Stormgate's Steam early access launch has received mixed reactions from fans and backers. This article examines the concerns raised by Kickstarter backers and the game's current state.
Stormgate's Rocky Early Access Debut
Backer Disappointment Over Monetization
The highly anticipated RTS game, Stormgate – aiming to be a Starcraft II successor – experienced a challenging launch. Despite raising over $2.3 million on Kickstarter (against a $35 million initial goal), the game faces criticism from backers feeling misled. Those who pledged $60 for the "Ultimate" package expected complete early access content, a promise seemingly unfulfilled.
Many backers supported the project out of passion, hoping to contribute to Frost Giant Studios' success. While advertised as free-to-play with microtransactions, the aggressive monetization model has disappointed many.
Individual campaign chapters (three missions) cost $10, as does a single co-op character—double the price of Starcraft II's equivalent. Backers who invested $60 or more anticipated full early access gameplay, only to find a day-one character, Warz, excluded from their Kickstarter rewards. This led to significant frustration.
"You can take the developer out of Blizzard, but you can’t take Blizzard out of the developer," commented Steam user Aztraeuz, highlighting the irony of backers' disappointment. The addition of pre-release microtransactions for content they felt they'd already paid for fueled the negative sentiment.
Frost Giant Studios responded on Steam, acknowledging the misunderstanding and thanking players for their support. While claiming to have clarified Kickstarter bundle content, they admitted many expected the "Ultimate" package to include all early access gameplay. As a compromise, they offered the next paid Hero free to backers of the "Ultimate Founder’s Pack tier and above." However, this excluded Warz, citing prior purchases making retroactive free access impossible.
Despite this attempt at reconciliation, many remain unhappy with the aggressive monetization and underlying gameplay issues.
Frost Giant Addresses Post-Launch Feedback
Stormgate carries high expectations, developed by Starcraft II veterans. While the core RTS gameplay shows potential, criticisms include aggressive monetization, unclear visuals, missing campaign features, underwhelming unit interactions, and unchallenging AI.
These issues contribute to a "Mixed" Steam rating, with some labeling it "Starcraft II at home." Despite these flaws, the game's potential for improvement in areas like story and visuals remains.
For a comprehensive review of Stormgate's Early Access, please see our full review.
