Crytek CEO Predicts the End of Free Game Demos
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
- Start date
In order to have a premium something you have to have a regular something. EA is offering Premium Demos for a small fee. If they don't offer a regular demo, then are you really getting something premium? When they fail to release the "regular" demo, you are now paying for a regular demo, which is what I don't think EA is saying. I wouldn't pay for the right to demo a game, same as I wouldn't pay to watch a trailer for a movie. If they don't want my money because they don't want to advertise a game, then my money they shall not receive.
Unless the money you spent on the demo gets knocked off the final copy (unlikely I know) I will not be paying for demo's, free demo's have played an important part in my gaming history and in the case of Splinter Cell Conviction (Utterly stupid AI = no buy), hopefully, my gaming future too.
If companies start charging for demos what's stopping the soon-to-be buyers pirate said game and try it out? Nothing.
The only way I could see it working, is if the "demo" was based on the same engine, and had the same mechanics, but was actually different to the core game itself.
Kinda like an episodic prequel or a stand-alone expansion, (like the demo, actually adds extra stuff to the game when you have both).
Using a game like Call of Duty as an example to explain, the "demo" as it were is the multiplayer part with unique maps unavailable in the main game.
The demo is significantly cheaper, but it has the limitation of a lot less perks and extra weapons the main game has, as well as having no single player stuff, nor the 10-15 maps the main game has available.
The benefit of combining the two would then be having access to those maps with all the extra stuff the main game has.
It would also be nice, if after a consumer has purchased the "demo", they get a code/voucher (or other redeemable), that they can use to either get a discount on the main game, or the code/voucher gives access to extra dlc.
But knowing the big corporations, its likely that a demo that you pay for will pretty much be a demo that you pay for! XD
Kinda like an episodic prequel or a stand-alone expansion, (like the demo, actually adds extra stuff to the game when you have both).
Using a game like Call of Duty as an example to explain, the "demo" as it were is the multiplayer part with unique maps unavailable in the main game.
The demo is significantly cheaper, but it has the limitation of a lot less perks and extra weapons the main game has, as well as having no single player stuff, nor the 10-15 maps the main game has available.
The benefit of combining the two would then be having access to those maps with all the extra stuff the main game has.
It would also be nice, if after a consumer has purchased the "demo", they get a code/voucher (or other redeemable), that they can use to either get a discount on the main game, or the code/voucher gives access to extra dlc.
But knowing the big corporations, its likely that a demo that you pay for will pretty much be a demo that you pay for! XD
"I understand why people are thinking that all EA wants to do is maximize profits out of the audience, but really, what it's really trying to do is get investment back but while being as fair to the gamer as much as it can. Ultimately, it will be a better deal for the gamer."
Oh yeah, having to shell out a quarter of the full game's price to get a minuscule idea of what the game's like so EA can milk their games even more than re-releasing the same ones every year with tiny improvements and the year tacked on to the title will be a much better deal for the gamer than, say, allowing gamers to have a free taste of a game to see whether it'll stink or not. No, now we have to depend on critics we may not trust the opinion of telling us whether to pay the full admission price before finding out if it's crap.
Thank you EA. Thank you so very FUCKING much.
Oh yeah, having to shell out a quarter of the full game's price to get a minuscule idea of what the game's like so EA can milk their games even more than re-releasing the same ones every year with tiny improvements and the year tacked on to the title will be a much better deal for the gamer than, say, allowing gamers to have a free taste of a game to see whether it'll stink or not. No, now we have to depend on critics we may not trust the opinion of telling us whether to pay the full admission price before finding out if it's crap.
Thank you EA. Thank you so very FUCKING much.
No demos? NO DEMOS?
What the fuck. Do you know how many demos sold me on a game I had ZERO interest in or was on the fence with?
Just Cause 2, Red Faction: Guerilla, Dante's Inferno, Bayonetta, Batman: Arkham Asylum. To name a few recent ones from less than a year ago.
What the fuck. Do you know how many demos sold me on a game I had ZERO interest in or was on the fence with?
Just Cause 2, Red Faction: Guerilla, Dante's Inferno, Bayonetta, Batman: Arkham Asylum. To name a few recent ones from less than a year ago.
Its simple. If I cant play it first, I don't buy it. This doesn't always mean demos. Sometimes I'll rent or borrow or something, but a large percent of the time, its a demo that makes me decide wether or not to purchase something. There's no way I'd pay for a demo, only to decide I don't like it, then not purchase the full game.
Now, if they start charging, say, $15 for a demo, you should get sent(or be able to print out) a code that gets you $15 off the purchase of the full game.(EDIT: Crap. Didn't see someone already posted this idea.)
Now, if they start charging, say, $15 for a demo, you should get sent(or be able to print out) a code that gets you $15 off the purchase of the full game.(EDIT: Crap. Didn't see someone already posted this idea.)
Consumer CEO TsunamiWombat predicts his company will soon stop trading in Crytek products as a result of this policy. Also, Chicken for dinner.
this again?! I'd like to see them try this and see if they are willing to compare their sales numbers b4 and after this paradigm is in place. good bet is there will be a nice sharp drop 
DTWolfwood still waiting to see UBISOFT's PC software sales numbers.
DTWolfwood still waiting to see UBISOFT's PC software sales numbers.
That's the idea, you'll just have to fork over that increasingly large sum of money to find out, and all you'll be able to use to determine a games "goodness" is their marketing and reviews, which are heavily driven by hype and marketing.Corum1134 said:
a demo is an excellent marketing tool, i don't think publishers will allow developers to let them off that easy; besides i find demos useful since i can see if i can actually run a game on my pc