Early access done right: how to turn beta players into revenue and advocates

# Early Access Done Right: How to Turn Beta Players Into Revenue and Advocates

Article 7 of 7 | Game Design Insights Series Read Time: 10 min | Monetization & Community | Updated: November 2025

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The early access paradox

The Promise: Launch unfinished, get paid while you develop, build with your community. The Reality:

• 60% of EA games never reach 1.0
• 40% have worse reviews in EA than at launch (should be opposite)
• Only 15% successfully convert EA players to long-term community

But when done right:

• Hades: 2 years EA → GOTY, 5M+ sales
• Valheim: Small team EA → $1M week 1 → 12M+ sales
• V Rising: EA launch → $10M month 1 → 3M+ total sales
• Baldur's Gate 3: 3 years EA → Biggest RPG of decade

The difference: Understanding that EA isn't "launching unfinished"—it's selling access to a development process.

Here's how to do it right.

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Step 1: the ea readiness assessment

The Biggest Mistake: Launching EA because you need money. The Hard Truth: If your game isn't EA-ready, launching won't save it—it'll kill it.

The ea readiness checklist

Core Loop: Must Be Complete (Non-Negotiable)

• [ ] 2-4 hours of polished gameplay exists
• [ ] Core mechanics feel good (not perfect, but good)
• [ ] Players can articulate what the game is about
• [ ] Zero game-breaking bugs in core systems
• [ ] Moment-to-moment gameplay is satisfying

Content: Must Have Foundation

• [ ] Enough content to justify asking price
• [ ] Clear roadmap of what's coming (visible progress path)
• [ ] Systems designed for expansion (not replacement)
• [ ] Save compatibility plan for future updates
• [ ] At least 3-5 hours of content at minimum

Communication: Must Be Ready

• [ ] Discord/community platform set up and active
• [ ] Update schedule planned for 6+ months
• [ ] Feedback collection system ready (not just hoping)
• [ ] Dedicated person for community management (doesn't have to be full-time)
• [ ] Crisis communication plan (for when things go wrong)

Business: Must Be Sustainable

• [ ] Runway for 12+ months of development post-EA launch
• [ ] Pricing strategy defined (see below)
• [ ] Revenue projections based on realistic conversion (not hopeful)
• [ ] Legal/tax structure for receiving payments

Industry case study: hades ea readiness

What Supergiant had at EA launch:

• Complete first zone (Tartarus), fully polished
• 4 weapons, each with distinct feel
• Core combat loop felt amazing
• 3-5 hours of content, replayable
• Clear communication: "This is 20% of final game"

What they didn't have:

• Final zones (added over 2 years)
• Full story (evolved with community)
• All weapons (added based on feedback)

Result: 87% positive reviews in EA, maintained through to 1.0 The lesson: EA-ready doesn't mean feature-complete. It means the foundation is solid.

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Step 2: the ea pricing strategy

The Common Mistake: Pricing EA lower because "it's unfinished." The Better Approach: Price based on current value, use completion % to determine discount.

The ea pricing formula

Full Game Intended Price: $X

Current Completion %: Y%

Base EA Price = X × 0.70 (assume 70% of full value)

EA Discount = (1 - Y) × 0.30 (discount for incompletion)

Launch EA Price = Base EA Price - EA Discount

Example:

• Full game target: $25
• Base EA price: $25 × 0.70 = $17.50
• Completion at EA: 40%
• EA discount: (1 - 0.4) × 30% = 18% off base
• Launch EA price: $17.50 × 0.82 = $14.35
• Round to: $14.99 or $12.99

The price increase strategy

The Psychology: Rising prices create urgency. The Schedule:

EA Launch (30% complete): $12.99

40% complete: $14.99 (+15%)

60% complete: $17.99 (+20%)

80% complete: $19.99 (+11%)

1.0 Release: $24.99 (+25%)

Each increase:

1. Rewards early supporters (they paid less)

2. Creates FOMO for wishlisters (buy now before increase)

3. Signals progress (price = development stage)

Industry examples

V Rising EA Pricing:

• EA launch: $19.99 (game was 50% complete, very polished)
• Justified by quality: Combat felt AAA despite EA
• No price increases during EA (already at target price)
• 1.0 release: Stayed $19.99 (kept promise)
• Result: $10M month 1, players felt it was worth it

Valheim EA Pricing:

• EA launch: $19.99 (game was 30% complete by plan)
• During EA: Stayed $19.99 (under-promised, over-delivered)
• 1.0 release: Still $19.99 (generous to community)
• Result: 12M+ sales, beloved by community

Baldur's Gate 3 EA Pricing:

• EA launch: $59.99 (AAA price, but Act 1 was 25+ hours)
• No price increase during 3-year EA
• Justified by Larian quality and content volume
• Result: Funded massive development, biggest RPG of 2023

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Step 3: the roadmap that sells dreams

Your EA roadmap isn't just a plan—it's a product that sells future value.

