Given the first release of a game is named "Alpha", and another is named "Beta", it would be logical that the release following this one is named "Gamma".
This this the case?
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2 Answers
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No, there is no Gamma version nor do they call the final release this way. Here's the terminology for versions of a software/game:
- Pre-Alpha
- Alpha
- Beta
- Open/Closed Beta
- Release candidate (Might not be final but has potential to be)
You can read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle
answered May 13, 2018 at 1:18
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\$\begingroup\$ On that same page you linked is an image showing that RC's are actually called "gamma" or "delta". Link to img: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle#/media/… \$\endgroup\$ Commented Mar 26, 2023 at 8:56
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I have never heard anyone - in game development or software development in general - use the term "gamma version". After beta comes the "release" version.
However, the differences between "alpha", "beta" and "release" aren't very well-defined. The usual consensus is:
- An alpha is a version where many important features are still missing
- A beta version has all core features implemented, but there are still known bugs and lack of polish (missing assets, clunky UI, flaws in game balance...). Some lower priority features might not be implemented yet.
- A release version is feature-complete and should have no known bugs
But different teams have different ideas about what to call "alpha", "beta" and "release". The difference between alpha and beta is hard to define because it is a matter of opinion which features are "core features" and which are not. And it is very common that games get released with known bugs or missing features because the developers ran out of time and/or money.
