When there are so many finished products available, using an unfinished product is considered a waste of time. However, using unfinished products, which is beta testing, is an important step in hardcore development. The hardcore gamers think being an unpaid beta tester is so important that they will pay money for the opportunity.
While the hardcore sees being an unpaid beta tester as a path to ‘grow as a gamer’, some think this will grease the skids on them getting into the Game Industry. Other hardcore want to make sure they remain superior to the other gamers so they want to start playing it before anyone else. But most important of all, being a beta tester allows the hardcore to make-believe he is now a game developer (and on a sure road to becoming a Game God).
Game companies have realized they don’t even need to sell finished games anymore. Nearly every game is released in beta. The hardcore prefer this as it gives them something to complain about on the message forum and gives them many opportunities to make ‘suggestions’ to the game company.
When a hardcore tells you they got into a beta of some video game, it is not recommended that you point out they are being leveraged by the game company to iron out an unfinished product. Instead, you should congratulate him and tell him how ‘jealous’ you are. The hardcore thrive thinking they are the envy of every gamer out there. The more you talk about how much you ‘envy’ him, the more he will consider you his ‘friend’.
