The cooperative stealth-action game Thick as Thieves didn't have much content at launch – players only have access to two maps and a limited set of gadgets. Because of this, many users felt that the project would have been better suited for an early access format. However, game director Jeff Hickman explained why OtherSide Entertainment decided to forgo Early Access at this stage.
In a new interview, Hickman said that Steam's rules for early access projects were too strict for the team. According to him, Valve has specific requirements for what constitutes early access and how developers should develop such games.
It's a very specific system on Steam, and behind the scenes, they have a lot of rules about what Early Access means and what you're obligated to do within it. Frankly, it's a bit restrictive to what we want to achieve.
The developers do not want to commit themselves to a content roadmap in advance, as they intend to actively change the direction of the game's development based on community feedback. The team wants to be able to quickly adapt the project – for example, to develop exclusively single-player and cooperative modes or, conversely, to add PvP if players demand it.