I see this on Steam all the time, it is clear people do not understand the differences. What is early access on steam? What is alpha and beta? Well, it is actual very simple, here ya go.
Alpha testing involves a small group of individuals who test a product before it is released to the public. This allows developers to receive feedback and make changes before the product is launched. The majority of the time these testing sessions are under NDA, or a Non-Disclosure Agreement.
Beta testing includes a larger group of individuals who test a product that is close to being released. This allows developers to receive more feedback and make final adjustments before the product is launched. These test periods may or may not be under NDA. It is also not uncommon for these to start out under NDA, and then the developers drop the NDA during the testing phase.
Steam early access, on the other hand, allows developers to release an unfinished product to the public for testing and feedback. This allows the developer to get some income to help support his efforts in developing the game. It also enables developers to receive a wider range of feedback and make changes as they continue to develop the product. It is very important to understand, when you choose to play a game in this state you should be willing to provide the developer with feedback on the things you like and do not like, so they can further improve the game. Also you need to be aware it is entirely possible this game never gets finished, these games are often created by a single developer much less than a small team, and it would not take much for the game to never be completed.
In summary, Alpha and Beta testing are more controlled and limited in terms of who has access to the product, while Steam Early Access provides more open and ongoing testing options for developers.
This is completely up to you. I have bought, and will continue to buy early access titles. There are a couple ways to get an idea of the quality of the developer.
1. The developer should have an active discord. Although not always true, the majority of developers that are unwilling to have a discord, end up producing unfinished, poor quality games.
2. The developer should be releasing at least quarterly updates on steam. If you are seeing these two things take place, than at least you know the developer cares about the game and the community.
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