Endless Legend 2 Reaches 1.0 as Amplitude Reflects on How Early Access Has Changed
As Endless Legend 2 prepares to leave early access after roughly a year and reach version 1.0, developer Amplitude Studios is reflecting on how dramatically the relationship between game studios and early-access players has changed over the past 15 years.
Amplitude has relied on community feedback since before Steam formally introduced its Early Access program. But according to studio co-founder and CEO Romain de Waubert de Genlis, expectations surrounding unfinished games are considerably different today.
Amplitude Used Early Access Before It Had a Name
Amplitude’s approach dates back to the development of Endless Space, which launched in July 2012. Players who preordered the strategy game received immediate access to an alpha build, which was gradually patched and expanded ahead of its official release.
The studio continues that community-driven philosophy through Games2Gether, a program where developers discuss design questions with players and conduct polls about potential development decisions. A smaller group of community members is currently providing feedback on the recently announced Humankind 2.
However, as Endless Legend 2 approaches its full release, de Waubert de Genlis acknowledges that early access has evolved significantly.
“The whole thing has changed over time,” he said.
Early Builds Once Had Different Expectations
De Waubert de Genlis recalled that Endless Space arrived during a period when the idea of publicly releasing an unfinished game was still unusual.
“With Endless Space, we were one of the first games in Early Access on Steam, before it was called Early Access,” he said.
At the time, one of Amplitude’s biggest challenges was persuading journalists to cover a game that was still under active development.
“The game’s not finished. Why would I come? Let me wait for them to be finished and then I will write an article on it,” de Waubert de Genlis recalled journalists telling the studio.
The gaming media landscape was also very different. Online influencers and content creators had not yet developed the reach they have today, meaning early development builds were primarily shared with a relatively small community of committed PC players.
“It was just between Steam players and us. Undercover,” he said.
Early Access Has Become More Public
Today, an early-access launch can receive nearly as much attention as a traditional game release. Players stream unfinished games, creators publish videos and reviews, and social media discussions can rapidly shape perceptions of a title long before version 1.0 arrives.
That increased visibility gives developers an opportunity to build communities earlier, but it also creates additional pressure.
Players purchasing an early-access title may understand that development is ongoing, yet expectations around performance, features and overall polish have increased as the model has become a standard part of PC gaming.
“People can be a bit unforgiving,” de Waubert de Genlis said.
For studios such as Amplitude, that means balancing the original purpose of early access — testing ideas and incorporating community feedback — against an environment where unfinished versions can immediately influence a game’s reputation.
Community Feedback Remains Central to Amplitude
Despite those changes, Amplitude has continued to involve players directly in development.
Games2Gether allows the studio to gather feedback on systems and design choices while giving dedicated players insight into the development process. That philosophy has been applied across Amplitude’s strategy catalog and remains part of its approach to future projects.
Endless Legend 2 has followed the same model during its approximately year-long early-access period, allowing the studio to refine the game before the 1.0 release.
The approach also demonstrates how much early access itself has matured. What was once an unusual arrangement between developers and a small group of PC players has become an established development and publishing strategy across the industry.
Endless Legend 2 Marks Another Milestone for Amplitude
For Amplitude, the transition of Endless Legend 2 to version 1.0 represents both a major development milestone and another chapter in the studio’s long-running experiment with community-driven game development.
Fifteen years ago, players encountering an alpha or unfinished build generally understood they were seeing a work in progress. Today, early-access games operate under far greater public scrutiny.
Amplitude’s challenge remains much the same: use player feedback to improve a game before its full release. What has changed is the size of the audience watching that process unfold.
Jacob Whitman is a contributor at Prudent Press Agency, covering a wide range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. With an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessibility, Jacob aims to provide useful insights and timely stories that matter to everyday readers and the communities they follow.
