Early Access games have been around for a while now. The trend of launching a game into Early Access to allow curious of players to check out an in-progress game and get their feedback for 1.0 continues to grow. But knowing what I'd be playing is unfinished and could change has always kept me at an arm's length from these games. I even skipped Hades II's Early Access period, despite adoring the first game and knowing developer Supergiant Games is good for its in-development word.
I'm starting to wonder if I've been throwing a wet blanket on this type of release after playing Witchfire, an Early Access game that has me hooked. I started it yesterday and already have a dozen hours in it. It is fantastic. But Game Informer Editor-in-Chief Matt Miller has been singing its praises alongside thousands of other early adopters for years now; I'm not saying anything surprising here, and if you want to read about why this game is good, there's lots of great writing out there for that.
Having put aside the mouse and keyboard that control my Preyer's arsenal of destruction, I'm stuck thinking about how many other games I've dismissed sight-unseen because they're in Early Access. I know I'm checking Witchfire out years into its Early Access life at this point, which began in 2023, but I'm bewildered by just how much is here, and how much of it is so polished, too.
I'm still overwhelmed by how many systems and synergies are at play in Witchfire – various build types, leveling and progression systems, weapons, magic spells, enemy types, biomes to explore, and bosses to fight. I'm not even sure what I want to see in a 1.0 build; if the version of Witchfire I am playing right now launched today, I wouldn't question a thing about all there is to do in the game. That makes it all the more exciting that a 1.0 launch is happening this year, promising even more to come for this so-far excellent FPS roguelite adventure.
I'm sure there are examples of Early Access games that are significantly more feature-lite, and to be clear: I think that's okay. I just know I'd rather wait for the full 1.0 release at that point. But there are also probably just as many feature-rich Early Access games I'd likely enjoy as much as The Astronauts' shooter, where I'm left wondering how the game isn't a content-complete 1.0 release.
I suppose this is less a dive into the gamut of Early Access games and their role in game releases (typically in the PC ecosystem) and more so an admission of me being plain ole silly. Of course, I check out Early Access games from time to time for work, but prior to Witchfire and outside of work, I only played 1.0+ releases as if Early Access was a black mark unworthy of my free time. But I know all too well how game development works and how Early Access allows developers to accomplish goals they would otherwise never reach. Games like Hades might never have been the success they are if not for what Supergiant learned during its Early Access period: understanding what its players like, love, dislike, and hate, and shaping the game into something both parties enjoy.
The same goes for Witchfire, and there's a world where I might have missed the fun and excellence that is this game had I brushed it off as just another Early Access release. The potential of one day checking out its 1.0 release was always there, but that potential has now metastasized into a thrilling excitement – anticipation for changes, an eagerness to dive into what's new, and a newfound enthusiasm for a game I almost ignored.
Early Access games have been around for a while now. The trend of launching a game into Early Access to allow curious of players to check out an in-progress game and get their feedback for 1.0 continues to grow. But knowing what I'd be playing is unfinished and could change has always kept me at an arm's length from these games. I even skipped Hades II's Early Access period, despite adoring the first game and knowing developer Supergiant Games is good for its in-development word.
I'm starting to wonder if I've been throwing a wet blanket on this type of release after playing Witchfire, an Early Access game that has me hooked. I started it yesterday and already have a dozen hours in it. It is fantastic. But Game Informer Editor-in-Chief Matt Miller has been singing its praises alongside thousands of other early adopters for years now; I'm not saying anything surprising here, and if you want to read about why this game is good, there's lots of great writing out there for that.
Having put aside the mouse and keyboard that control my Preyer's arsenal of destruction, I'm stuck thinking about how many other games I've dismissed sight-unseen because they're in Early Access. I know I'm checking Witchfire out years into its Early Access life at this point, which began in 2023, but I'm bewildered by just how much is here, and how much of it is so polished, too.
I'm still overwhelmed by how many systems and synergies are at play in Witchfire – various build types, leveling and progression systems, weapons, magic spells, enemy types, biomes to explore, and bosses to fight. I'm not even sure what I want to see in a 1.0 build; if the version of Witchfire I am playing right now launched today, I wouldn't question a thing about all there is to do in the game. That makes it all the more exciting that a 1.0 launch is happening this year, promising even more to come for this so-far excellent FPS roguelite adventure.
I'm sure there are examples of Early Access games that are significantly more feature-lite, and to be clear: I think that's okay. I just know I'd rather wait for the full 1.0 release at that point. But there are also probably just as many feature-rich Early Access games I'd likely enjoy as much as The Astronauts' shooter, where I'm left wondering how the game isn't a content-complete 1.0 release.
I suppose this is less a dive into the gamut of Early Access games and their role in game releases (typically in the PC ecosystem) and more so an admission of me being plain ole silly. Of course, I check out Early Access games from time to time for work, but prior to Witchfire and outside of work, I only played 1.0+ releases as if Early Access was a black mark unworthy of my free time. But I know all too well how game development works and how Early Access allows developers to accomplish goals they would otherwise never reach. Games like Hades might never have been the success they are if not for what Supergiant learned during its Early Access period: understanding what its players like, love, dislike, and hate, and shaping the game into something both parties enjoy.
The same goes for Witchfire, and there's a world where I might have missed the fun and excellence that is this game had I brushed it off as just another Early Access release. The potential of one day checking out its 1.0 release was always there, but that potential has now metastasized into a thrilling excitement – anticipation for changes, an eagerness to dive into what's new, and a newfound enthusiasm for a game I almost ignored.
If you're like me and haven't given Witchfire a go yet, it's available in Early Access on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. In the meantime, you can read our preview here to learn why it's one of our most anticipated games of 2026. After that, read about the Webgrave update that added a new region, new enemies, and more last year.
What are some of your favorite Early Access games? Let me know which ones I need to check out in the comments below!
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