mechmouse: Assuming there was always going to be at least a $10 increase once live, and additional $10 for multiplayer isn't extortionate.
As for multiplayer, I'd be playing with my wife. I've never really enjoyed playing with total strangers. Which you might consider odd since I played WoW for nearly 10 years.
However with WoW, me and the wife played mostly PvE. Yes there was other players but our enjoyment of the game wasn't dependant on them. 4 times out of 10 a Pick Up Group (PUG) for a dungeon would be a horrible experience and 5 times out of 10 it was bearable. Once in a while you'll find someone interesting your can get along with. We got to know them, they weren't strangers any more.
The idea of playing this or any game where I've got a 1 in 10 chance of an enjoyable experience just fills me with dread.
Steam is for those that use the Facebook definition of "Friend", unless you've helped me move a dead body your not a friend. Likely explains why I've only got 5 people I'd call a friend.
I agree with pretty much everything you said (and, no, I don't find it odd that you do like playing online multiplayer but prefer to do it only with people you know; I just wished someone -- *anyone* -- would play the GOG versions of Dying Light, Torchlight II, The Last Blade, Victor Vran, Grim Dawn, Titan Quest or any of the Metal Slugs with me. I would prefer people I know, but at this point I'm settling for whomever, actually...)
As for the price increase being because of a potential multiplayer addition, yes, you make a fair point. If a $10 price increase was what they had initially planned, an extra $10 on top of that for multiplayer development costs wouldn't be an exorbitant amount to ask for. I know I'm coming across as being too harsh on the game and the devs; I understand you like the game quite a lot, right?, and I apologize if my skepticism and my stupid bluntness somehow offend you. It's not fun when others start relentlessly attacking something we like a lot and believe in. I really do apologize, not trying to be passive-aggressive or sarcastic, here. Same goes for the Compulsion person in the GOG forums, I realize it isn't easy dealing with all this anger and backlash, especially when you believe in your product and probably just wanted people to see it the way you do.
I won't buy this game, though. I don't condone this steep price increase, mostly because it's happening while the game is still In Dev/Early Access. It does look interesting, has a lot of features and an art direction I know I would enjoy a whole lot. But asking people to pay $50 for an Early Access game (with a mere 3.5 review average here on GOG, which isn't all that good, especially when taking into account the review averages for other In Dev games) isn't an attitude I'm willing to reward or promote, even if only by buying the game 85% down the line. Sorry, it's just what I feel is right.
I'll keep saying this, though: best of luck to Compulsion Games. You guys seem to have your heart in the right place, and that's a commendable thing. Let's wait for the 16th, then. I'm pretty convinced nothing in that announcement will make me feel this price increase is justified, but that's just me, others might think otherwise and support you and your project by buying it for the new increased price.