Has Microsoft Given Up On Demos???

**udontneed2know** · 12-12-2007

Seriously this is getting a little ridiculous. He it is during the Christmas gaming rush and there hasn't been a single demo worth mentioning. Mass Effect, Assassins Creed, CoD4, etc. could have all gotten demos. I seriously doubt we will see a GTA4 demo. I've gotten to the point of not even checking for new demos very often simply because I know nothing worthwhile is going to show up. Tired of looking really.

Anyone else a little ... surprised perhaps that the demo situation is so dry with so many games soon to release and already out? I'm pretty shocked to be honest. Demos are the perfect way to get gamers acquinted with your future title, show off the gameplay, show off the graphics, and just give them a small taste and hope they want a lot more. But now, its run dry. I want my demos .... now ...

**skulpt** · 12-12-2007

It's not just MS though. Sony could have mustered a UT3 demo, a Lair demo, and a few others. I dunno. I think they both do it. And think about Wii owners. LOL

Brian

Originally Posted by udontneed2know

Seriously this is getting a little ridiculous. He it is during the Christmas gaming rush and there hasn't been a single demo worth mentioning. Mass Effect, Assassins Creed, CoD4, etc. could have all gotten demos. I seriously doubt we will see a GTA4 demo. I've gotten to the point of not even checking for new demos very often simply because I know nothing worthwhile is going to show up. Tired of looking really.

Anyone else a little ... surprised perhaps that the demo situation is so dry with so many games soon to release and already out? I'm pretty shocked to be honest. Demos are the perfect way to get gamers acquinted with your future title, show off the gameplay, show off the graphics, and just give them a small taste and hope they want a lot more. But now, its run dry. I want my demos .... now ...

**Eric** · 12-12-2007

It's up to the publishers of the game, unless it's a first party title of course.

**grcswoosh** · 12-12-2007

Originally Posted by Infinite Daremo

Well the games you mentioned, their sales weren't hampered by no demo being available.

How do you know that. Sure they were really good, but they could have been better. I for one have not bought AC yet because I have never really liked that style of game. Yet, if I were to like the demo, I just might have changed my mind. Demos open a lot of eyes and wallets.

**Infinite Daremo** · 12-12-2007

Originally Posted by udontneed2know

Demos are the perfect way to get gamers acquinted with your future title, show off the gameplay, show off the graphics, and just give them a small taste and hope they want a lot more. But now, its run dry. I want my demos .... now ...

Well the games you mentioned, their sales weren't hampered by no demo being available.

**Insanehead** · 12-12-2007

Why do some people think game publisher owes them a demo? If anything they should at least be grateful if a demo were to ever be released.

**spazchicken** · 12-12-2007

actually, don't mean to change the subject but are they ever going to release anymore camera games? all that has been made is totem ball....that was a year ago! (and I'm not talking about games were you use your face as a texture or while your playing a card game. /rant

**Dark Octave** · 12-12-2007

Originally Posted by spazchicken

actually, don't mean to change the subject but are they ever going to release anymore camera games? all that has been made is totem ball....that was a year ago! (and I'm not talking about games were you use your face as a texture or while your playing a card game. /rant

I'm curious about this too. I bought the camera on day one, and it seems to be forgotten by everyone, including Microsoft. I'm only reminded that I own it when I see Totemball in my list of games.

But I've also noticed the demos have been pretty slim latley. I check less often now too. I'll check today, but I don't expect much. Demos are very important. The reason I rented Assassin's Creed and Lair, instead of bought them, was simply because of the lack of a demo. $60 experaments with no demo get teh rental from me.

**immortal** · 12-12-2007

Well it is obvious why demos arent being uploaded. It is because all the developers and publishers wish to spend the money it would cost them to develop a demo or get it on live, on advertising. During the holiday season, people don't usually try out games or anything of the sort, they usually just get a game, and which ever game looks 'coolest' on a commercial or which ever game alot of your friends got for Christmas are the games that are chosen.

The developers of games like bioshock saw the need to put out a demo, since there game was releasing at an awkward time in terms of video game sales. Unlike all the games you listed.

