How long did they say Early Access would take, and how long has it been? · 2,135 in Early Access · 2,724 promises read · 929 announced, not started
| Year | Games | In Early Access now | Graduated | Median time in EA | Promise read | Overdue | Promise kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1,071 | 1,053 | 182% | 1 month | 98892% | 32of 893 parsed | — |
| 2025 | 392 | 392 | 00% | 13 months | 34287% | 127of 297 parsed | — |
| 2024 | 192 | 192 | 00% | 2 years 1 month | 17089% | 102of 138 parsed | — |
| 2023 | 110 | 110 | 00% | 3 years 2 months | 9687% | 55of 75 parsed | — |
| 2022 | 76 | 76 | 00% | 4 years 2 months | 6788% | 43of 51 parsed | — |
| 2021 | 50 | 50 | 00% | 5 years 1 month | 4284% | 24of 32 parsed | — |
| 2020 | 44 | 44 | 00% | 6 years 1 month | 3989% | 19of 23 parsed | — |
| 2019 | 39 | 39 | 00% | 7 years 3 months | 39100% | 19of 22 parsed | — |
| 2018 | 21 | 21 | 00% | 8 years 1 month | 1990% | 10of 11 parsed | — |
| 2017 | 19 | 19 | 00% | 9 years 3 months | 1895% | 8of 10 parsed | — |
| Game | Promise | Promised | Elapsed | Clock | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eXoSpace Combat EngineereXoSpace Combat Engineer | Early Access began on September 15, 2025, and is ending on September 22, 2026, so pretty soon!the store says it leaves Early Access on 22 Sep 2026 | 12 monthsuntil 22 Sep 2026 | 12 months | 99% | On the clockDue this month | |
| Mars AttractsMars Attracts | 9-12 Months.the store says it leaves Early Access on 24 Sep 2026 | 9–12 months | 12 months | 99% | On the clockDue this month | |
| ResoniteResonite | We expect roughly 2-3 years of active development to implement features, optimizations and tweaks before we consider the project to be in a polished enough state to take it out of early access. We do not have plans to significantly alter our development cycle after full release and will continue adding new major features and optimizations thanks to the open ended nature of this project.read 10 Sep 2026 | 24–36 months | 2 years 11 months | 98% | On the clockDue this month | |
| BlocksworldBlocksworld | We plan to take until the fouth quarter 2026 at the latest, essentially until we've finished implementing the redesigned UI elements for PC. We also plan to continue development and support of Blocksworld past the Early Access phase. Stay tuned for a public roadmap!read 8 Sep 2026 | 9 years 3 monthsuntil 31 Dec 2026 | 9 years | 97% | On the clock3 months left | |
| NavalArtNavalArt | -We are planning to constantly update and expand NavalArt, and we believe its full beauty will be appreciated in 2027.read 10 Sep 2026 | 9 years 6 monthsuntil 31 Dec 2027 | 8 years 3 months | 87% | On the clock15 months left | |
| Tavern Keeper 🍻Tavern Keeper 🍻 | We plan to be in Early Access for roughly a year, though this could change based on player feedback.read 5 Sep 2026 | about 12 months | 10 months | 86% | On the clock2 months left | |
| BrickadiaBrickadia | Brickadia will remain in early access while we implement the last few huge features and improve the performance/stability of the game overall. We currently anticipate leaving Early Access at the end of 2026.read 5 Sep 2026 | 18 monthsuntil 31 Dec 2026 | 14 months | 78% | On the clock4 months left | |
| Prehistoric KingdomPrehistoric Kingdom | During the Early Access release in April 2022, the team felt that around 20 content updates would be necessary to make Prehistoric Kingdom feel polished and feature-complete. As of the time of writing in 2026, the team is hard at work on Update 18 and is aiming to fully release the game with Update 19, which is currently scheduled for 2027.read 5 Sep 2026 | 5 years 8 monthsuntil 31 Dec 2027 | 4 years 5 months | 77% | On the clock15 months left | |
| Dinosaur WorldDinosaur World | Expected to the state of earlyaccess for about 1-2 yearsread 8 Sep 2026 | 12–24 months | 17 months | 69% | On the clock7 months left | |
| Real Estate Tycoon!Real Estate Tycoon! | We estimate that the game will be in Early Access for about one and a half years. This timeframe will allow us to gather feedback, implement new features, and polish the game based on player input.read 10 Sep 2026 | about 18 months | 12 months | 69% | On the clock6 months left | |
| AwakerootsAwakeroots | I plan for the game to remain in Early Access for approximately 9 months. This timeframe may change depending on development progress and community feedback.read 10 Sep 2026 | about 9 months | 6 months | 65% | On the clock3 months left | |
