Do You Like The Idea Of Playing Demos Before Buying?

[oldgamerz]

Back in the MS/DOS era of PC gaming there was this thing called Shareware, in which was basically games that let you play a the whole first section of a video game for free. In most cases, the first  section of a video game. Shareware let you try a game out from the developer (not pirated) for free. Most Shareware was actually more then a just a demo. example is the shareware version of Wolfenstein 3D  the developer gave you 10 levels for free and then 60 levels total on it's finished project the full version. while some shareware versions of PC games only gave you 1 level or 1 part of a level for trying out for free.

My PlayStation 1 came with a demo disc of many 1 level games or maybe 1% of some games of the time for example 1 level of Spiro The Dragon 1

To answer this question since I don't play new games I prefer finished products over demos now in life. But I guess it was kind of nice to have played Spiro 1 because it got me and my family into the Spiro The Dragon series and encouraged me to get 3 different PS2 Spiro the Dragon games

But I would not pay for a demo disc if someone was selling one

[kamikazekeeg]

Demo's should be a default release with nearly every game.  Right now I'm waiting for the Monster Hunter demo on Switch so I can see if I'll like the game or not coming off of Monster Hunter World.  They are just handy for giving you a taste of the experience.  I know there are a bunch of games I'd love to just get a half hour in to see if I would like it or not.  The one good thing on Steam is that you can basically do that with the refund service if you don't play more than 2 hours, though I think if you refund too often, it gets to be an issue.

[aliensstudios]

Yes, but it's a feature I've rarely used recently with the internet and YouTube videos. I have a pretty good idea if the game is something I want without needed to necessarily play it.

Back when I was a kid, Best Buy had kiosks of the Game Boy Advance, Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube, and since my Dad took us there once or twice a week to get movies or CDs, you'd get to try out the games and generally that's how you knew whether a game was worth buying or not. Also, the Game Force in the mall would let you play a game if you asked and you could make a decision that way too. Nowadays, I don't play demos much. The last one I tried I think was Bayonetta 2 for Wii U.

[hoshichiri]

Honestly? It's a feature I don't often use, but very much enjoy the continued existence of. I find a good trailer, plus a gameplay video, is often enough to tell if I'd like a game- but when it's not, I love being able to actually go hunt up a demo. It's also a good way to freely try out a game that doesn't inherently look like something you'd normally play, but the people around you are going nuts over. I occasionally worry that someday they'll go obsolete. That would be awful.

[tripredacus]

I used to live the demo life back in the 90s. Probably played more demos than full versions of games.

These days, it is easier to find out if you'd like game because you can watch other people play it. I have done this in the past, see a game I am interested in and then find someone online playing it live. Then you can get a feel for how the game performs, if there are any bugs, and you can ask the streamer what they think of it, the controls, etc. This is especially important since most games do not have demos anymore.

[turf]

I love the idea of demos. I used to play the heck out of them.  When you could download demos on the Xbox 360, I loved it! 
I used to have more time for games. Now days, I just play what I have. I buy so few games, I don’t have time to try new stuff. I just have to jump in a game and hope it doesn’t suck.

[telly]

I still download and play demos from time to time on my 3DS, partially because Nintendo sends them right to my console to download.

[burningdoom]

Of course. Who doesn't want free gameplay? And it's a great way to save your $ if the game sucks.

[kashell]

Demos are lovely. I really like it when a finished demo will unlock bonus content in the main game.

Or, when you can carry your progress to the main game. That's what I did with Octopath Traveler.

[telly]

Oh yeah I forgot that the Pokemon Sun and Moon demo allowed you to carry over items and a Greninja into the main game. That was nice.