Lack of PC Demos

nutsnut

nutsnut

nutsnut

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Hi

Fairly new to PC gaming, only really started doing most of my gaming on the PC over the last 12 months but have been playing the odd game on the PC for a few years. Previously played xbox/360 but there just for forza and DVD's now.

However, am I just looking in the wrong places as it seems that there are not many demo's released for the PC for upcoming games, seems to be a buy it or leave it affair, so i tend to wait for the game to come up in a steam sale.

Is there any good source of demo's for new games?
 
Not generally no, the consoles get more demos than us which makes sense as consoles have all those different hardware configurations and some xboxes may not run games as well as oth... wait what?
 
Puppetmaster said:
Don't really have demo's on PC anymore. Tend to find that open beta's have replaced them.
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This, and this a reason why the pirating market has became larger, nobody wants to waste money on a game especially how they're getting more expensive now and don't like it, so people pirate and then buy it if they like it.
 
Yeah, i know about the Beta, though these are mostly reserved for online games from my experience. Would just like a few more demos of other genres, particularly racing games so see how the game feels prior to potential purchase.

Its not always easy to rely on accurate reviews.
 
The reason we dont get demos on PC is because we will see how crap games are before we actually buy them..They want us to buy the game and it doesn't matter if we then don't like the game or if it runs like crap...because they have made their money and of course you cant really trade a PC in these days.

This is what i hate about PC gaming...oh and Overpriced DLC (Content which should have been in the game in the first place)
 
Nevakonaza said:
The reason we dont get demos on PC is because we will see how crap games are before we actually buy them..They want us to buy the game and it doesn't matter if we then don't like the game or if it runs like crap...because they have made their money and of course you cant really trade a PC in these days.

This is what i hate about PC gaming...oh and Overpriced DLC (Content which should have been in the game in the first place)
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Oh how I loved the days where you would get new maps in a free patch for PC games.
 
Have to admit, I rarely buy/try new games outside of the big franchises I know I already like. Or major title releases that have had beta phases.

If demos were offered I would be far more likely to try something new/different and ultimately probably end up buying more titles. Shame we do not see them any more.
 
Betas haven't replaced them at all, how many of the major releases this year had betas? MMOs have betas and huge games like Battlefield have betas, don't think we'll be beta testing Dragon Age 3 or Fallout 4 tbh...
 
this is why 50% of my computing time is devoted to watching videos of other people playing games, not ideal but you generally get enough to decide if you want to buy it or not, thus far I've bought kerbal space program, farming sim, kinetic void, minecraft, sanctum, portal 1&2 and alice: madness returns using this tactic.
 
Beta testing = free crowd sourced bug fixing. But you think you're getting something for nothing, you used to with a demo but now you pay for it with your time. :)
 
Psymonkee said:
This might explain why!

http://www.penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/demo-daze
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As well as being annoyingly narrated, that video is hardly accurate.

There's no reason a demo can't just be the first act, in which case where is all the extra work for the developer?

And yes, I can count several demos that have made me buy the full game. Deus Ex is just one example. The DE demo was just the first level of the game. And it was brilliant. And I rushed out and bought it.

The most recent example was XCom:EU. Demo was good, actually made me buy the game full price. Now I *never* buy games full price. I normally wait for the Steam sales. But not only did that demo make me buy the game, it made me spend more on it than I normally would.

Again, that video is crap. And wrong :p
 
What would be nice is if steam and other such platforms allowed to to play the game briefly for free.

Say you get like 30mins-1hr of gameplay depending on genre, cost of game etc and then you get cut off and thats your chance to decide if you want the game or not?
 
Something Else said:
What would be nice is if steam and other such platforms allowed to to play the game briefly for free.

Say you get like 30mins-1hr of gameplay depending on genre, cost of game etc and then you get cut off and thats your chance to decide if you want the game or not?
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Well judging by the recent rumors this may become a possibility with Game Sharing, would seem someone on your friends list will have to own it, but Im sure there's always someone with a game.

I think a lot of sales come from Youtube previews now, people like Total Biscuit showcasing games to tens of thousands of people.

But as others have said, BETAs do a similar job as Demos once did for PC at least.
 
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