As you might already know, Microsoft has launched their own version of Steam Early Access with something called the Game Preview Program on Xbox One. There you can find early versions of games and play them during their development and with your feedback contribute to their ongoing refinement.
During Gamescom several Game Preview titles have been announced, like Sheltered and We Happy Few. But as it turns out, third-party games and indies aren't the only ones going to use this feature, first party titles will use it as well according to Microsoft Studios Global Publishing general manager Shannon Loftis:
"First party will be using Game Preview for our games. It's not 100 percent. It's very much developer choice, but it is definitely an option."
That means we might not have to wait until 2016 to try out a couple of the big games announced for next year. Loftis also explained what might happen if a developer were unable to finish a game that proves really popular with the community:
"What I'm about to say is more speculative, and not fact or policy. I think that if we had a game that were popular in Game Preview and somehow it became a reality that the game would have a hard time finishing, I think we would work with that developer to make sure the game does get finished," she suggests.
"We have so many ways for developers to engage with us, between our third-party program, our ID@Xbox program, we have a group specifically about outreach, and my own team. I think it's important for us to engage. It's very important for us to deliver our promises."
Quantum Break, Crackdown 3 and Sea of Thieves are three games heading to Xbox One next year, will any one of these be released into early access?
Thanks, Game Informer