‘H1Z1’ Gets January Early Access Release Date, Comparisons With ‘DayZ’ Abound

"H1Z1" fans have been waiting for a long time for a definitive date on when they can finally get their hands on the Early Access of the game. Now, in a Reddit statement from CEO of SOE John Smedley, Sony Online Entertainment has finally announced that the date to look forward to is Jan. 15, 2015.

However, alongside this announcement are some disclaimers on what fans may expect from the title. Smedley first addressed why the Early Access had taken this long to be released. Technically, back in August, there has already been a lot of announcements and even new footage showcased for "H1Z1."

MP1st earlier reported on the hour-long footage that fans could enjoy for the title, together with the official announcement that "H1Z1" will be coming to the PS4. The news confirmation was done during the SOE Live. Even before then, as early as April, there have been footages released of the gameplay, as seen in the video below.

According to Smedley, however, the reason for the later release date of Early Access was that they wanted to make sure that what they did put out was still something that they could be proud of as a developer. This meant doing more tweaks to make it a playable and enjoyable game even as an Early Access.

"It's everything Early Access should be--a fun and compelling game that isn't finished. Our goal is to have you help us finish it and have it be a game we can build a large community in over time," said Smedley.

Still, this does not mean that it's not without its bugs or issues, since Smedley pointed out that this is still an unfinished game, and as much of an "Early Access" as it can come. In the FAQ over at the official "H1Z1" website, it was announced that during Early Access, players can already do crafting, base building, combat, driving vehicles and experience day-and-night cycles.

For now, there are no set timelines for when the Early Access will end. The developer has noted that the team prefers to make the game into what it aims to be, a massively multiplayer zombie survival game that's more than limiting what and how long players can enjoy access. So even without a set duration period, the developer is looking at ensuring that the team can work out bugs, incorporate player feedback into the final build and even expand features based on player suggestions.

Smedley has also announced that there will be two SKUs at launch. The first is basic Early Access at $19.99 and a still unannounced, more expensive version. The main difference between the two versions is the access to mode servers and some unspecified other details that the developer will reveal in the coming weeks.

As a final word and perhaps a way to set player expectations, Smedley also compared "H1Z1" with its closest rival "DayZ," adding that it won't be as better as the existing title. He even went as far as to compare features, praising some of the cool stuff that's in "DayZ" and not in the Early Access of "H1Z1." But in the end, he did reiterate that the goal of "H1Z1" was to be a zombie apocalypse with a massive dystopia as a background. There is already 64k square kilometers worth of land to check out and explore, but Smedley promised that additions will be added as soon as the launch happens.

"H1Z1" gameplay footage (Credit: YouTube/2rgames)

Read more gaming and tech news:

Xbox One Misses Street Fighter V But Now Owns Rise of the Tomb Raider

Uncharted 4 News: 15-Minute Gameplay Plus Updates; Glitch Explained

More PlayStation Experience Expectation and Reveals: Titanfall Dev Project, Gran Turismo 7 and No Man's Sky