Early Access Titles a Hit on Twitch

Video games are weird.

We used to fret over whether or not to slap $5 bucks down on the counter and reserve a copy of a game. Now we fund game development based on what we’d read on the back of the box. In the final telltale sign that we’re living in the age of video games as a service, you can now pay in full for access to a game that’s knee-deep in development.

Or maybe you don’t pull the trigger just yet. As the Twitch community is discovering, Early Access titles are some of the most compelling to watch, especially if you’re not quite sure whether or not to spend your heard earned cash. Here are three of them that are making waves.

DayZ

The standalone version of one of the biggest PC mods in recent years, DayZ has a lot of hype to live up to. It exploded on Twitch and has become the epicenter for its emergent gameplay with events like the Survivor GameZ. Although its only in an Alpha state at the moment, the community has already begun its transition. It also generated $5.17 million in first day sales.

Broadcasters to Watch:

Starbound

Starbound takes everything players loved about the 2011 indie sandbox hit, Terraria, and expands it into an entire universe of content. No longer are players regulated to just a planet of procedurally generated land to explore, as space exploration opens up infinite possibilities, along with story driven content to keep players engaged and motivated.

Broadcasters to Watch:

Rust

It’s impossible to describe Rust without simply comparing it to the games it draws inspiration from, so here we go: Rust is what happens when you combine Minecraft, DayZ and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. If this sounds appealing to you then you’ll be glad to hear that the game itself is fantastic and already has a very dedicated community behind it. Check it out if you haven’t already!

Broadcasters to Watch: