What happened to a demo being a demo

[gepeto]

I have noticed a trend recently with stores Like eb and Gamestop. you use to be able to get demos that come out to see if you like them. Now they want you to prepuchase the game before getting giving up the demo. What's the point of a demo if your are going to purchase the item before you get the demo? I have bought countless games that I normally would not have brought based on playing a demo. I would have hated to be forced to buy drake:) I just think it is bad business. I spend alot at these stores but you can't build up a relationship with the mgr because they change every 3 months. Also me being a collector I can't afford to buy all games brand new at retail price I enjoy the heads up if a game sucks. Alas Just Venting

[Big Papa Husker]

Yeah I know. EB has the Fight Night 2 and God of War demos which you can get for free for $24.99. What a ripoff.

[Jibbajaba]

They give me those demos for free all the time. I just got the fight night demo but I havent played it yet. All you have to do is get all buddy buddy with the people who work there and they'll give you whatever you want. I get all kinds of free stuff from them. But I also buy a lot of stuff from them.

Chris

EDIT: What pisses me off is that systems never come with pack-in demo discs anymore. It used to be a pack in game, which was great. Then with the PSX and Saturn and DC you got a pack in demo disc, which although not as good as a game, at least gave you a bunch of little mini games to play. Now they just dont give you shit. I bought my PS2 on launch day, and I remember being really dissapointed that there was no demo disc. Only way to get one is to shell out $8 for either a Jampack disc or an issue of OPM.

[Kamino]

you can cancel any preorder you make on a game.
Therefore if the demo sucks, go back and cancel!

[Jibbajaba]

you can cancel any preorder you make on a game.
Therefore if the demo sucks, go back and cancel!

Very true. Really, you can just pre-order a game, get your demo, cancel the preorder a few days later, and use the same 5 bucks to pre-order another game with a demo, and repeat the process. Just make sure that you are also buying stuff from the store or they will grow tired of these antics.

Chris

[EnemyZero]

honestly i had so many demo cd's for my pc and ps1 and saturn back in the day..and even DC....once that generation ended i stopped with demos...don't know why, but i know what you mean

[Jorpho]

I still see the "special editions" of Tomb Raider and Deus Ex on occasion, as well as the "Baldur's Gate Chapters 1&2" CD. They look like full games, and they're often priced as full games, but full games they are not!

[lucavi]

I have bought countless games that I normally would not have bought based on playing a demo.

i think you just answered your own question :)

[gepeto]

Lucavi Come on

Demo were first started as a try before you buy of course you know this I'm talking about being forced to prepurchase the game just to get the demo.

[Slate]

The trick is to make a good relationship with the employees, And buy something every time you are in. (It does not need to be expensive- A game less than $5 will do)

Lucky me the store manager has been working there for the last 2 years. :)

[spoon]

EDIT: What pisses me off is that systems never come with pack-in demo discs anymore. It used to be a pack in game, which was great. Then with the PSX and Saturn and DC you got a pack in demo disc, which although not as good as a game, at least gave you a bunch of little mini games to play. Now they just dont give you shit. I bought my PS2 on launch day, and I remember being really dissapointed that there was no demo disc. Only way to get one is to shell out $8 for either a Jampack disc or an issue of OPM.

Hopefully with the recent pack-ins with the DS and PSP, demos and maybe even games will once again be packed with consoles. One can dream.