In January, we reported that GOG has gotten into the Early Access game. Unlike Steam’s approach though, GOG is curating the games it will offer for sale in pre-release date.
The storefront will add a sixth game to its list tomorrow. Kôna: Day One is an adventure game steeped in mystery. Players take on the role of private detective Carl Faubert as he explores a small town in 1970s Canada.
GOG offers a similar refund policy to Steam, giving players 14 days to refund a purchase. The difference is that the former does not restrict refunds to a specific amount of play time.
Kôna: Day One is due for release sometime before the end of March. The Games in Development version, which features two to five hours of play, will be priced at $8. The final release will increase to $12.
[Source: Parabole]
Our Take
I’m interested in how GOG will evolve its Games in Development program over the long-term. The difference between its curated content and Valve’s more hands-off Early Access program are simply two different ways of reaching the same goal. Whether one system is better won’t be known for a while, but it’s worth paying attention to.