Many Early Access Games on Steam Don't See Full Release

Since Steam's Early Access program in 2013, only 25 percent of the games have been released as a complete games.

Steam's Early Access program allows developers to create their games while people are playing them. The process allows the customers to be directly involved through betas, so the developer can work off that feedback. But according to a recent study, most games that begin in Early Access never release in full form.

The program's popularity is rising as this year there are 255 Early Access titles, compared to 103 in 2013. That is a 147 percent increase, plus the fact that 85 percent of all Early access titles are new IPs is promising for consumers and developers alike.

Despite all of this, since the program's launch early 2013, only 25 percent of its members have released as a complete game, according to EEDAR. Of the 9 betas that kicked off Early Access in March last year, 3 got a full release.

Steam has taken action against Early Access games in limbo. Stomping Ground, a dinosaur game, was removed from the program after developers failed to update players for months on end.  Early Access is as much a deal for the developers as the customers, and the growing popularity suggests the program might not be going anywhere soon.