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Reader Discussion: Do Demos Influence Your Purchasing Decisions?
How often do you purchase a game, or decide not to purchase a game based on playtime with the demo?
Recently two Electronic Arts games received demos, one of which I believe may have influenced many to check out the game, and another that probably had no effect on consumer purchasing decisions at all.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was a game that I wasn't sure if I was going to check out, but after spending some time with the demo, I decided I wanted to play more. The Mass Effect 3 demo, on the other hand, serves no purpose to me whatsoever. I understand that it gives players an early glimpse at the multiplayer, but I want to wait until I have the full game, and I definitely don't want any spoilers for a narrative rich game like Mass Effect. And then there are people like my wife who not only avoids demos, but also avoids any and all media about games she is even slightly interested in. She argues, why bother to start playing a game if you are forced to stop after a few minutes?
Are demos necessary for games with established fan bases, or just welcome bonuses? Do you avoid them? Or do you greedily fill up your hard drive with them as quickly as possible?
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