An interesting reddit thread started by a developer...
Reddit - pros & cons of steam early access From the OP:
+++ Pros +++
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More revenue now: In theory, launching on SEAG means an injection of cash right now.
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More exposure: Word of mouth marketing seems like it would get a shot in the arm, just from the increased number of people playing the game.
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Steam Front Page: Some SEAG games get front-page treatment, and that can be a huge marketing boost.
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More feedback before launch: Assuming you're interested, more players means more feedback. And more feedback could lead to a better game.
--- Cons ---
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Bad First Impression: This is probably the biggest and most tangible risk I can think of. If your game isn't ready, this is one way to let as many people know as possible. In many cases, first impressions stick, so this can be a rut that's near impossible to get out of later.
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Player Misunderstanding: A different shade of the above, some players don't "get" that SEAG is unfinished games, and will castigate devs for selling a "faulty" product. This can burn bridges with customers and create bad press.
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No Critical Mass: Many games become popular when enough people are talking about them simultaneously. Call it "going viral" or "10,000 fans" or whatever. Does SEAG diminish the "big spectacle" on launch day? Do we get two mediocre bangs instead of one big bang? Does that matter?
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Delayed Gold Launch: Integrating Steam during development takes time away from the game development process. If you're planning on launching via Steam anyway, this risk is moot. However, the timing of this delay could be non-optimal (e.g. latest build has a bad bug, and next patch is delayed by SEAG integration efforts).
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Less revenue later(?): Does the lifetime revenue get impacted by SEAG? Is there a chance that we're choosing between 10 sales now with 10 sales later, versus 0 sales now and 100 later? This is just another implication of the "no critical mass" above, but is worth pointing out.
... In sum, the developer in question considers that the pros are more tangible than the cons, which are uncertain, and so seems to be worth it so long as certain caveats are met (such as releasing in a polished state, regular updates & effective communication etc).
Some good insights and tips in that thread.