**A7MAD** · 12-12-2007

Yeah I too feel the same way Udn2k.

**Behemoko** · 12-12-2007

I think the demos lately have been lacking also, but I feel there's nothing that can be done, soo..

**maltrophstitan** · 12-12-2007

Burnout Paradise demo comes out in the next few days

**Aquanox** · 12-12-2007

Frontlines Fuel of War Demo Has just hit the marketplace... so .... no. :P

Xaor · 12-13-2007

Originally Posted by Aquanox

Frontlines Fuel of War Demo Has just hit the marketplace... so .... no. :P

Pity about the game.

Its sad to see only 2 games on the demos list, there is no question that Mass Effect and Assassin's Creed should have had demos, I wouldn't consider buying either of those games without a demo, BUT both interest me, so give me a demo and I'll consider buying it.

No game is good enough to not need a demo, apart from the hyped-to-hell-and-back Halo and Gears of War.

The OP has a good point and that point remains, where are the demos?

However... It isn't Microsoft doing it, its developer laziness/arrogance on Ubisoft and Bioware's part, that they think it will sell as well with or without, they are terribly wrong.

**Insanehead** · 12-13-2007

Originally Posted by Xaor

However... It isn't Microsoft doing it, its developer laziness/arrogance on Ubisoft and Bioware's part, that they think it will sell as well with or without, they are terribly wrong.

Well so far that has yet to be proven. Show me a Bioshock/Ubisoft title that bombed because the lack of demos.

Xaor · 12-13-2007

Originally Posted by Insanehead

Well so far that has yet to be proven. Show me a Bioshock/Ubisoft title that bombed because the lack of demos.

BioSHOCK? You mean Bioware.

It isn't about bombing, its just foolishness on their part to think that a demo wouldn't make a difference. Its not that the games will fail, its about making the fence-sitters sure, and that's what a demo does. Not using one is arrogance/stupidiy/laziness/cowardice.

**Soldierboy** · 12-13-2007

Originally Posted by Xaor

BioSHOCK? You mean Bioware.

It isn't about bombing, its just foolishness on their part to think that a demo wouldn't make a difference. Its not that the games will fail, its about making the fence-sitters sure, and that's what a demo does. Not using one is arrogance/stupidiy/laziness/cowardice.

The real small developers who make a good game will have a demo. The "unproven" games will have demos but everything else there wont be.

**Aquanox** · 12-13-2007

Originally Posted by Xaor

Pity about the game.

Its sad to see only 2 games on the demos list, there is no question that Mass Effect and Assassin's Creed should have had demos, I wouldn't consider buying either of those games without a demo, BUT both interest me, so give me a demo and I'll consider buying it.

No game is good enough to not need a demo, apart from the hyped-to-hell-and-back Halo and Gears of War.

The OP has a good point and that point remains, where are the demos?

However... It isn't Microsoft doing it, its developer laziness/arrogance on Ubisoft and Bioware's part, that they think it will sell as well with or without, they are terribly wrong.

Microsoft doesn't release Demos of their biggest games right after or before the launch. Halo 3 and Gears of War are good examples and Mass Effect just followed this trend. The reason is simple, they don't want to distract the developers from the deadline just to make sure they have a Demo on time (EPIC themselves said so) hence, there hasn't been a Demo of Mass Effect yet.

That's concerning Microsoft's Published games and I'm pretty sure it's the same policy Ubisoft is following with Assassin's Creed. In other seasons of the year, the timming is much more flexible hence the Demos Galore.

**Knuckles126** · 12-13-2007

Originally Posted by Aquanox

Microsoft doesn't release Demos of their biggest games right after or before the launch. Halo 3 and Gears of War are good examples and Mass Effect just followed this trend. The reason is simple, they don't want to distract the developers from the deadline just to make sure they have a Demo on time (EPIC themselves said so) hence, there hasn't been a Demo of Mass Effect yet.

That's concerning Microsoft's Published games and I'm pretty sure it's the same policy Ubisoft is following with Assassin's Creed. In other seasons of the year, the timming is much more flexible hence the Demos Galore.

