Tempest Rising accidentally available to Standard Edition buyers today

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According to several Steam gamers, there appears to be a significant error in the launch of the new real-time strategy game’s Deluxe Edition, Tempest Rising. This highly anticipated spiritual successor to Command & Conquer was supposed to be released today for those who had purchased or pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition, with Standard Edition players needing to wait another week. However, it seems that an unexpected issue has occurred, and now it appears that everyone, regardless of their edition, has access to the game.

Tempest Rising accidentally available to Standard Edition buyers ahead of release

For several years, Tempest Rising, developed by Slipgate Ironworks, has encountered some development hurdles. Alongside layoffs at their parent company Embracer and delays in introducing the game’s third faction, a smooth launch for this upcoming real-time strategy (RTS) title would have been beneficial. At the moment of writing, the developer posted an update on the Discussions page, but interestingly, they didn’t acknowledge concerns from players who claim to have only bought the Standard Edition and are currently playing it. The post clarified that the disappearance of the Standard Edition from Steam wasn’t a decision made by the team; instead, they labeled it as a “technical issue with the storefront.” It will be intriguing to learn more about this situation, as it may impact the value of Deluxe Editions across various platforms.

Players who bought the Standard Edition of Tempest Rising found they could play the game earlier than scheduled, even though this week was supposed to be for Deluxe Edition buyers. In a discussion forum post, user ShadowLL inquired if other players should inform the developers about the problem, implying “Should we let them know?”. ShadowLL further explained, “I’m referring to the fact that Standard edition players are getting access to the game along with Deluxe… They temporarily took down the Standard Edition from the store, but it appears there is a mix-up because the store page indicates the game has already been released…”.

A different user named Arctic Spark expressed their shock too, mentioning: “I was taken aback to find the game already out, and when I noticed the price, I assumed it had been increased,” highlighting the fact that only the Deluxe Edition is now on Steam. The initial poster pondered possible solutions from the team. It wouldn’t be wise to take away access from Standard Edition players who have already begun playing. For the time being, it looks like they will continue offering the game but discontinuing the Standard Edition option. We’ll just have to see what transpires next.

As I’m typing this, SteamDB indicates more than three thousand individuals are actively playing the game. Additionally, thirty-six reviews have been posted so far. Since 91% of these reviews are positive, that bodes well. Many players trust that the developer won’t take away access from those who gained entry today, as the issue seems to be on Steam or the developer’s side. Revoking access could potentially anger players, but if Deluxe Edition buyers feel their purchase is undervalued, it might lead to dissatisfaction.

The common strategy of releasing Deluxe Editions and offering Advanced Access, which allows those who spend more to play a game earlier, has been brought into doubt following the release of WWE 2K25, as many players who opted for Advanced Access faced problems and issues, likening their experience to that of beta testers. Incidents like this, along with today’s Tempest Rising debacle, make it crucial for consumers to pause and reflect before purchasing a Deluxe Edition or an Advanced Access pass. You may not always receive the value you expect.

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2025-04-17 21:02