The three-tier roadmap structure

Tier 1: Near-Term (1-3 months) - SPECIFIC

Must include:

• Exact features with names
• Screenshots or concept art
• Concrete delivery windows ("February update")
• These are promises—don't list unless 90% sure

Example:

March 2025: The Frozen Wastes Update

• New biome: Frozen Wastes (ice caves, blizzards)
• 3 new enemy types (Ice Wraith, Frost Giant, Snow Drake)
• Cold weather survival mechanics
• 5 new weapons (ice-themed)

Tier 2: Mid-Term (3-9 months) - OUTLINED

Can include:

• Major systems described generally
• Visual concept art (not promises)
• Flexibility for community feedback
• "We're planning..." language

Example:

Summer 2025: Multiplayer & Social Features

• Co-op gameplay (2-4 players planned)
• Shared base building
• PvP arenas (subject to community feedback)
• Friends list and matchmaking

Tier 3: Long-Term (9-18 months) - VISION

Should include:

• High-level goals
• "Dream features" you want to build
• Community-voted content
• Maximum flexibility

Example:

Late 2025 / Early 2026: Endgame & Beyond

• Raid-style boss encounters
• Prestige systems for veteran players
• Mod support and workshop integration
• Community-requested features from feedback

The buffer system (critical)

Never promise what you can't deliver:

Internal Plan: Ship Feature X in March

Roadmap Promise: Ship Feature X in "Q1" or "Early 2025"

Buffer: 4-6 weeks for unexpected issues

Result: If you ship in March, you're "on time"

If you ship in April, you're still "on time"

Players get "bonus" content (you had buffer all along)

Industry example: how hades used roadmap masterfully

Supergiant's approach:

• Near-term: Exact weapon and zone additions with dates
• Mid-term: "We're working on story content" (vague intentionally)
• Long-term: "We want 4 full zones" (vision, not promise)

What they did brilliantly:

• Under-promised on timeline
• Over-delivered on quality
• Adjusted roadmap based on feedback
• Never missed a promised delivery

Result: Community trusted them, forgave delays, celebrated every update

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Step 4: the community flywheel

The EA Success Formula: Engaged Community → Valuable Feedback → Better Game → More Engaged Community (repeat)

Building the flywheel

Week 1-2: Foundation Phase

• Launch Discord/forum before EA launch
• Daily developer presence (doesn't have to be long, just consistent)
• Quick wins: Address 3-5 easy player requests immediately
• Establish communication rhythm (when you'll post updates)

Week 3-4: Recognition Phase

• Highlight player contributions in patch notes
• Create "community heroes" role for helpful players
• Feature player creations (screenshots, videos, fanart)
• Run first community event/contest

Month 2-3: Ownership Phase

• Player polls for feature priority (let them choose)
• Beta test program for major features (inner circle)
• Name features/locations after community members
• Implement top 3 community requests

Month 4+: Advocacy Phase

• Community creates organic content
• Players recruit other players
• Self-moderating community emerges
• Community becomes your marketing team (unpaid, but eager)

Industry example: valheim's community flywheel

How Iron Gate built advocacy: Week 1: Launched with active Discord Month 1: Devs responded to every major bug report Month 2: Implemented top community QoL requests Month 3: Community started creating mods, guides, content Month 6: Community was self-sustaining, recruiting new players Result:

• 28% of sales attributed to community word-of-mouth
• 180K+ Discord members (unpaid advocates)
• Thousands of hours of user-generated content
• Community defended game during slow update periods

The 2-hour daily rule

Time investment: 2 hours per day of community engagement Split:

• 30 min: Read feedback, triage issues
• 45 min: Respond to top discussions
• 30 min: Create update post/content
• 15 min: Personal touches (thank contributors, etc.)

ROI: Community that generates millions in organic marketing and forgives delays

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Step 5: the update cadence that keeps players engaged

EA lives or dies on update consistency.

