The case against preordering, from someone who used to do it constantly
Paid early access moved buyers ahead of reviews and publishers noticed. Here is how the modern release cycle got built, and why waiting two weeks costs you nothing.
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steam
3 articles
What Indie Breakouts Actually Cost, and Why the Numbers Don't Add Up
PEAK broke even in hours on a budget under $200,000. But indie sales numbers are a mess of copies, players and estimates dressed up as fact, and that's the story.
The Steam User Review Replaced the Professional Review, and It's a Mess
Paid early access, launch-day embargoes, and missing review code have pushed professional criticism out of the purchase decision, leaving Steam's flawed user review system to do the job instead.