What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access? “Species: Artificial Life Real Evolution has had a large following off of Steam for many years helping to guide it's development. The game's community has helped shape it to where it is today and we truly couldn't have done it without our awesome fans! We have loved the results of this and want to continue this same involvement throughout the rest of the game's development.” Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access? “While it's too early to give any definite time frame, we're looking at something on the order of three years.” How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version? “Our top priority throughout development has always been, and will remain, the evolution simulation the game is built upon. We will continue to improve and expand upon the simulation to support alternate methods of locomotion and feeding, new interaction possibilities, new genes and body parts, and new options for players to choose from when setting up and tinkering with their worlds. We will also continue to improve the performance and optimization of the game.



In addition, we have a plan to implement gameplay elements in the form of in-game science and investigation. Progression will be made and additional tools unlocked by studying the simulation as it evolves in real-time.” What is the current state of the Early Access version? “The core functionality, a real-time simulation of natural selection, is complete. Please refer to the "About This Game" section, all features described there are already implemented. There is plentiful work still to be done, however, in expanding the capabilities of the creatures and the player in their artificial universe. If you want a complete, polished and bug-free game we recommend you wait for full launch.” Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access? “We plan to raise the price as the game nears launch and becomes more polished, with additional content and features.” How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process? “We will continue to write our regular blog posts, Twitter and Facebook posts. We are frequently available and continuously monitor our forum which already has a good deal of traffic on it. We will also take advantage of Steam's community discussion boards to get feedback from everyone and provide support to our players.”