GOG is adding another service to its digital marketplace called “Games in Development.” In some ways, it’s similar to Steam’s Early Access section, but there are a few differences in GOG’s offering.
In terms of what games are allowed in the new section, the company promised that “the most promising titles, and those most highly requested on the Community Wishlist” only will make its way to Games In Development. This ensures that each game is worth your time, even in its early stages.
As the game continues its development cycle, new updates will arrive periodically, but they could potentially break your current game state. However, GOG allows you to roll back to a game’s previous version if you want to keep playing. Then, you can just wait for the next stable update that won’t ruin your overall progress.
If, for any reason, you don’t like the game after a few sessions, you can return it and get a refund within a 14-day period after purchase. This gives you enough time to play the game and see if it’s worth the price. If you don’t think it shows any future potential, you can ask for your money back without any questions.
This issue of a refund continues to be a sore subject on Early Access, where some players poured money into projects that never made it to version 1.0. As a result, fans felt cheated out of an investment, as they can’t get their money back, and the game is unfinished.
At the moment, five games are available on Games in Development: Starbound, Ashes of the Singularity, Project Zomboid, TerraTech and The Curious Expedition. More games are bound to come soon, but it might take some time, as GOG’s selection process might take longer compared to Steam.
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