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Long gone are the days of getting the latest gaming magazine with a demo disc attached. That disc would usually have all the biggest upcoming releases on it, with demos for us, the players, to try and gauge exactly what we wanted to spend our hard-earned money on.
These days, marketing for video games is very, very different. Demo discs are gone, replaced with expensive showcases, multiple trailers and huge marketing budgets. However, in recent times, some developers have turned to the classic ways to try and drum up increased interest in their game.Starfieldmay not need increased interest, with it being one of the most popular games of the year, but it would benefit from a demo.
Related:Starfield NDA’s Indicate Bethesda Creative Director, Todd Howard, Is The Only Speaking Authority
A Starfield Demo is Unlikely, but not Impossible
It’s no secret that the pedigree of Bethesda’s releases have been hampered in recent years. What was once a guaranteed AAA amazing release has now been spoiled by the likes ofRedfallFallout 76and more. With the highly publicized failure ofRedfall,as well as a spate of broken releases from other developers, public trust in Bethesda is the lowest it may have ever been. Goodwill from gamers is a premium that shouldn’t be abused, and Bethesda are dangerously low on it.
Now, Bethesda have never been a developer to release demos of their games, regardless of the size or shape of them, butStarfieldis the perfect release to break that trend.Square Enixrecently releasedFinal Fantasy XVI,and right before the official launch, they released a demo that included the game’s prologue. Between increasing word-of-mouth, showing off the game in a way no showcase could, as well as essentially free marketing, the developer announced that the demo was a success, increasing pre-orders and proving that the old ways sometimes are the best.
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Related:“Microsoft needed few dollars”: Microsoft Wanted to Hurt Sony So Bad It Blocked Starfield Despite Data Predicting at Least 10 Million Unit Sales from PS5 Owners
AStarfielddemo would go a long way to mitigate the worry of yet another broken release for fans, with many expecting countless bugs, dodgy gameplay and more to ruin their experience with what could be an incredibly innovative and forward-thinking title. A demo ofStarfieldis admittedly more work than that ofFinal Fantasy XVI,with the former being far more complicated, more gameplay mechanics, systems than that of the latter. What section of the game do they show? How much of it? There’s a lot to answer.
As it stands though, Bethesda have not made any announcements regarding a demo, either for or against one, so right now, it could still happen.
Starfieldhas every chance of being a huge hit, with some genuinely impressive ideas and promised mechanics. How many it actually fulfils is another matter though. From theStarfieldDirect showing and the trailers released thus far, the game does look every bit of enticing and fun as we’ve been promised, but fans will not-so-fondly remember the same being said ofNo Man’s SkyandCyberpunk 2077,amongst others.
Related:Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 vs Starfield, Which One is Going to be the Biggest Game of 2023?
Since Bethesda’s last single-player releaseFallout 4, back in 2014, games, specifically RPG’s have come a long way. Whether it’s the likes ofElden Ring, Red Dead Redemption IIor the recently releasedTears of the Kingdom, RPGs have never been more immersive or full of quality. None of those three games mentioned delivered a demo, but at the same time, their studios weren’t in such disrepute after a spate of poor releases. Nor did they carry the weight of being the reason consoles would be shifting off shelves, asStarfieldcurrently is.
What do you think? Will we get aStarfielddemo? Will you buy the game regardless? Let us know in the comments!
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Luke Addison
Former Head of Gaming
Articles Published :462
Luke Addison is a Former Video Game Critic and Gaming Editor. As likely to be caught listening to noughties rock as he is watching the latest blockbuster cinema release, Luke is the quintessential millennial wistfully wishing after a forgotten era of entertainment. Also a diehard Chelsea fan, for his sins.
