Are demos going extinct?

[Vie]

Torrent Killed the Demo Star

Hard to sing in time with the tune, but probably true.

 

[Eggsnham]

Console demos are pretty bountiful, at least from my experience.

 

[SaunaKalja]

I've definitely tried more demos through Steam than any other way. But that's only my experience, I can't really tell wheter the amount of demos is decreasing or not. I've most certainly started appreciating demos more than before, so I hope all games I'm interested in will have demos.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

I usually just watch gameplay videos, read reviews and get opinions. I've never really had the option of playing demos as my cap can't handle it.

Kinda the same here. There are so many gameplay vids on youtube and thousands of reviews I don't think I've ever been steered wrong.

 

[TheSeventhLoneWolf]

I think the demo as a concept is not dying, but it is definitely changing.

Shifting from a "try before you buy" experience to "Five minutes of gameplay before ending on a cliffhanger".

Very true. Or the ''Free trial'' versions.

 

[Wolfram23]

Hmm well on my PS3 they actually have a lot of demos available on PSN. That's what got me hooked on Batman: AA, Uncharted 2, Heavy Rain, Gran Turismo 5... they're doing a fairly good job of demos there.

But I don't know about PC or Xbox.

 

[Pilot Bush]

*cough* Steam...

 

[Ironic Pirate]

Dark Void had the worst demo ever. Starts of with no explanation at all, some fat guy yelling at you, and then JETPACKS! Yay!

Demos as a whole are getting better, though. Especially Uncharted 2's multiplayer Beta. That was amazing, several maps, modes, and even an unlock system!

 

[Aeshi]

There are so many gameplay vids on youtube and thousands of reviews I don't think I've ever been steered wrong.

I thought this until I played Batman Arkham Asylum when I found out it had a demo.Before this i thought it looked good in the vids but after playing I decided not to get it due to an awful (and unmodifiable) control scheme (Counter-Attack and Ranged Mode to the same button?WTF?) something I never saw in the vids.

 

[Paul]

I don't think that demos are becoming extinct. I think they're just changing to adapt with the 'next gen' game experience. Older demos came on discs from magazines and stuff, but they are becoming more downloadable, and less disc-based. Downloads are the future of gaming, but they're not as accessible for those who do not have internet.

 

[cieply]

Wanna try out the game? Pirate it. Play it. If it's good buy it to show appreciation to a dev. Best way to go.

That cure seems worse than the poison.

Why?