The Large Absence of Demos for Upcoming Games is a Mistake

Not so long ago, when a new game was set to be released it was prefaced with a demo. This is a trend that has not survived the test of time. Why? Triple-A titles.

With the recent prevalence of open betas and Early Access in triple-A games, there seems to be no room anymore for demos. Developers are more inclined to put effort into early access builds of unfinished games they can charge for, as opposed to free demos. From a purely financial and business standpoint, this makes sense. The more profits you can gain as early as possible during a game’s life cycle, the better. This practice almost negates some of the risks of a game being received poorly by the general public and/or receiving negative reviews. If a game’s unreleased build can earn developers money from players whose expectations are lowered due to the “unfinished” nature of it, then regardless of whether the finished product is bad or good, they still earned money.

This practice is best observed in yearly franchises such as FIFA or Madden. For example, EA’s FIFA 19 set for release in late September of this year offers two tiers of payment above the standard game at £20 and £30 increases in price. Both of these tiers allow three days Early Access to the game, along with various other digital in-game content. To most, three days seems like nothing. Waiting on a game to be released can take multiple years, so what is another three days? Well in the world of FIFA that time can make a big difference. Ultimate team (the series flagship feature) includes a functioning economy that changes with time. Therefore there is an incentive for players to pay the extra money to get a “leg up” on the competition.

Another relevant example of charging more for early access to a game is the upcoming Just Cause 4. This game pushes the envelope further with 24 hours Early Access being made available with a handful of digital added content for an extra £10 on top of the standard title. Going back to my previous point about this feature being useful in multiplayer games such as FIFA 19, the situation with Just Cause is a lot less understandable. Just Cause 3 was met with mixed reviews on release, with many citing a change of game feel from the previous titles. Furthermore, the fourth installment is also a single player game, thus removing one of the main reason for pre-release access.

Taking into account the mixed reception of Just Cause 3 and the lack of multiplayer features, why Square Enix thought players would be inclined to shell out an extra £10 for 24-hour Early Access is surprising.

The amount of demos available across the three main platforms is minuscule compared to what it used to be. On the UK Nintendo eShop, the number of titles on the Switch with an available demo at the time of writing is 71. Compare this to the impressive 1258 titles available on the Switch right now. Obviously there is a huge gap between the two, and the trend continues on Sony’s UK PSN Store. There are roughly 75 demos on there, out of 2743 available games. With Microsoft’s UK store for Xbox One games, out of 1593 games for sale on the Xbox store, 68 are available as free demos. With the recent heat Microsoft have received for its lack of exclusive titles compared to Sony, rolling out more free demos could have been a significant selling point.

A resurgence of demos can offer so much to a player, a developer, and a console manufacturer. For the player, a demo can offer an example of what they can expect from the full finished game. This information is invaluable in a world where your average new game costs upwards of £60+. Many people see buying a new game as a significant investment, and if it turns out to be something they don’t enjoy they are stuck with something they don’t like.

As demos take less effort to release than Early Access builds of games and generally are more representative of the final game due to their nature as a smaller more polished feature, it represents a great opportunity for developers to hear what consumers think of their game before its release. Demos are also a way to increase a game’s player base post-release. A post-release demo can bring new players into the game and increase its popularity, which benefits the developer due to increased revenue.

As I mentioned in my previous paragraph, a more demo friendly approach could have benefited Microsoft ‘s image during Sony’s period of console exclusive dominance. For an example take a look at 2013’s OUYA console. Although admittedly the system went bust for a host of reasons, one of the main ones was its removal of its requirement for all games having free to play demos added. Shortly after this decision, the rights to the OUYA were sold to Razer and the rest is history.

The return of demo software in the mainstream of gaming would be a positive inclusion. Sadly I doubt we’ll see a return for a considerable time due to the more profit-centered gaming industry with the increasingly common inclusion of micro-transactions. Looking forward, the only way I can see it happening is through companies like Nintendo with a big focus on indie games and allowing as much content on their consoles as possible.