch was end of 2013.

So...my take on this is that the game is no longer free to play. Either you need to have spent $480 in the past on POE1 or drop 30 now. Basically, its a 30 dollar buy to play like any other ARPG.

With that said, it'll be free once the game launches (projected 2025, probably late 2025?). But I'd reckon *most* players who are playing at official launch will be playing on December 6 and can only do so by spending $$.

POE2 is not free to play. *yet*.

To the OP point, yah Im sure they see the dollar signs with this move. Pay us $$ to play now, and then keep buying supporter packs until the game really launches. While you play now, its really just beta and youre testing for us. Sounds like Blizzard and D4. We beta tested the game at launch and provided feedback for a year before it became playable and semi enjoyable. After having bought the game.

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cesmode#5569 wrote:

So...my take on this is that the game is no longer free to play. Either you need to have spent $480 in the past on POE1 or drop 30 now. Basically, its a 30 dollar buy to play like any other ARPG.

With that said, it'll be free once the game launches (projected 2025, probably late 2025?). But I'd reckon *most* players who are playing at official launch will be playing on December 6 and can only do so by spending $$.

POE2 is not free to play. *yet*.

To the OP point, yah Im sure they see the dollar signs with this move. Pay us $$ to play now, and then keep buying supporter packs until the game really launches. While you play now, its really just beta and youre testing for us. Sounds like Blizzard and D4. We beta tested the game at launch and provided feedback for a year before it became playable and semi enjoyable. After having bought the game.

Good thing POE2 is not out yet so it cannot even be free to play. When it comes out it will be.

Until then, we have half a game in a beta. Just because a lot of people will buy supporter pack and play early access, does not change it in any way, shape or form. It is still early access and not an official release of the game.

People must be really new on the internet. This has always been like this with a lot of f2p games. They soft release it but it is an actual relese already. The game is ready to be played no matter the amount of content it has. Do you think the amount of people that will buy EA probably half a million at least are just there to "help test the game" come on this is a soft release. Don't jump around the bushes. I'm not saying it is bad or not but this has always been like this. If you are around for a long time you clearly see it. No matter the marketing name early access/open beta anything this is essentially the same thing. Only thing matters is that it has a price tag or not.

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Ispita#4020 wrote:

People must be really new on the internet. This has always been like this with a lot of f2p games. They soft release it but it is an actual relese already. The game is ready to be played no matter the amount of content it has. Do you think the amount of people that will buy EA probably half a million at least are just there to "help test the game" come on this is a soft release. Don't jump around the bushes. I'm not saying it is bad or not but this has always been like this. If you are around for a long time you clearly see it. No matter the marketing name early access/open beta anything this is essentially the same thing. Only thing matters is that it has a price tag or not.

Again, just because you see it that way, does not change what it is.
It is not even a soft release, let alone a full one.
No full campaign, no all classes and ascendancies, everything will be deleted after early access ends (and probably few times in between).

Game was ready to play 10 years ago since it started as a upgrade to PoE 1...
I do not care about number of people that will or will not play it as that is irrelevant. Nor do I care about marketing or their naming.
Game is not full feature = not a full release.

That is like saying you can drive car with only 2 tires installed if you balance it properly and calling it soft release since it is usable and car is driveable! ("The game is ready to be played no matter the amount of content it has")

I think the issue stems from your viewpoint of this being soft release. It is not. Game is not out yet, nor is it feature complete. Paying 30 dollars is optional, just as it is optional to play the early access.