End of the free game demo? EA to suck even more profits from customers

[qubit]

Trying to justify charging for what should be free. I just love the bollocks argument that game demos take a lot of development time and money. And of course, 'piracy'. This is rubbish, because it's actually the same game, where the development has already been done, but with content and features removed, leaving just enough to give you a taste of what's to come. Very often it's a beta, too.

I won't be one of those suckers that actually pays for a game demo.

Crytek co-founder Cevat Yerli has weighed in on the issue as well, suggesting that it's still up for grabs as to whether Crytek's upcoming Crysis II will even ship with a demo prior to its retail launch. According to Yerli, game demos are not only "prohibitively expensive" to create, but they also eat up a large amount of development time. These are the two big reasons why Yerli doesn't envision a strong future for free game demos, though he does support EA's PDLC concepts.

"The problem with any new strategy like this is it initially may appear as a blood-hungry, money-grabbing strategy. But I think there is a genuine interest here to give gamers something more than a small demo released for free," said Yerli in an interview with Develop.

"Really, what this is, is an attempt to salvage a problem," Yerli continued. "The industry is still losing a lot of money to piracy as the market becomes more online-based. So it's encouraging to see strategies outlined to combat this. I think the whole issue needs to be explained in a better way, because there is good thinking behind EA's plan. 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."

ExtremeTech

 

[Dazzeerr]

What?! Game demos are to see if you want to buy the game, not to buy a small amount of the game which you're going to pay for again.

Plus a FREE demo of this kind of game is important for potential buyers. Most people, including me will want to play through a demo to see if it runs smooth enough for their personal taste on their computer and make their minds up about buying it.

This is ridiculous.

P.S. Loving the thread title, reminds me of tabloid newspapers.

 

[JATownes]

This is corporate greed. Plain and Simple. I need demos to see if the game is worth a crap of not. I have been burned too many time by games that "look" good, but lack any form of decent gameplay.

No Demo = No Purchase

 

[RejZoR]

Um lol, sorry but are they frickin retareded or something?

- no demos (or payable ones!?!?!!)
- retarded protection schemes
- shorter gameplays
- lower overal quality
- hardly any game has any replay value
- more expensive
- cheap ass plastic DVD boxes (compared to old colorful cardboard ones with proper manuals not some black and white 3000 copied version)
- pretty much non existing support after just 1 year if problems arise on new hardware or new OS

I'm not gonna blindly buy games, i'm not stupid. And i don't earn so much to do that.
I was pissed when Tiberian Sun demo was released few MONTHS after game launch. WHat the hell is the point of the demo if you release it AFTER the retail game!? That' so retarded i cannot describe it. Or they just don't want to because only 1st level in demo represents 1/4 of the entire game and that kinda sucks out the meaning of the retail game or what!?

I don't care, if there will be no demo, i'll just download warez version and test it my way. So far i've bought all games that deserved that even if i finished the game using warez version (which was the case with original Crysis but i bought both, original and Warhead, especially the later one which i bought blindly because original was so good). But how can i know that if i can't try it first? So their logic is flawed and stupid.

 

[Nick89]

Trying to justify charging for what should be free. I just love the bollocks argument that game demos take a lot of development time and money. And of course, 'piracy'. This is rubbish, because it's actually the same game, where the development has already been done, but with content and features removed, leaving just enough to give you a taste of what's to come. Very often it's a beta, too.

I won't be one of those suckers that actually pays for a game demo.



ExtremeTech

Great, I see where this greedy bastard is going.

Crysis part one and Crysis part two, both come out at the same time but you have to pay 60$ for both. Other wise you have half of a game. This lets them charge you twice the normal amount.

 

[Mussels]

this is gunna suck.


1. Paid demos may work on consoles (pay $5, try the game!)

2. pirates are gunna pirate them anyway

3. only legit customers get shafted, the WHOLE POINT of a game demo was to see if you like the game/your system can run it

 

[Lionheart]

Well this is a kick to the nuts, I will do the same to them by not buying any of their shitty products.

This is just pure human greed

 

[Phxprovost]

you know i liked crytec alot better when they were not busy running their mouth spewing crap everywhere :shadedshu

Well this is a kick to the nuts, I will do the same to them by not buying any of their shitty products.

