With the pervasive nature of online and connected consoles and computers, game developers can deliver Alphas & Betas of your favourite games before they hit the shelves. With some betas acting more like a playable demo, rather than a work in progress, are we being trained to expect too much from Early Access, and in development titles or have we missed the meaning of in progress?

Speaking of getting you hyped for games that aren't out yet, we tackle the big issue of pre-ordering games. With exclusive content locked behind pre-orders and individual retailers holding the keys to particular content should we be putting down hard earned cash before the game arrives, especially with games that aren't up to scratch?

Finally some of the biggest actors in video games are talking are speaking in hushed tones, and concerned voices. SAG-AFTRA the union that represents actors in Television and videogames is calling for better conditions for those who work hard to make the characters more than pixels and polygons. We talk all about #performancematters

You can find us on social media, Discord, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and Steam. Just search for "pixelsift"

Support the show: https://sifter.store