Yeah, it's just a **** shame Microsoft didn't grant Bioware more time to polish Mass Effect.

**MaskofSanity** · 12-14-2007

While it's true that games which already have a huge amount of hype behind them probably don't need a demo, there are games then aren't as hyped that still don't have a demo. I mean Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom is already out here in Australia but the demo hasn't showed up yet. I know people don't give a **** about this game since I havent even seen a thread about it, but I'd still like to check it out. It's been ages since I played a mindless dungeon crawler - and I like alot of them, including the ones people think are average.
Interestingly enough, there is an advertisment to download the demo on my dashboard but there's nothing there.

**Scotracer** · 12-12-2007

I can relate. I am on the fence of buying Assassin's Creed for something to do over the winter period (I loved Crackdown/sandbox games and of course GTA) but with the very flakey reviews...I just don't know.

**Sparc** · 12-12-2007

I guess we've been spoiled this year with a deluge of demos throughout. It's fallen off a little in the past 6 weeks or so but I guess this is mainly due to the big hitter titles landing. If they were to demo all of those prior to release it would ultimately effect the delivery date of the retail versions. I suspect at times the decision is taken to protect those release dates at the expense of an early demo.

**Dark Octave** · 12-12-2007

Originally Posted by Sparc

I guess we've been spoiled this year with a deluge of demos throughout. It's fallen off a little in the past 6 weeks or so but I guess this is mainly due to the big hitter titles landing. If they were to demo all of those prior to release it would ultimately effect the delivery date of the retail versions. I suspect at times the decision is taken to protect those release dates at the expense of an early demo.

The thing about it is, they have demos at trade shows all the time. Why not simply use one of those? It's better than nothing. Lost Planet had a demo on Live a full year before it launched. I seen Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect demos being played. At Comic Con this summer, I played Ratchet & Clank, Lair (litterally for 10 seconds), Uncharted, and Folklore demos. They all used those same exact demos for later console release, except for Lair, which is the one title this year that really should have had a demo.

Instead, I rented Lair and found that the motion controls didn't bother me as much as everyone was making it out to seem they would. But guess what, now it's too late. I've already seen and done everything I needed to see and do in the game and I no longer have the urge to purchase it. The lack of a demo hurt them in my case. They had the demo months before launch, running just as smoothly as the final product, but simply didn't post it up on PSN.

**Insanehead** · 12-12-2007

Originally Posted by Dark Octave

The thing about it is, they have demos at trade shows all the time. Why not simply use one of those? It's better than nothing.

I don't think you can compare demo meant for trade shows to the one we get from the Internet. Trade shows demo at more likely to be incomplete build as well as being controlled by the developers on the spot.

The lack of a demo hurt them in my case.

You never see a Nintendo game demo yet it sold tons with no problem whatsoever. What about Halo? Heck, back in the cartridge days demos were non-existent yet games sold well.

**Dark Octave** · 12-13-2007

Originally Posted by Insanehead

I don't think you can compare demo meant for trade shows to the one we get from the Internet. Trade shows demo at more likely to be incomplete build as well as being controlled by the developers on the spot.

The demos on PSN I mentioned (Ratchet & Clank, Uncharted, and Folklore) were the exact same demos from the trade show I went to. Which was exactly the same as the final product (choppy mega jump framerate in the first level of R&C and all). Furthermore, the Lair demo was top notch. It may as well been the final build. The work is already done. Why not simply post it on PSN? I feel that in Lair's case, it would have greatly helped their sales. Instead, there are a lot of people out there who stayed away without giving it a chance because of bad reviews.

You never see a Nintendo game demo yet it sold tons with no problem whatsoever. What about Halo? Heck, back in the cartridge days demos were non-existent yet games sold well.

Nintendo is heavy on sequels and quality for the most part. I always know what to expect from a Nintendo title. Same with the Halo series. If I like Mario 64/Sunshine and Halo/Halo 2, there is a 90% chance I will love or at least like Mario Galaxy and Halo 3. That's why I said "experamental projects" need to have demos more than anything. Had there been a Lair game prior to this one and it used the same "experamental" controls, I wouldn't need a demo as much.