DayZ producer on Early Access frustrations: There needs to be a ‘f***ing loading bar’

DayZ’s been in Early Access for over a year now — with another year to go — and its producer thinks a lack of clarity in Steam’s funding platform is key to players’ frustrations.

Nearly 3 million people have paid up to $30 for access to a development build of the multiplayer zombie-survival game since December 2013 — via Steam, the world’s largest gaming platform — essentially paying to help test the game as it grows. Developer Bohemia Interactive recently announced that the finished game won’t release until 2016, though — with a $60 price tag at launch — and many players are frustrated with the long development cycle that they’re now a part of. It’s a frustration that DayZ’s producer, Brian Hicks, understands, but he blames the confusing nature of Steam’s Early Access platform.