Gears demo is coming ... but will it cost you? [update 1]

by Christopher Grant { Oct 16th 2006 at 6:30PM }

[Update: Epic's Mark Rein shot this (admittedly unlikely) rumor down himself writing, "Just saw the dog tag image with the 'Microsoft points.' It just isn't true. There is no demo coming out before the game ships and I have no idea if we'll do one after the game ships or not. Right now there are no plans to do one as I said earlier in this thread. I have asked Microsoft to take that image down." This still doesn't explain why the Gears of War demo "dog tag" exists in the first place if there are no plans to make a demo, but at least Rein intimates there are no plans to charge for said demo.]

Microsoft plans to promote their upcoming killer app with a playable demo, distributed digitally using their Xbox Live network. Sure, we're not certain when they'll do it -- all signs are pointing to a post-Gears release -- but we all knew they would. Now it's a question of why buy the cow (Gears of War in this case) when you can get the milk for free (that would be the Gears of War demo). If Gears doesn't have any trouble selling, best to sit on that demo until it does. Still with us?

Well, one potential answer might be to get that delicious milk out to market sooner, but not give it away after all (we're still talking about the Gears demo here). A page on the British Xbox.com site very clearly lists "Gears of War demo" as an example of "content downloads in Xbox Live Marketplace," right next to pay content (like Joust, Pac-Man, and Frogger) and XBL currency (like oh, say, Microsoft Points logos and cards). Now, you'll recognize the Gamertag pics at the bottom are the freebies, so it's not like the image is comprised solely of pay-only items ... so is this simply an unfortunate layout?

As for when that demo is coming, it wasn't released after Epic's first big tease (that was the retail date), or their second (which ended up being a new website), but we know of a couple 360 owners who wouldn't mind getting some free milk. We've contacted Microsoft to get their response on the possibility of paid demos and the plans for a Gears demo.

[Thanks lord hobo; via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

Tags: Demo, Epic, Gears of War, GearsOfWar, XBLM, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Marketplace, XboxLive, XboxLiveMarketplace

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

J @ Oct 16th 2006 6:34PM

Hmm... Not necessarily, the gamerpics there are default ones that you don't have to buy either.

Ash @ Oct 16th 2006 6:37PM

The default ones usually suck though
why cant everyone just see the pic u can see on ur camera? why is it that only ppl on ur friend list can see it?
and also why can i take and save pics or videos using the cam on my 360 HDD?

C. Grant @ Oct 16th 2006 6:39PM

J: "Now, you'll recognize the Gamertag pics at the bottom are the freebies, so it's not like the image is comprised solely of pay-only items ... so is this simply an unfortunate layout?"

Tob3z @ Oct 16th 2006 6:40PM

You took 1 + 2 and somehow managed to make 4. Nice to know there are sites out there which manage to jump to conclusions easily.

Spilt_Milk @ Oct 16th 2006 6:45PM

Way to jump to extremely wrong conclusions!

Nate @ Oct 16th 2006 6:51PM

Actually, Mark Rein has confirmed that there will be no Gears Of War demo (before launch at least) on the Epic forums:

“Comment on what? I don’t see Gears of War in that list. There is no Gears demo and there won’t be before launch. I suspect that is a generic header with the Gears image in it. There aren’t any plans at the moment to make a demo of Gears. We have other things we’re going to be working on as soon as Gears has gone gold but I can not elaborate on them at this point in time.” - Mark Rein

He also says:

“Just saw the dog tag image with the “Microsoft points”. It just isn’t true. There is no demo coming out before the game ships and I have no idea if we’ll do one after the game ships or not. Right now there are no plans to do one as I said earlier in this thread. I have asked Microsoft to take that image down.” - Mark Rein

So there you have it.

Who needs a demo anyway? This game is gonna be insane and sell systems on hype alone. A demo could only hurt sales.

AoE @ Oct 16th 2006 6:54PM

Um Joust, Pacman, Frogger, etc., all have freely downloadable demos in addition to the purchasable full game. ;)

While I wouldn’t put such a move past EA; Microsoft, greedy as they may be are hardly stupid enough to attempt to make money from a marketing tool. Let’s face it, attaching a price tag would limit the spread of said marketing tool, and possibly (depending on how deep said demo is; one would assume that a paid-for demo would have more content than most demos sport) encourage gamers to forgo purchasing the retail game entirely…

Selling demos is antithetical to selling games, I would be completely shocked if we ever see a XBLM demo for sale.

heavyness @ Oct 16th 2006 6:59PM

that new marketplace site also listed Lumines as a free game. probably just a typo and some graphic artist given tons to clip art to work with.

Joe A. @ Oct 16th 2006 7:17PM

That image is a header for the intro page "Content Downloads in Xbox Live Marketplace" so, don't get your panties in a bunch. If you look at those gamer pics below the Gears of War Demo image, those are free pics that come with the 360 HDD, not content to be purchased.

It was just poor judgement on whoever maintains the UK Xbox.com page to put the MSP image next to something that says "Gears of War Demo" or even putting it in that header at all. Geez, we /know/ we have to pay for some of the dumbest, arbitrary content on Live. No need to remind us about it.

I don't think they will charge for the Gears of War Demo. If they do, it's up to Epic anyways, not MS. And if it's true, you'll hear everyone cry for CliffyB's metro blood.

joe smith @ Oct 16th 2006 7:17PM

Must be damned slow day for Joystiq to bother with this "story". Jeez -- you couldn't come up with anything else?

ledorky @ Oct 16th 2006 7:57PM

What a horribly written article.
Instead of just stating the facts, it confuses.

LaughingMan @ Oct 16th 2006 8:29PM

Huh?

The Gears Demo is like fresh fish (still with me) Sometimes you go to the store(the supermarket, not EB) and the guy behind the counter (of which I mean the supplier) doesn't have fresh fish (still with me?)...

No. In fact no one is with you. I mean I get the point, but cut the forplay and just say what you mean.

As far as the actual point of this story...it's a bit of a stretch. Sometimes a hastily done graphic is, well, just a hastily done graphic. Nothing more.