No, Demos are still relevant today.
No, Demos are still relevant today.
It seems modern AAA titles are designed this way because demos won’t truly reflect the final experience, making it hard for developers to invest in high-quality releases.
The storyline has shifted quite a bit, but the actual game remains the same. A demo isn’t meant to provide a direct, one-on-one copy of the main title; instead, it’s designed to give you a feel for how the gameplay works, what kind of experience it offers, and how it functions on your computer. They should be comparable—you shouldn’t try to make a demo look like a different version, like RE2 or Witcher 3, but rather something unique in its own right.
I still keep those CDs at my parents' house, filled with demos for several games like Legacy of Kain, Soul Reaver, GTA Vice City, MOHAA, NFS 6, NFSu, and more. These came bundled with most gaming magazines back then. I recall the NFS MW had a special demo server for its online play, letting you drive the Porsche Cayenne on just three tracks. GTA VC was restricted to the first three missions, while the rest of the areas were inaccessible. Every major upcoming title usually had a demo released about a month before its official release. Even with Steam launching in the early 2000s, there were still free demos available while the games weren't ready. The issue was that most ISPs imposed traffic caps and the internet speed was quite slow.
You're right, it might seem odd, but the truth is that most games I've played (and still own) had a demo version I liked before purchasing. That's why you often see time-limited demos or free weekend offers now. It makes sense for sales teams to provide demos since people are more focused on testing performance and compatibility these days. Of course, this approach is a bit outdated, but it reflects how things have changed.
I used to test games by playing them first and only purchasing them if I believed they were worth it. I’d never risk €80 on a title I had no idea would work, hoping to get my money back. Still, I fell for hype and bought games right from launch, like Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 and Cyberpunk 2077, before knowing what was inside.