Video Game Demo Kiosks

[themistermanguy]

Since Christmas is fast approaching, let's discuss one thing.... Shopping. Specifically shopping in stores for video games. Being an interactive medium, Video Games require a more hands-on approach to get consumer interest when they're casually browsing their local Target/Best Buy. Thus, we enter the Demo Kiosks, stations that have the hardware of the actual console and controller available for consumers to play at least a handful of games.

Did anyone ever grew up with them? I remember being a kid and begging my parents all the time to go to the electronics section, just so I can binge at one of these things. I think the PS2/Xbox/Gamecube generation was when demo stations were at their peak. Some stores like K-Mart, even had their own unique kiosks [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmHXoyxA3YI], separate from the official ones. I remember my local Walmart used to have their demo consoles set-up within the actual shelf of games, with Monitor positions that required giraffe necks to see comfortably.

Nowadays, demo kiosks still exist, but they aren't as ubiquitous as they used to be, mainly due to the fact that all consoles now allow you to download demo versions to your own system from their digital storefronts. If a store still does have retail demo units, it's usually the designs supplied by the platform holder. No more unique ones like K-Mart's Tri-fecta design or Walmart's Giraffe neck TV's. Even then, I still visit these demo stations every now and then when I find one, mostly for Switch. Partly out of Nostalgia, and partly because Nintendo keeps demos for most of their bigger games exclusive to these kiosks.

While I like downloading demos to my consoles, there's a certain comfort and uniqueness of actually playing a demo in-store versus at home.

 

[Samos205]

my local eb games always used to have guitar hero setup when i was a kid.
The last time i saw a demo display was maybe two years ago for the PS4, but that's it
I miss the demo discs you could get with the playstation magazine, still have a ps2 demo disc that's unfortunately too scratched to read now, and the games that came with cereal/snack bars, still have a few floating around that still work

 

[BrawlMan]

Those were the days. K-Mart, Sears (PS1 demos ftw!), Macy's, Target, Meijer, Toys R Us, and Circuit City all use to have them. I remember going nuts for the PS2 kiosk at my local Circuit City before they closed down three years later. The only places that do demo kiosks are GameStop, Best Buy, and sometimes Target (usually for the 3DS). It's rare you even see them nowadays do to downloadable demos and the fact these mega stores want to keep space for other inventory. So they will move the kiosk, slim it down, or get rid of it entirely to save space.

 

[themistermanguy]

Those were the days. K-Mart, Sears (PS1 demos ftw!), Macy's, Target, Meijer, Toys R Us, and Circuit City all use to have them. I remember going nuts for the PS2 kiosk at my local Circuit City before they closed down three years later. The only places that do demo kiosks are GameStop, Best Buy, and sometimes Target (usually for the 3DS). It's rare you even see them nowadays do to downloadable demos and the fact these mega stores want to keep space for other inventory. So they will move the kiosk, slim it down, or get rid of it entirely to save space.

I do know that some Walmarts still have game kiosks, and I'm pretty sure most video stores that sell games still have them too. But they are indeed less common than they used to be.

 

[BrawlMan]

Those were the days. K-Mart, Sears (PS1 demos ftw!), Macy's, Target, Meijer, Toys R Us, and Circuit City all use to have them. I remember going nuts for the PS2 kiosk at my local Circuit City before they closed down three years later. The only places that do demo kiosks are GameStop, Best Buy, and sometimes Target (usually for the 3DS). It's rare you even see them nowadays do to downloadable demos and the fact these mega stores want to keep space for other inventory. So they will move the kiosk, slim it down, or get rid of it entirely to save space.

I do know that some Walmarts still have game kiosks, and I'm pretty sure most video stores that sell games still have them too. But they are indeed less common than they used to be.

The nearest Wal-Mart had a PS4 kiosk...but that was back in 2015. My local Best But stopped doing ps4 kiosks in 2016. All they have is one with a Switch, but I feel that one will only last for 2 more years.