It feels like demos are coming back though. I don’t know how many demos I’ve played in the last year but it was quite a lot. I just don’t like it when the demo becomes unavailable after release.
Comment on Steam refund
Technus@lemmy.zip 1 week ago
This is something we lost when game developers stopped publishing free demos. I cannot imagine how “just buy it and refund it if you don’t like it” is somehow better for the industry.
whatsgoingdom@rollenspiel.forum 1 week ago
Korne127@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Half the games I buy on Steam have free demo versions
Peffse@lemmy.world 1 week ago
the refund part wasn’t planned
ayyy@sh.itjust.works 1 week ago
Free demos attract potential customers but it also attracts people who just want free stuff and aren’t potential customers (the stereotypical example in gaming would be a kid with parents that won’t buy games). From a business perspective it’s a plus being able to save yourself the effort and expenditure of interacting with the second group and only interact with people who proved they have a credit card.
deegeese@sopuli.xyz 1 week ago
I’m not going to show you my card until you show me some fun.
deegeese@sopuli.xyz 1 week ago
Less work than making a demo, customers might forget to ask for the refund, and all the customer service is free because Steam automates it.
Makes lots of sense for developers.
As a customer, I’d still prefer a demo.
Hawke@lemmy.world 1 week ago
This might fall under “less work than a demo” but far too many games that do have a demo, the devs don’t bother keeping it up to date.
1984@lemmy.today 6 days ago
I think demos work. It was the entire reason i paid for planet crafter. I knew it was a fun game because of the free demo, and the demo let me play for several days so I got very hooked.
deegeese@sopuli.xyz 6 days ago
First computer game I ever spent my allowance on was because of the free demo. Was a fun little game called DOOM.
quips@slrpnk.net 6 days ago
Why not both?
ZeDoTelhado@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Until the refund fees become too much to be supported (and it will be because I don’t see more payment processors going by, if anything,we have less and less because reasons), that is basically the stance on this subject yes