| Logic WorldLogic World | We're not sure, but we're hoping to finish in 2028 or 2029. We're going as fast as we can!read 11 Sep 2026 | 8 years 2 monthsuntil 31 Dec 2029 | 4 years 11 months | 60% | On the clock3 years 3 months left | |
| Annihilate The SpanceAnnihilate The Spance | Until the end of 2027read 8 Sep 2026 | 3 yearsuntil 31 Dec 2027 | 20 months | 55% | On the clock16 months left | |
| Space Engineers 2Space Engineers 2 | Our plan for keeping the Space Engineers 2 in Early Access is approximately three years (end of 2027).read 6 Sep 2026 | about 3 years | 19 months | 54% | On the clock17 months left | |
| MineMogulMineMogul | About 6 to 18 months.read 10 Sep 2026 | 6–18 months | 9 months | 51% | On the clock9 months left | |
| Snow Resort SimulatorSnow Resort Simulator | Approximately 6-12 months.read 8 Sep 2026 | 6–12 months | 5 months | 43% | On the clock7 months left | |
| Gamma BurstGamma Burst | I estimate this game will be in early access for approximately 2 years due to the amount of features needed to be added, along with my country's 1 year long mandatory military service which I will soon.. serve, in which updates will inevitably slow down a bit.read 11 Sep 2026 | 12–24 months | 10 months | 42% | On the clock14 months left | |
| CLOUD DWELLERSCLOUD DWELLERS | The length of our Early Access period will ultimately depend on the feedback we receive from players — your input will help shape how the game evolves. That said, based on our current roadmap, we expect Cloud Dwellers to remain in Early Access for about a year, with the full release planned for mid-2027. We’re fully committed to making sure the game is worth your time and support. Our goal is to keep delivering meaningful updates and genuine enjoyment throughout the development process and beyond.read 8 Sep 2026 | about 12 months | 5 months | 40% | On the clock7 months left | |
| Cowboy Life SimulatorCowboy Life Simulator | We plan to stay in Early Access for approximately 12–24 months. This timeframe allows us to complete the full story arc, expand the map, and implement the community-driven roadmap. If the game receives strong support and feedback, we may transition to 1.0 even sooner — but our focus is on quality, not speed.read 5 Sep 2026 | 12–24 months | 10 months | 40% | On the clock14 months left | |
| SimplePlanes 2SimplePlanes 2 | We plan for the game to be in Early Access for approximately one year.read 10 Sep 2026 | about 12 months | 5 months | 39% | On the clock7 months left | |
| Farm to TableFarm to Table | We currently expect Farm to Table to remain in Early Access for approximately 6 to 12 months. However, this timeline may remain flexible depending on community feedback and the overall development process. Our goal is to take the time needed to improve the game properly, polish the experience, and make sure the full version reaches the quality we aim for rather than rushing the process.read 11 Sep 2026 | 6–12 months | 4 months | 34% | On the clock8 months left | |
| Girl IslandGirl Island | Expected to the state of Early Access for about 1-2 yearsread 7 Sep 2026 | 12–24 months | 8 months | 34% | On the clock16 months left | |
| Tiny Train TycoonTiny Train Tycoon | Around 6 months. This estimate may change depending on development progress and community feedback.read 11 Sep 2026 | about 6 months | 2 months | 29% | On the clock4 months left | |
| OxyRailOxyRail | The Early Access phase is expected to last between 12 and 24 months. We adhere to the principle of wanting the full release to deliver astounding content to our players. While maintaining quality, we will develop at full efficiency to create as much engaging content as possible. Conditions permitting, we hope to reach the full release swiftly, but never at the expense of quality.read 10 Sep 2026 | 12–24 months | 7 months | 28% | On the clock17 months left | |
| Uptime: A Cloud Provider SimUptime: A Cloud Provider Sim | Around a year. We'll prioritise getting it right over hitting a date.read 11 Sep 2026 | about 12 months | 2 months | 15% | On the clock10 months left | |
| ParalivesParalives | About two years, considering all the features and content we want to add before we can say that we've hit version 1.0. We'll also certainly have many other improvements and changes to make along the way. In short, this estimated timeframe seems reasonable to us right now, but it's always subject to change!read 6 Sep 2026 | about 2 years | 4 months | 15% | On the clock20 months left | |
