Would you pay 99 cents for a demo?

In regards to a PC game demo. A lot of PC games do not have demos these days, and I usually like to try games out before I buy. Figure the demo is a legitimate demo in terms of length for singleplayer, or is quality enough if it is a multiplayer demo.

 

Baka believes that one should never ever pay for a demo. It does not provide the full services or experience that one should get for a paid game. Even if the demo is a "legitimate demo" in terms of length for singleplayer. Previous games used to include demos for free. Why pay now? With all our internet access and hardcore gamers around, if one wants to see how a game works/looks like, one simply waits for a few days, maybe up to a week, and a lot of gameplay footages, reviews and hints/tricks/easter eggs will appear on youtube. It's a free method to decide if it's a game for you or not.

Considering how most games are extremely buggy on release anyway, one shouldn't really be buying games on release date unless it's been thoroughly beta tested. But if said game has had a beta test, that in itself is already demo enough on what the game is.

 

I once paid $40 for a demo/beta in 2003. Nowadays that would've been $60.

 

Only beta thing that Baka constantly see people pay that's worth it is...

Minecraft

 

I disagree on this regard, but that's just me!

And yeah, never pay for demos.

 

Minecraft is fun

Now, paying for demo's? Eh...no.

If beta keys count, I remember people paying $200+ for the Sc2 beta a while back.

 

Well if 0.99 would help pay for the bandwidth required for some developers to release demos i guess it may be worth it.
But then again demos where ment to be free.

 

If I had a Billion dollars: sure.

Since I'm middle class: no.

 

Its really desire vs ability question.

Weather was cold and rainy, i was sitting at home @ saturday evening not having much to do. Yes, i would pay $50 for diablo 3 beta. Fifty bucks wont make me happier, diablo3 beta i believe (even if for an hour or two) will so seems like a fair trade xD

I think most people would have somewhat same thoughts, only price will be different.

p.s. i wouldnt buy beta of any other game though. It has to be made by blizzard and be some sort of RPG xD Most people (me included) simply dont have desire to play beta of some just another shooter or whatever so they wont pay for it.

 

For me a demo is a marketing tool from a software developer, a marketing tool to try and entice you into buying their game and should be free. Would I pay for a demo - NO WAY don't care what it is offering or what game it is after all it is only advertising.

 

Would you pay $.99 to test drive a car or sit on a couch you were interested in buying? Didn't think so.

 

Refrase the question:
Would you pay to see advertisement in TV?

 

will never pay! they're not supposed to cost a single dime! they're meant to try out the game not something to have fun with!

 

No, I'd go over to TPB if they started that...

 

No. As already stated, demos are marketing material. They are usually based off beta code too, and rarely refined. They make them to convince you to buy the game. But I guess with all the lemmings there are these days they don't need to. People buy crap for $60 and are ok with it I guess.

 

Anyone who has cable TV already does this.

 

No. I don't pay to demo a tennis racquet before buying it. Why would I pay to demo a game, when the full game would likely only give 5 hours of enjoyment and no replay-value?

 

There are some games I wouldn't pay 99c...

 

What? Insert a $1 into their TV to watch the advertisements?

 

Last time I test drove a car, I didn't pay $.99. I don't know anyone who paid $.99 to test drive a car.

 

Well it depends. If it's a promising indie developer who needs some money to stay afloat, then I would pay $0.99 for a demo.

But if it's a big company looking to squeeze more money out of people, then definitely not.

 

No, unless I could count that money towards it's purchase.

 

My answer to the thread question: No, never. Thanks for asking .

 

Nope, never.
Demo = Demonstration = Possible Test Build = Why on earth would anyone pay anything to test something

 

For minecraft, keep in mind there is a huge difference between paying to preorder the final game and getting access to a demo/beta in the meantime, versus paying for a demo. I would do the former in some cases, but would not do the latter.

 

This how I'd look at it as well.

 

For me, I think I wouldn't really mind at all if a.) was help for an indie dev like a few people have stated or b.) went towards my purchase. It's tough because it is really hard for me to know if I am going to like a game without a demo, and most PC games do not have demos :/

So looking at it another way, how do you convince devs, big or small, to release demos?

 

If I'm paying money for a company to stay afloat...it better come with stock options. That's all I can say.

If you are asking for money from a demo, you are asking for investors. And investors want stock.

 

nah bro I didnt pay for the demos that came with consoles not going to pay for demo's that are limited gameplay, over and over and over. If they offered try it before you buy it on my PC then maybe, no betas please

 

No, on principle. I'd pirate in that case.

 

Meh richer than me, and yeah I wouldn't pay 1 bucks for a demo, unless it lasted about a months...D Fallout 4 anyone?