Why Early Access?

“The game is in the very early stages of development. Being a social game at heart, it is invaluable to get the community's feedback. Early Access will allow players to have an early look at the game. Most importantly, my goal is to form a steadily growing community of World of Busking players.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“The current plan is for World of Busking to be in Early Access for 1-2 years while I develop the core features of the game.”

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

“The full version will have a comprehensive music publishing system. A player will be able to take a song from busking in the streets, all the way to concerts, recording studios, and ultimately radio stations and charts. The game will also feature a range of social systems that encourage players to play together - bands, public venues, and collaborative business interactions. The plan is to focus on the core features and grow them outwards.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The current version allows the player to busk in the streets, earn three forms of progression (Fame, Social Points, and Music Credits), interact with other players, and interact with the AI characters that walk around the city. Players are able to spend their credits for new instruments, and will soon be able to use their Fame to unlock new songs.
The game currently features 4 playable characters, of 12 variations each, and 10 guitar songs to collect.”

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

“The current plan is to have the game be Free-to-Play, with an optional subscription and a cosmetic store. I believe this is the best approach to let you socialize with all your friends, keep the progression separate from the monetization, and let those who enjoy the game support the development through optional, affordable subscriptions. This will be true for both the Early Access and Release, although I plan to mainly focus on the gameplay and community first rather than monetizing players. I have intentionally kept the development costs low so that there is no pressure in terms of raising money.”

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

“The community will be crucial in the development process. There will be an active Discord channel and regular playtests throughout the development. I have already been developing the game based on player feedback, and hope to continue that going forward with a wider group of players.
This means the transition from Alpha into Early Access and Release will be very gradual, allowing the community to join me on the ride.”