This is just pure human greed

you sir are a pirate....or at least according to emerging trends that show if a game is not selling well it must be those damn pirates

 

[Lionheart]

you know i liked crytec alot better when they were not busy running their mouth spewing crap everywhere :shadedshu



you sir are a pirate....or at least according to emerging trends that show if a game is not selling well it must be those damn pirates

Are you accusing me of pirating games?

 

[Phxprovost]

Are you accusing me of pirating games?

not me, but the game industry is You see if a game does not sell as well as expected its chalked up to piracy, and with you not buying the game you are directly effecting the games sales thus you are involved in piracy...so basically...you are a pirate

 

[Lionheart]

not me, but the game industry is You see if a game does not sell as well as expected its chalked up to piracy, and with you not buying the game you are directly effecting the games sales thus you are involved in piracy...so basically...you are a pirate

Oh sorry bru, My bad

 

[qubit]

Thanks for all your replies, peeple. As I thought, the only ones that think this is a good idea are the greedy game companies.

I'm currently interested in Just Cause 2 on Steam. It's a bit pricey at £30, but I've downloaded the official demo first. I haven't gotten round to playing it yet, but I will before I buy it. If there was no demo, this game wouldn't get a look-in, no matter how good the description was.

P.S. Loving the thread title, reminds me of tabloid newspapers.

Thanks! That one came to me in a flash of cynical inspiration.

 

[DigitalUK]

almost sounds like an april fools joke (20 days to late), im thinking crysis 2 must run really bad for them to come up with this sort of rubbish.

charging for demo's they would charge for BSOD if they could because its part of the EA exsperience...

 

[ste2425]

how can pirates pirate a demo, it aint the full game so of no use. So thats bull

 

[DigitalUK]

going by EA rules, we are. people downloaded there demo without paying "Pirate"

 

[Thrackan]

And once again, my faith in the gaming industry lowers. Right now it's around submarinal levels.

I think game demos are a medium to get people to try your game, legally, and entice them to buy the finish product. This product placement strategy has worked since the early 90's, and helped grow the (PC) gaming industry to its current size.
The first 10-15 games I bought, I bought because I tried the demo, and liked it. The last 10-15 games I bought, I bought because I tried a pirated copy, since no demo was available.

The fact that people don't buy games after trying a demo may have something to do with the lack of quality of the game/demo. The scarce few demos I've found and tried in the past year did not convince me at all to buy the actual thing. Low quality is your problem, EA, not piracy.

 

[ste2425]

how about a free demo then you pay what you feel the game is worth. It sounds dumb but think about it it, if a game is of good quality people will not mind, and feel obliged to pay a larger amount. Its worked for many bands releasing albums that you pay what you feel its worth any they've made a bomb.

 

[Fourstaff]

How about buying the demo and then giving a discount if you like the game and want to buy the full game?

 

[Phxprovost]

How about buying the demo and then giving a discount if you like the game and want to buy the full game?

How about no? Maybe a demo should stay within the definition of a demo and the industry should just make better games maybe?

 

[Fourstaff]

How about no? Maybe a demo should stay within the definition of a demo and the industry should just make better games maybe?

If you don't want to pay for demos fine, there are plenty of "free" full demos online anyway.

 

[ste2425]

problem is their going the wrong way, "Ohh theres a higher pirate rating recently, hmm i no lets make then pay for demos" when they should be thinking "lets make games better so people want to pay for them

 

[twicksisted]

wow... thesedays the large game companies outsell the hollywood blockbuster movies when they release large titles.... its kinda like paying to watch a trailer for a movie to decide if you really want to see it...:shadedshu

 

[Thrackan]

If you don't want to pay for demos fine, there are plenty of "free" full demos online anyway.

The entire idea of a demo is "try before you buy". Paid demos would be plain silly.

 

[Scheich]

The scarce few demos I've found and tried in the past year did not convince me at all to buy the actual thing. Low quality is your problem, EA, not piracy.[/QUOTE]

And the lack of brains in game developement in general. Who needs 20 years old gaming ideas with updated shader models anyway ?

 

[twicksisted]

i guess if you paid for the demo... then they hopefully will discount it off the price of the game.... so you effectively pay the same.