Game Demos going the way of the dodo?

[HannibalX]

There seem to be fewer and fewer game demos these days. For instance, I was looking forward to a STALKER demo to see how it ran on my machine. The last time I looked (about two weeks out) there wasn't one.

The new thing seems to be to offer a "public beta" and only issue a certain ammount of game keys. This way the community finds the bugs in games and the developer doesn't have to spend extra hiring game testers - you would hope the prices of games would go down because of this but so far we seem to just be working for the developer for FREE.

Where are the demos? I generally won't buy a game if I haven't played the demo first.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

yeah...i would like to see more demos.

 

[Mutilator]

I think ETQW will be releasing a demo... but it'll obviously be after the beta and probably after the retail release.

I believe Crysis may be doing the same in the future.

 

[MarcVenice]

I see plenty of demo's tbh, some games don't though, apparently they don't sell better after releasing a demo.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
I see plenty of demo's tbh, some games don't though, apparently they don't sell better after releasing a demo.

here's an idea...don't make sh!tty games.

 

[butch84]

I think the general size inflation of games and game demos might be contributing to the demise of the demo. I can't remember the last time I downloaded a demo that was less than 500mb.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

but its easier to download a 2gb demo now that it was to download a 100 mb demo like 5 or 7 yrs ago.

 

[Oyeve]

I think the demise of PC game demos has to do with the demise of PC games in general. Consoles had been dominate for a while now. I remember a few years ago going into a video game store and there would be a large section for PC games, now, PC games a lucky just to have a couple of shelves. I wanted to get the PC version of Transformers but no store in NY carried it even tho there is a PC version. I got the Xbox 360 version but its sad when game store stop carrying or never even order the PC version. Thank God for Amazon, thats where I usually order the latest PC games from.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

STALKER doesn't have a demo because it's not the type of game you could easily make into a demo, being less linear than the rest. Half-Life 2, Far Cry, Doom 3, Quake 4, Prey, FEAR, and Hitman: Blood Money all had demos and those are all off the top of my hand. For the most part you shouldn't have much problem finding any.

 

[GundamSonicZeroX]

The new thing now is BETAs. I also agree with th OP, I won't buy a game without trying the demo.

 

[jwpeer]

Heroes of might and magic V has a demo. And it's tremendous, I actually bought the game based on the strength of the demo.