Edit: wait… What I’m proposing is ludicrous. I’ve never known any early access to work like that, right? They’re just about collecting funds to build out the game while gathering feedback for polish. You wouldn’t launch into a multimillion dollar enterprise without a plan.
So letting ea testers try what are essentially prototypes makes no sense. Am I wrong in thinking that’s what the Early Access Disclaimer implied?
Actually I am of the opinion, perhaps unwarranted, that Larian underestimated the scale of taking this project on and the popularity of the franchise, so in a sense they didn't have a proper plan. I don't believe they were expecting the large amount of EA sales, which I imagine led to the hiring drive and setting up new studios to enable them to tackle the scale of the project. The whole debacle with the narrative around 'the Box' is also suggestive of a lack of a clear plan. Just my personal interpretation of course.
