The Timing of Early Access: Insights from the Developer of Hades 2

Supergiant, the studio behind Hades 2, has shared valuable insights on the ideal timing for launching a game into Steam Early Access. In an interview with GamesRadar, Greg Kasavin, the company's founder and creative director, emphasized the delicate balance required when deciding the optimal time to release a game into paid alpha. The game must offer enough content to justify its purchase, yet remain malleable enough for design tweaks. Kasavin noted, "The decision of when to launch into Early Access is crucial for developers. You want the game to be advanced enough to be enjoyable without many reservations, but not so advanced that you cannot respond to the feedback you receive." He further explained that Hades 2, like its predecessor, was designed with Early Access development in mind, focusing on incorporating player feedback into the development process. Initially announced at The Game Awards in 2022, Hades 2 entered Early Access in May 2024 and exited the alpha phase in September 2025. Since its release, the game has received critical acclaim, topping Metacritic's list of best PC games for 2025 and peaking at 112,947 concurrent players on Steam. It also won the Best Action Game award at The Game Awards 2025. The original Hades, released in December 2020 after 22 months in Early Access, has sold over 1 million copies and made history as the first video game to win a Hugo Award in 2021.