Both Sony and Microsoft are now experimenting with versions of early access. This morning, Trendy announced that eventual free-to-play Dungeon Defenders II will be arriving on PlayStation 4 this month in paid pre-alpha.
Dungeon Defenders II, an action-oriented tower defense game, has been in early access on PC since the end of 2014. This marks Sony’s first major push into pre-release payments, as those that want in on Trendy’s pre-alpha phase will need to purchase currency bundles.
Trendy isn’t maintaining parity with the PC version. Some features will arrive first on console, including controller support and split-screen. Others will hit PC early access before making their way to PS4.
Dungeon Defenders II will eventually be free-to-play. If you feel the need to play early, you can buy in starting on September 29.
[Source: PlayStation Blog]
Our Take
I have strong feelings about paid early access games on console. I expressed concern when Microsoft rolled it out, and I echo those sentiments here. The average consumer won’t know what they are getting into unless these games are cordoned off in a separate area of the store with a pop-up or other informative screen prior to purchase.