Alex Hernandez, the voice actor behind Jacob Diaz in the game MindsEye, recently expressed his frustration with developers releasing incomplete games at full price. In an interview with Check It TV, Hernandez argued that this business model ultimately damages a studio’s reputation. I think it does more long-term harm than good to your reputation,” Hernandez stated.
He compared this to other high-profile releases, notably CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077, which also launched with significant issues but managed to make a comeback through extensive post-launch updates. Hernandez believes transparency is key. “You have to be honest with your consumer,” he continued.
“In fact, I, as a player, would rather be told, ‘This is in beta.
Incomplete games harm reputations
I know you’ve been waiting for this for a long time, but this is a beta release.’ So, whether you get to play it for free on some sort of invite list or for $20, $30, $15, insert price, I don’t know what the model would be, but it’s a much smaller fee.
‘So please come interact with our thing, give us feedback, but know it’s not done.'”
Meanwhile, Build A Rocket Boy has announced that the studio will undergo significant layoffs, with reports indicating that over 100 employees, or 20% of the workforce, are expected to be let go. These layoffs follow the critical and commercial failure of MindsEye, which has a Metacritic user score of 2.6/10 and a gaming journalist score of 38/100, making it the lowest-rated title of the year by both measures. The situation has sparked conversations among gamers and industry observers about the ethics of releasing unfinished products at full price and the long-term impact on a studio’s reputation.
Many agree with Hernandez’s stance, arguing that developers should prioritize delivering a polished and complete experience to their customers. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, the debate surrounding the release of unfinished games is likely to persist. Developers will need to carefully consider the potential consequences of their actions and strive to maintain open communication with their player base to ensure long-term success and trust.
Kirstie a technology news reporter at DevX. She reports on emerging technologies and startups waiting to skyrocket.
