Why Early Access?

“Honestly, we’ve been sitting on something awesome for far too long. We want to give players the opportunity to enjoy Puck Buddies at its current state and help make the game even better. With a game focused on dynamic multiplayer moments and replay value, Early Access makes things more fun for everyone – us developers, the early adopters and the eventual players of the full game. With the help of player feedback, we can ensure that the game we’re delivering is up to both our own and the community’s standards, with content additions, tweaks and updates happening throughout the Early Access process.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We expect it to take anywhere between a year or two, and it's no secret that the project has been on hiatus for a long time. The pandemic caused some delays and challenges for the development process, but our aim is to get the wheels rolling when couch parties and gaming get-togethers start to be a thing again. There’s a lot of stuff we want to add to the game and finetune, but the core gameplay is already in a state where our resources can be better focused on adding content and engaging with community feedback. Once everything is in place, feels great and looks neat, Puck Buddies will have its full launch.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“We are quite satisfied with the gameplay feel already, but plan to at least double the amount of playable content. Our intent is to have at least 12 fully finalized, distinct levels by full launch and implement at least 3 different gameplay modes on each one. As designing these is an iterative process, the Early Access version might have some short-lived experimental stuff to try out before the game is cleaned up and finalized. We want to put all the audiovisual bells and whistles in their places and tweak the gameplay to as fun and responsive as it can be. We aim bring the UI up to a launch-worthy standard. Also, we expect to swat a few pesky bugs.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The game is already a blast to play, especially with human players. The full cast of 16 characters is available. There are currently 6 playable levels in the game that can be played 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4, and one extra gameplay mode. Two of the playable levels still have some noticeably work-in-progress graphical content. The CPU-controlled players can have certain quirks or imbalances, but function pretty well nonetheless. The menus and UI aren’t polished, but have almost all the features needed. Sound effects or response animations are missing at a few places, but overall, the gameplay interactions are responsive and clear to understand.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“We will gradually raise the price to reflect the game’s completion level: as the amount and quality of playable content in Puck Buddies increases, so will the price. We feel it is fair for those jumping in early (and thus supporting us mid-development) to enjoy the game at a lower price.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“Listening and reacting to feedback is key in ensuring that we are creating the best possible experience. Throughout the Early Access process, you can reach us and other players at our Discord server and the Puck Buddies Community Hub. We’re interested in seeing what kind of player culture emerges and excited to see members of the Puck Buddies community surpass our skills in the game as we focus on making it even more fun for them. With a multiplayer title that can have so many different gameplay setups (e.g. input devices, number of players, local and remote play), the feedback we get helps us fix issues and shape the experience for needs we might’ve been unaware of.”