Wardogs’ $40 Early Access Price Will Rise to $60 as the Game Grows

Wardogs has launched into Steam Early Access with a $40 price tag, but players who wait for the finished game could end up paying considerably more.

Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer says the studio is using a “scaling pricing” model for Wardogs, with the price increasing alongside the game’s development and the amount of content available.

Under the current plan, Wardogs is expected to rise to $49.99 in around 12 months, when the game reaches what Bulkhead describes as its “0.5” milestone.

Roughly 24 months into development, the price is then expected to increase again to $59.99.

“We have scaling pricing,” Brammer explained.

Bulkhead Is Being Direct About the Price

Brammer has also been unusually direct about what players should do if they believe $40 is already too expensive for an Early Access game.

“If you don’t agree with that, please don’t buy it.”

According to Brammer, the pricing reflects the scale and cost of developing Wardogs. The studio is building a large-scale FPS with high-end graphics, physics and other technically demanding systems that require significant resources to develop and maintain.

“This game costs a lot to make,” Brammer said.

He also pointed out that players looking for a cheaper FPS have other options available.

Why Wardogs Will Get More Expensive

Bulkhead’s argument is that the increasing price isn’t simply about charging more as Wardogs becomes more popular. Instead, the studio sees the pricing model as part of making development financially sustainable and ensuring it can continue supporting and expanding the game over the long term.

The approach effectively rewards players willing to jump into Wardogs during its earlier and potentially rougher stages.

Current Early Access price: $40
Planned price after roughly 12 months: $49.99
Planned price after roughly 24 months: $59.99

Players who buy early get a lower price but also experience the game while it is still being developed. Those who wait get a more complete product but will potentially have to pay considerably more for it.

A Different Approach to Early Access

It’s an interesting approach to Early Access pricing, particularly at a time when $40 is already a substantial asking price for an unfinished game.

Whether players consider that a reasonable starting point will likely depend heavily on how much content Wardogs currently offers and how quickly Bulkhead can deliver meaningful updates.

But the studio is making one thing very clear from the beginning:

Wardogs isn’t intended to stay a $40 game forever.

As an Amazon Associate, PakGamersHub earns from qualifying purchases.