The proven cadence

Weekly (Small Updates):

• Bug fixes
• Minor balance changes
• Small QoL improvements
• Impact: Shows active development, builds trust

Bi-Weekly (Medium Updates):

• Small content additions (new item, enemy, etc.)
• Feature iterations based on feedback
• Community requests implemented
• Impact: Keeps active players engaged

Monthly (Major Updates):

• Significant content (new biome, boss, system)
• Roadmap milestone completions
• Big feature additions
• Impact: Brings back lapsed players, drives sales

Quarterly (Massive Updates):

• Game-changing features
• Major content drops
• Press-worthy announcements
• Impact: Media coverage, revenue spikes, wishlist conversion

The never-miss-update rule

Critical: Never miss a scheduled update, even if you have to ship something smaller. Why: Missing updates destroys trust faster than shipping smaller updates. Example:

Bad:

• Promise monthly update
• Miss deadline
• Players lose trust
• "Abandoned EA game" narrative starts

Good:

• Promise monthly update
• Feature not ready by deadline
• Ship smaller update on time (bug fixes + one small feature)
• Explain: "Big feature delayed for quality, here's what's ready"
• Players appreciate transparency

Industry example: v rising update cadence

Stunlock Studios rhythm:

• Weekly: Hotfixes and small balance
• Bi-weekly: Small content patches
• Monthly: Major patches (new content)
• Quarterly: Massive updates (game-changers)

Track record: Never missed a major update window in 18 months Result: 88% positive reviews maintained, trusted by community

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Step 6: the feedback filtering system

EA generates massive feedback. 95% of it is noise.

The four-tier filter

Tier 1: Critical (Ship Immediately)

• Game-breaking bugs
• Save corruption
• Progression blockers
• Major balance that makes game unplayable

Tier 2: Important (Next Scheduled Update)

• Frequent player requests (30+ independent mentions)
• Moderate balance issues
• High-impact QoL improvements
• Features that enhance core loop

Tier 3: Nice-to-Have (Roadmap Consideration)

• Creative suggestions from community
• Niche requests (5-10 mentions)
• Long-term features that need design work
• Polish and "extra" content

Tier 4: Ignore (Respectfully Decline)

• Contradictory to core vision
• Requested by single players only
• Would require complete redesign
• Doesn't fit genre/style

The transparent communication

Don't just ignore Tier 4—explain why:

Bad Response:

(Silence)

Good Response:

"Thanks for the suggestion! We've considered adding [Feature X],

but it doesn't align with our vision for the game because [Reason].

We're focusing on [Alternative] instead, which solves the same

problem while staying true to the core experience."

Result: Players respect your vision when you explain it.

Industry example: hades feedback management

Supergiant's approach:

• Implemented 100% of Tier 1 (critical bugs)
• Implemented ~70% of Tier 2 (important requests)
• Implemented ~25% of Tier 3 (nice-to-haves)
• Politely declined Tier 4 with clear reasoning

Community response: "They listen AND have a clear vision" Result: Trust and respect despite saying "no" frequently

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Step 7: the revenue sustainability model

EA isn't just initial sales—it's sustained revenue through development.

The three revenue streams

Stream 1: Base Game Sales (60-70% of revenue)

Drivers:

• Price increases create urgency
• Major updates drive wishlist conversion
• Community word-of-mouth generates organic sales

Stream 2: Supporter Packs (20-30% of revenue)

What to offer:

• Higher-tier EA access with bonus cosmetics
• Exclusive Discord channels (behind-the-scenes)
• Credits in game (special thanks)
• Early access to beta features

Pricing:

• Base game: $15
• Supporter Edition: $25 (+cosmetic pack, Discord access)
• Deluxe Edition: $40 (+more cosmetics, name in credits)

Stream 3: Cosmetic DLC (5-15% of revenue)

Rules:

• NEVER gameplay-affecting content
• Only cosmetics (skins, decorations, etc.)
• Optional for all players
• Priced fairly ($3-8 per pack)

Industry example: v rising revenue model

Breakdown:

• Base game ($19.99): 68% of EA revenue
• Supporter pack ($29.99): 27% of EA revenue
• Cosmetic DLC ($5-7): 5% of EA revenue

Total EA revenue: ~$10M in month 1 Funded: 18+ months of development post-EA Why it worked:

• Each tier served different player types
• No pay-to-win (kept trust)
• Revenue enabled ambitious roadmap

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Step 8: the path to 1.0 release

The Final Challenge: Graduating EA without killing momentum.

