WARDOGS will become more expensive as its Early Access development progresses, with developer Bulkhead planning to raise the multiplayer shooter's price in stages as new content is added.
CEO Joe Brammer has confirmed that the game will reach $49.99 by version 0.5. After roughly two years in Early Access, the planned price will increase again to $59.99.
The studio's position is straightforward. Players who buy earlier will pay less for a smaller version of the game, while those who wait for more content will pay a higher price.
Bulkhead says the price will scale with the game
Brammer explained that WARDOGS is currently at the lowest regular price it is expected to have, excluding temporary discounts during Steam sales and other promotions.
His reasoning is that the game will continue growing during Early Access.
As Bulkhead adds maps, features, systems and other content, the studio believes the asking price should increase to reflect the larger product.
| Stage | Planned price |
|---|---|
| Current Early Access period | Lowest regular price |
| Version 0.5 | $49.99 |
| Around 24 months into Early Access | $59.99 |
Brammer said players who prefer to wait for more content are free to do so, while people comfortable buying an earlier version can enter at a lower price.
He also made clear that players who do not agree with the studio's pricing strategy should not feel pressured to buy the game.
According to Brammer, Bulkhead believes the price reflects what WARDOGS is worth and what will be required to support it over a longer period.
Sustainability is part of the argument
Bulkhead is also presenting the price increases as a financial sustainability issue.
WARDOGS is described as a large FPS project that requires continued spending on development and support.
Brammer acknowledged that the game still has problems that need to be addressed, but said players should expect the quality of the product to match the price being charged.
The studio's argument is that keeping the game at a permanently low Early Access price could make continued development more difficult.
That makes the pricing model different from games that enter Early Access at one fixed price and remain there until full release.
Here, the cost is intended to move upward alongside development.
WARDOGS has already passed two million sales
The pricing discussion comes shortly after WARDOGS launched in Early Access on PC.
The shooter reportedly passed two million sales soon after release, giving Bulkhead a large player base while development is still ongoing.
The studio is now preparing its second season, scheduled to arrive on October 15.
A recent teaser offered few firm details, but suggested that new weather effects could be introduced.
Because Bulkhead has previously discussed using real world locations and environments as inspiration for its maps, the next season may also expand the game's playable locations, although a new map has not been formally confirmed in the supplied material.
The pricing policy could influence when players buy
WARDOGS' approach creates a clear tradeoff for prospective players.
Buying earlier means paying less, but also accepting a game that remains unfinished and is still receiving fixes and content.
Waiting means getting access to a more developed version, but at a higher regular price.
That is broadly consistent with one of the ideas behind Early Access, although Bulkhead is being unusually explicit about how far it plans to raise the price.
The company has also tied the higher price directly to the cost of maintaining a large multiplayer shooter over time.
For now, the important point is that the current price is not intended to last.
If Bulkhead follows the plan described by Brammer, WARDOGS will rise to $49.99 by version 0.5 and eventually reach $59.99 after about two years in Early Access, while continuing to receive new content and updates along the way.
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