Games without demos sell better on Xbox 360

[Soldier 95B]

Games without demos statistically sell better than those with demos - provided they have a trailer to entice players - noted Puzzle Clubhouse CEO and analyst Jesse Schell at a recent DICE keynote (via PCGamesN).

Schell cited video game research and consulting company EEDAR's data looking at cumulative sales of Xbox 360 titles. According to the report, games without a demo or a trailer sold less than 100,000 units on average. Those with just a demo sold about 200,000, those with both a demo and a trailer averaged at around 250,000, while those with only a trailer soared at over 500,000.


"You mean we spent all this money making a demo and getting it out there, and it cut our sales in half?" said Schell, paraphrasing the hypothetical publisher looking at these figures. "Yes, that's exactly what happened to you."


"People see the trailer and they're like 'that's cool!' and they made a plan. 'I gotta try that game!'" explained Schell. "And then when they play the demo [and they think] 'alright I've tried that game. That was cool. I'm done.' But the things with no demo, you've got to buy it if you want to try it."


Nevermind that ceasing to release demos is a very anti-consumer tack, especially with £40 titles.


What this study fails to take into account is marketing budgets. People are liable to purchase BioShock Infinite with or without a demo because advertising for that game is so widespread and people have experience with the previous games in the series. Less well known games like, say, Nier, may not get the love they deserve because their trailers won't be circulated enough to make an impact.


Still, Schell raises an interesting question: How often have demos turned you off of a game rather than turned you onto one?

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...er-on-xbox-360

I can see this happening. It has prevented me from buying some games, but has made me buy some games. Probably prevented purchases more though.

[radgamer420]

But if less developers put out demos then people will cry about that too.

[Soldier 95B]

I think it makes developers accountable. I think demos should be required.

[Silver_Knight]

]. Sometimes the demo sucks and the game Is really good.

[Blacksite]

Demos are a double-edged sword. You don't see publishers like Rockstar Games or Activision put out demos for their studios' games (though there's usually a Call of Duty demo released well after the game's release) because they don't want to risk losing sales if it doesn't meet expectations. At the same time, you could guarantee sales from new fans with a demo.

[Sylar]

Personally I like having the choice of playing a demo, I always try to get demos of games that I wouldn't normally buy and that has resulted in me buying a lot of titles that I would've ignored.

[LfCpS3]

Should be required FOR EVERY game that is going to be release and if prices do increase OR it becomes digital distribution only then demo/1 hour trials should be forced.

We are paying quite a lot of money so we should get to try out what we are paying for.
It will, hopefully, force devs to actually make games worth the price more.

That is one thing i REALLY like about the XBLA as they all have demos.

[Sir_Scud]

I like the choice of a demo. I won't go out and buy a game blindly without really knowing what I am getting into. I like that a demo serves to showcase the game's potential, but if the dev doesn't put out a convincing demo, then they lose out on sales. Keeps them honest, and it keeps people from purchasing lemons.

[Flaw3d Genius]

No surprise there...look at the idiots who are no longer buying Crysis 3 based of a beta lol. Been saying for years demos do more harm than good. I think we will start seeing a huge reduction in demo's in years to come.

[radgamer420]

I think it makes developers accountable. I think demos should be required.

I agree. Thats what I like about XBLA.

[RyanGT]

Demos are a double-edged sword. You don't see publishers like Rockstar Games or Activision put out demos for their studios' games (though there's usually a Call of Duty demo released well after the game's release) because they don't want to risk losing sales if it doesn't meet expectations. At the same time, you could guarantee sales from new fans with a demo.

A game like Call of Duty really doesn't need a demo, people know where they're getting from them by now. They're all basically the same game with different guns and maps.

[Naxi]

That is the sad truth. Demos also take away from time and resources. The cons just outweigh the pros from a developers perspective. A great game can have a bad demo.

[Soldier 95B]

That is the sad truth. Demos also take away from time and resources.

There should be a demo "template" for a lack of better words. An SDK that is universal for demos that automates the process.