The 6-month launch countdown

Month 6 Before 1.0:

• [ ] Announce target release date publicly
• [ ] Feature lock (no new features after this)
• [ ] Polish phase begins (make existing perfect)
• [ ] Marketing ramp-up starts

Month 3 Before 1.0:

• [ ] Release candidate builds for testing
• [ ] Performance optimization sprint
• [ ] Final content completion
• [ ] Press outreach and review copies

Month 1 Before 1.0:

• [ ] Release trailer production
• [ ] Price increase announcement (if planned)
• [ ] Thank EA community publicly
• [ ] Launch event planning (Twitch, Discord party)

Launch Day:

• [ ] EA players get special recognition (badge, item, etc.)
• [ ] Community celebration event
• [ ] Press embargo lifts
• [ ] Launch discount (lower than EA price for newcomers)

Post-1.0:

• [ ] Maintain update cadence (don't abandon)
• [ ] Continue community engagement
• [ ] Post-launch content roadmap
• [ ] Convert EA players to long-term community

Industry example: hades 1.0 transition

What Supergiant did right: 6 months out: Announced release window 3 months out: Feature lock, polish phase 1 month out: Epic trailer, press previews Launch: EA players got exclusive cosmetics Post-launch: Continued updating (DLC possibility) Result:

• EA players: 91% stayed active after 1.0
• Sales spike: +340% on release week
• Reviews: Maintained 98% positive
• GOTY awards across the board

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The ea success checklist

Before EA Launch:

• [ ] Core loop complete and polished (2-4 hours fun)
• [ ] Pricing strategy defined (see formula above)
• [ ] Roadmap created (3-tier system)
• [ ] Community platform ready (Discord, etc.)
• [ ] 12+ month runway secured (funding)
• [ ] Update cadence planned (weekly/monthly rhythm)
• [ ] Feedback system ready (how will you collect/process)

During EA:

• [ ] Never miss scheduled update
• [ ] 2 hours daily community engagement
• [ ] Implement Tier 1-2 feedback quickly
• [ ] Transparent communication on roadmap changes
• [ ] Maintain review scores >80%
• [ ] Build advocacy (community becomes marketers)
• [ ] Multiple revenue streams active

Approaching 1.0:

• [ ] Feature lock 6 months out
• [ ] Polish existing content
• [ ] Marketing ramp-up
• [ ] EA player recognition planned
• [ ] Post-launch roadmap ready

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Common ea mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Mistake 1: launching too early

Symptom: Core loop isn't fun yet Result: Negative reviews you can never fully recover from Fix: Delay until readiness checklist is 100% checked

Mistake 2: radio silence

Symptom: Weeks between updates/communication Result: "Abandoned game" narrative starts Fix: Weekly minimum communication, even if "still working"

Mistake 3: overpromising roadmap

Symptom: Miss deliverables on roadmap Result: Community loses trust Fix: Use buffer system, under-promise, over-deliver

Mistake 4: ignoring feedback

Symptom: Community requests go unacknowledged Result: Players feel unheard, leave negative reviews Fix: Acknowledge all feedback, implement Tier 1-2, explain Tier 4 rejections

Mistake 5: no revenue plan

Symptom: EA sales dry up, can't fund development Result: Abandon EA, ruin reputation Fix: Multiple revenue streams, 12+ month runway before EA

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Conclusion: ea is a partnership, not a shortcut

Early Access isn't a way to ship unfinished games and get paid. It's a way to build games with your community, turning players into partners.

The Framework:

1. Launch ready: Core polished, 2-4 hours fun

2. Price smart: Formula-based, increase over time

3. Communicate constantly: Roadmap + 2 hours daily engagement

4. Update religiously: Never miss schedule

5. Filter feedback: Implement critical, consider important, explain rejections

6. Sustain revenue: Multiple streams, fund development

7. Graduate gracefully: 6-month plan, reward EA supporters

The Reality:

• Done right: Fund development, build community, create advocates
• Done wrong: Permanent reputation damage, wasted opportunity

The Choice: EA is powerful. Use it responsibly.

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Series Complete:

1. The Virality Patterns - 7 mechanics that make players share

2. DNA of Successful Games - Fundamental elements of hits

3. Crisis-Proof Development - Surviving when everything breaks

4. The Genre Twist Method - Finding white space in markets

5. Steam Visibility Playbook - Algorithm mastery

6. The 5 Metrics - Pre-launch success prediction

7. Early Access Done Right - This article

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This article is part of our Game Industry Insights series. Analysis based on successful EA launches, community management best practices, and revenue data from indie studios 2018-2024.