The decline of Demos

[K0ZZ]

Just a console generation ago, demos were pretty much the best way to get publicity out for games actually being one of the only ways to get publicity unless it was a truely spectacular game that could get advertising on public TV. Even early into this generation it seemed as if demos were becoming a large part of game design and publicity. With games coming out on a fairly common basis and E3 usually bring around several demos for us to test out some big name games and other obscure games that needed the publicity.

Now however, the demos are pretty much non-existent. Are they released? Yes but lately it seems like demos are coming out after the release of the game, sometimes by months. Just a few weeks ago I saw a Fable 3 and Halo Reach demo cross it's way onto XBL. Demos used to be a great way to decide if you want to buy a game after all, a reviewers opinion can only be taken with a certain level of truth. After all it is just an opinion. You would never agree 100% with a reviewer on every game on every fact. You may share somewhat similar tastes, but none the less you really cannot get a true feeling for a game without playing it, something demos have a large part in.

Am I the only one noticing this? Games aren't even releasing demos or they aren't even released until after the fact. I remember being younger and rushing out to buy OXM just for the demo disc, I wouldn't even read the magazine.

It's pretty disappointing, with the raising cost of games, it seems like they would put more out to spur up some more hype for their games.

[Lodeus]

Re: The decline of Demos

I remember with the PS1 and PS2 getting demos in slipcases. Its what made me or should I say my parents buy me the games back then.

[Cubfan]

Re: The decline of Demos

It's about sales. If the demo sucks people won't buy the game.

[kingkilla56]

Re: The decline of Demos

I think some companies are afraid to release a demo of their game. That said, there are a plethora of demos available on the marketplaces online. And a little bit of revisionist history on demos of the past.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: The decline of Demos

For the most part, you only see a lot of demos during the christmas holiday season. That is when damn near every Tuesday it would be 4 or 5 new demos on market place.

But yeah I remember I use to order magazines just for the demo disc every month. Or go to Gamestop and buy those Jam Packs that would 15 demos on one disc.

I also remember when I bought a PS, it came with a demo disc with 16 games on there.

Those use to be the days, every september would be the football disc, it would have Madden, NCAA, Game Day and Game Breaker on the disc. Then in November it would be full of basketball games. And in the spring full of baseball games.

[Chrisksaint]

Re: The decline of Demos

Part of it is also the growth of the internet, with various videos and information available on the game with just a simple google search some companies imo just feel there is no point to a demo if all kinds of information can be found in less then 5 seconds and all that can be enough to sell people on a game these days

[K0ZZ]

Re: The decline of Demos

Part of it is also the growth of the internet, with various videos and information available on the game with just a simple google search some companies imo just feel there is no point to a demo if all kinds of information can be found in less then 5 seconds and all that can be enough to sell people on a game these days

I think less demos comes from like you said the growth of the internet but for a different reason. I feel like the original quality of games have generally gotten worse since the next generation systems have brought in the ability for games to update themselves.

So maybe they feel it would hurt their sales? Even though a good demo has proven only to increase sales.

[Cyros]

Re: The decline of Demos

I don't know that games are produced with less quality due to patching. On the Xbox and PS2 if the game had a glitch we would just say oh well, and shelf the game or keep playing without giving it much thought.

[Zalf]

Re: The decline of Demos

I agree with the person that says it is about sales. Recently I have talked myself out of buying a lot more games after playing the demo. In most cases they were games I was planning on buying and the demo changed my mind. Good for my wallet but not for someone trying to sell a game.

I am sure there are a lot of people who have more self control and will delay a purchase until they can try it out but there are also many of us that love the new and shiny impulse buy.

[DickDalewood]

Re: The decline of Demos

Considering grew up in a time where I would wait a good month to receive a VHS tape that showed off early gameplay of the game I was so eagerly anticipating, no, I don't think demos have declined.

[DaveDQ]

Re: The decline of Demos

Part of it is also the growth of the internet, with various videos and information available on the game with just a simple google search some companies imo just feel there is no point to a demo if all kinds of information can be found in less then 5 seconds and all that can be enough to sell people on a game these days

Yes, and NBA Elite is a perfect example of this. You could argue that the demo was the sole purpose of them pulling production and sales. So now you have a company debating on whether or not they should put resources into building a demo for a game. Because if they do so it has to be very good quality; otherwise, someone will exploit it on Youtube in minutes. Demos for games have become a risk.

[8and9]

Re: The decline of Demos

Just wait till around Fall time, that's usually when alot of demos/games are released.

[goh]

Re: The decline of Demos

The problem is they've stopped treating it as a business measure to increase first day sales and started treating it as a privilege. The DNF demo for example. Only for pre-orders and people that bought Borderlands on Steam. That only decreased sales,had people cancelling their pre-orders,everyone saying how awful it was,the bad reviews came and the demo still hasn't been publicly released. When it is if you don't have XBL Gold and possibly PSN+ you have to wait another week for it. By then it'll be $30. If everyone can't play your demo before the reviews and actual game release it's a failure as a demo. Especially since if someone isn't sure they'd just rent the game and end up finishing it. Then there's the stupid promotions. Downloaded x number of times and get this thing in game! Spam it to your friends and get a new uniform! As opposed to just including it regularly instead of leaving out the 10% of people that don't even take the console online and the 45-55% of people that can't download it until the game is out when it'd be pointless to download it.

[Pete1210]

Re: The decline of Demos

Most games I know what I want without a demo.
Something off my radar, a good demo may sell me.

I do like that ALL XBLA games have a free trial. I saved buying some and found some good games that way.

Now with Redbox selling video games, you can "demo" anything for $2

[jkra0512]

Re: The decline of Demos

I think alittle has to do with the money involved in producing a demo. It's not like tearing off a piece of the game and uploading it for the masses to play. It costs money and manpower producing a demo that represents the way they want to the game to be perceived. In this day and age, cutting corners may be helping some of these companies stay afloat right now.

One question they may pose is do we make a demo for people to play two weeks before the full game is released or do we put the time and money into tweaking the full version of the game to make it the best experience we can?