| Human HostHuman Host | Human Host will remain in Early Access until we've built out its full vision. That means: multiplayer, Steam Workshop support, farming, cooking, fishing, animal husbandry, hunting, NPC factions (nations, raiders, survivors), and massive abandoned cities to explore—all of it. We're estimating this will take around 3 years to complete.read 11 Sep 2026 | about 3 years | 5 months | 15% | On the clock2 years 7 months left | |
| The Last FactoryThe Last Factory | I expect The Last Factory to be in Early Access for several months to around a year, depending on development progress and player feedback.read 9 Sep 2026 | about 12 months | 2 months | 13% | On the clock10 months left | |
| BitVoxelBitVoxel | We currently expect BitVoxel to be in Early Access for approximately 12 to 18 months. This is an estimate and may change depending on development progress, player feedback, technical needs, and how much polish is needed before the game feels ready for a full release. The goal is not to rush out of Early Access, but to use the time to improve the game into a more complete and polished sandbox circuit-building experience.read 10 Sep 2026 | 12–18 months | 2 months | 12% | On the clock16 months left | |
| StoneguardStoneguard | After the Early Access release, we hope to finish the game within 6 to 12 months. But this will also depend on the community's feedback. Because if bigger changes are needed, this may take longer.read 10 Sep 2026 | 6–12 months | 1 month | 12% | On the clock11 months left | |
| Mandate OrderMandate Order | Our current development target is approximately 12 months for "Mandate Order"'s Early Access phase. Once the core content, overall stability, and long-term play experience meet our standards for the full version, "Mandate Order" will officially enter version 1.0. The actual timing of the 1.0 release will still be adjusted according to development progress, version quality, and player feedback. We will not rush out of Early Access just to meet a date, nor do we want to leave the game in a state of stagnation for a long time.read 10 Sep 2026 | about 12 months | 1 month | 8% | On the clock11 months left | |
| plexumplexum | We expect plexum to remain in Early Access for up to 12 months, depending on the pace of development and community feedback.read 6 Sep 2026 | 0–12 months | 4 weeks | 8% | On the clock11 months left | |
| アバタークエスト オンラインアバタークエスト オンライン | We expect to be in Early Access for roughly 12 months, and we are aiming to leave Early Access around the end of 2027. Game development can be unpredictable, so this estimate may shift depending on our progress and on the feedback we receive from players.read 6 Sep 2026 | about 12 months | 2 weeks | 4% | On the clock12 months left | |
| Necromancer ParkNecromancer Park | This game will take around a year to come out of early access.read 6 Sep 2026 | about 12 months | 2 weeks | 3% | On the clock12 months left | |
| DEMO IT!DEMO IT! | We are aiming for somewhere around a year to eighteen months, and we do not plan for it to run beyond the end of 2027. That is an estimate rather than a promise. We would rather leave Early Access when the game is genuinely finished than leave it on a date we picked before anyone had played it. How long it really takes will depend a great deal on what players ask for once they are in — if the feedback points somewhere we did not expect, we would rather follow it than hold to a schedule.read 6 Sep 2026 | 12–18 months | 1 week | 2% | On the clock18 months left | |
| Tower LabTower Lab | We expect early access to last between 6 and 12 months.read 10 Sep 2026 | 6–12 months | 4 days | 1% | On the clock12 months left |
A game is in Early Access when the store lists it among its genres; the clock starts on the day the ledger saw it enter or, for a game that launched into Early Access, on the release date the store prints. The promise is the developer’s own questionnaire answer, kept word for word; only ranges and single figures are compared, open answers are listed as open, and answers the parser could not read say so. Graduations are recorded from 3 Sep 2026, so earlier years undercount them. A game whose questionnaire has not been read yet says “not read yet” under No promise (how). Data by SteamPeaks.com.