I think you're brave and ambitious for developing your own engine. However, I think your business skills are utterly lacking. You should not be charging this amount for a game in this state.
When you offer a pre-alpha or beta, the negative connotation and scepticism you're going to attract is going to be huge. You need to go out of your way to prevent it. Putting out a game WAY too early like this, you immediately get accusations of cashing in, selling a promise, offering sub-par goods, and more - negative publicity you almost certainly will NOT WIN BACK. Don't assume that everybody will understand it's an alpha and have patience to wait and see. Gaming by nature deals with some impatient people.
What makes things even worse is what we're seeing now - a lack of people online... in an online game! Even if we assume that you finish the game to a high degree of polish, if you have nobody playing it, and ****** off customers that aren't going to return, then you have almost zero ability to stress test. Ludicrous.
I appreciate this might be your first endeavour in gaming and you may need cash. What you SHOULD be doing is offering the game as an early access for a piecemeal amount - Valve has data that is freely available that shows how effective deep discounting is (Left 4 Dead 2) - reducing the price STILL nets you more gross, despite having to sell more "copies". So, if you put this up at a clear "knock-down" startup price of £1 or maybe £2, it would endear you FAR more, as people will be more disposed to accepting the game for what it is - and go the extra mile to stress it is an INCREDIBLY EARLY build. Not only that, you'll get extra revenue, but you get punters in number to stress test and work with you!
I admit it might be easy for me to say this as if they're obvious, but I do have the benefit of old age, and experience in business and the gaming industry (albeit as just a journalist). I hope you take this in good spirit because I want to see you succeed.
crunchyfrog555
Daniel joined
Strange oddball of senior years with many hobbies and interests. Collector of obscene number of games (I really do mean obscene) and various platforms from the last 35 years of gaming. I'm officially retired, but have a few endeavours to keep me active, namely helping run disabled campsites at major music festivals (Glastonbury, etc), and a spot of legal advice. Former freelance gaming journalist for various publications, primarily UK Official Playstation Magazine. Doesn't play well with others; not allowed near anything sharp or wobbly.