Demos were a staple of the video game industry back in the 90s, but recent generations have seen demos become rarer and rarer. That is, until recent years when demos seem to be having a resurgence. Their surprise champions? JRPGs and indie games.
Looking at the PlayStation store, for instance, you’ll find that most demos are for indie games you’ve never heard of or for major Square-Enix or Sega JRPGS.
For years, most triple-A gaming companies have treated demos as an afterthought, often releasing them months after a game release to try and gain a bump in sales. There were some exceptions to this such as NieR: Automata, a Square-Enix title, and several fighting games.
However, things seem to have shifted going into the 2020s with the monumental success of the Final Fantasy 7 remake demo in early 2020.
The demo featured the opening of the game, a recreation of the original’s legendary Bombing Mission opening, and showcased the amazing gameplay, visuals, and music offered by the remake.
The reaction to this demo was near universal praise which likely caused a surge in interest and thus an increase in sales.
This move worked very well for Square-Enix as they have since repeated it for many of their big JRPG releases. This includes Final Fantasy 16, which received even better reactions than the remake demo, and most recently with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
These repeat successes seem to have inspired other companies, as recent years have seen a significant increase in the number of demos released in the lead-up to game launches.
This is great for the industry as it lets players try out games that they are either sceptical about or have never heard of. It is also a good thing for developers, as it can serve as brilliant free marketing as players spread positive word of mouth amongst their friends and online.
On top of this, demos allow developers to prove to players that their games are complete and well-functioning before launch.
While many demos like to focus on the opening of the games for the sake of the story, the best demos balance gameplay and story. Final Fantasy 16, for instance, includes the opening of the game as well as a later section with enhanced abilities to give players a taste of the gameplay’s true flow.
Overall, the return of demos is a good thing for the gaming industry as it benefits both players and developers while also giving fans something to chew on in the run-up to a game release.
Besides, who doesn’t love a free sample?
Featured image credit: Square Enix
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