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Steam removes Early Access game Earth: Year 2066 over dishonest marketing
Steam removed an Early Access game from sale after it received fervent criticism for being something of a disaster. Muxwell's Earth: Year 2066 went up on the marketplace in April priced at $20, but it's come under severe fire from fans and critics alike, with some calling it "broken," "a scam," and "early access at its most literal." According to a GameSpot review, the build that was on Steam was a "barely functional disaster" that featured "a road, a junkyard village, some hills, a radar tower, some robots - and that's about it." The Escapist's Jim Sterling showcased that in a gameplay video, in which the game appears to feature a small, genuinely desolate, lo-fi wasteland map, as well as its fair share of bugs. Valve stepped in to remove Earth: Year 2066 this week, but not because of quality issues; Early Access games are understood to be works in progress, and the level of finish can vary radically from one entry to the next. However, misleading marketing is another thing, and Valve clearly felt the game's portrayal on Steam didn't align with reality. "On Steam, developers make their own decisions about promotion, features, pricing and publication," wrote Valve's Chris Douglass on the Steam forums. "However, Steam does require honesty from developers in the marketing of their games. We have removed Earth: Year 2066 from Early Access on Steam. Customers who purchased the game will be able to get a refund on the store page until Monday May 19th." [Image: Muxwell]
