No Gears demo pre-release

By Tom Bramwell Published 4 August, 2006

According to Mark Rein.

Epic Games' Mark Rein has said not to expect a demo of Gears of War prior to the game's release in November.

Yesterday Epic and Microsoft confirmed that Gears would face off directly with the PlayStation 3 launch on November 17 in the UK, with a US release on November 12.

"I don't see any way we could do a demo before the game comes out," he said in a forum post. "We've said that before. Demos take a long time to create and polish, and we can't afford to get derailed like that if we want to have the game in stores by Thanksgiving."

"I know we have some very cool plans - not 100 percent solid so too early to give any specifics - for additional downloadable," he added, "so that might take a higher priority than creating a demo."

That's not to say we won't see a demo after the game's release - Rein admits he has "no idea" - but for now you'll have to make do with either buying it or not. Gears will be released in regular and limited edition versions - the latter including a Destroyed Beauty art-book and a making-of in a Halo 2-style metal box.

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About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (43) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • toy_brain #1 6 years ago

    Boo!
    If Capcom, Human Head, Volition etc can do it, then there aint much excuse for Epic is there?

    Oh well, guess its no biggie, but its a shame they couldnt do a demo for what is arguably the 360's biggest game this winter.

  • penhalion #2 6 years ago

    Not then Mr Rein oh and get an attitude adjustment while you're at it.

  • Salvia #3 6 years ago


    What he actually says is they have plans to make downloadable content. Nowhere does it say anything about it being a purchase. He doesn't even say that it's confirmed.

  • Darren #4 6 years ago

    I'm not sure whether not having a demo is a good thing or not really...

    On the one hand, not having a demo means that I won't be put off the final game because of issues in it that would be fixed for the final game...

    ... but on the other hand, I can't help thinking that no demo means that the developers are maybe hiding something, that they maybe know that releasing a demo WILL end up disappointing a lot of people who would otherwise have rushed out and bought the game regardless.

    Hmmm.... /looks worried

  • morriss #5 6 years ago

    Well, Bungie never do it.

  • OnlyMe #6 6 years ago

    You know what this REALLY means, don't you all? They have no faith in their product and know it's shit, so they don't want to screw up the hype by releasing a demo until they've squeezed all the money they can from the currently high amout of buyers.

    EDIT: especially considering their plan to release it on the same day as the PS3.
    Edited by OnlyMe at 04/08/06 @ 11:32

  • glaeken #7 6 years ago

    I would imagine that them matching the release date for the PS3 was probably not a natural fit so it makes sense they might not have time to do a demo.

    I just hope this does not mean the game is being rushed in order to come out at the same time as the PS3 because as I already have a 360 I really don't care about such PR stunts and would rather a properly polished game.
    Edited by glaeken at 04/08/06 @ 11:32

  • Salvia #8 6 years ago

    "You know what this REALLY means, don't you all?"

    Or that they are concentrating on getting the entire game done rather then derail their development process by 2-3 months producing a demo (which is usually the score).
    Edited by Salvia at 04/08/06 @ 11:34

  • Rash' #9 6 years ago

    So that was the big announcement? The games going to go up against PS3? What's the point? No game, no matter how good it looks, will be able to make a dent in the impact of the PS3 launch. By then initial buyers will have made up their minds on whether they'll purchase the system or not and there's every confidence Sony will have made a few shock announcements of their own during TGS to make the system a more attractive prospect. Besides it's a new Playstation. Are Microsoft kidding themselves here? Clearly they've delayed the game intentionally for an effect that is unlikely to take place and in the process they're disappointing those looking forward to the game.

  • The_Foo_Fighter #10 6 years ago

    I think this is a ruse and we'll see a demo before release.


    Either way it won't stop people buying the game. Fifty-seven billion people bought Rockstar's Table Tennis with no demo.

  • glaeken #11 6 years ago

    @Rash you are forgetting those who expect to be able to buy a PS3 by walking into a shop on the day of release. I think MS are thinking of those guys and thinking that GOW might tempt them to get a 360 when they find out they won't be able to get a PS3 this year.

    Ok it probably won't work for most who want a PS3 but I can see it working for the less fanaticle buyers.

  • simiankid #12 6 years ago

    Hmm, given the increasingly bountiful nature of the demo basket on Xbox Live and the fact that Gears of War seems to be something of a flagship product for MS, not putting up a demo seems like a bit of a odd decision to me.

    I can see the point in not ripping your team apart so you canb make that all important shipping date, but is it really that time consuming to ship a demo that could potentially boost your sales?

    Can any coder types vouch for the fact that it takes ages to make a demo?

    I hope this isn't a similar situation to a film company refusing to give press screenings; that just screams 'It's shit!, It's shit!' regardless of actual quality. Total vote of no confidence.

    /opinion

  • Skooch #13 6 years ago

    "You know what this REALLY means, don't you all? They have no faith in their product and know it's shit, so they don't want to screw up the hype by releasing a demo until they've squeezed all the money they can from the currently high amout of buyers"

    Who let out stupid boy?

  • Monkey_Chops #14 6 years ago

    Sod it, then. I'll go by the reviews.

  • Scientist #15 6 years ago

    "I hope this isn't a similar situation to a film company refusing to give press screenings; that just screams 'It's shit!, It's shit!' regardless of actual quality. Total vote of no confidence."

    I reckon that this would be the equivalent of review code not being sent out before release ą la EA. I've worked on lots of titles that haven't had demos; scheduling rather than game quality has always been the overriding factor in such instances.

  • brombeer #16 6 years ago

    Yeah, we all played Chromohound's demo and how that affected sales...

  • Salvia #17 6 years ago

    "I can see the point in not ripping your team apart so you canb make that all important shipping date, but is it really that time consuming to ship a demo that could potentially boost your sales?

    Can any coder types vouch for the fact that it takes ages to make a demo? "

    I'm not a coder type but i can vouch for the fact that a demo can take ages to do and potentially derail development. Think about it; a demo has to be a complete section of the final game with as much final game content and functionality as possible. So you need to concentrate on getting this small section finished to release quality and this takes time and resources. To get the demo to run out of the context of the full game also takes time and resources.

  • Yossarian #18 6 years ago

    I have full confidence in Gears of War

  • Rash' #19 6 years ago

    @Rash you are forgetting those who expect to be able to buy a PS3 by walking into a shop on the day of release.

    I agree you have a point there, but it has to be said that those people would have to be very uninformed to expect that. It is looking increasingly likely that PS3 will go on sale through some preorder scheme. If they in all honest walk in not knowing that then maybe they don't deserve the system!!!!

  • Rash' #20 6 years ago

    "I have full confidence in Gears of War"

    I second that.

  • Scientist #21 6 years ago

    "I second that."

    Isn't that a bit rash?

    /gets coat

  • Furbs #22 6 years ago

    I'm just glad it means MajorNelson wont simply be a stream of "wheres the *$@^%*! GoW demo??????????" for the next few months.

  • glaeken #23 6 years ago

    @rash I agree these would need to be "special" individuals who believe they can walk into a shop on the day of a new console release and pick one off of the shelf but it always seems like there are loads of these people at each console launch. I fully expect it to be no different come the PS3 launch.

  • TheDogsDinner #24 6 years ago

    Dont blame them, getting Gears out 5 days before the PS3 is Microsofts #1 priority. Getting a demo together takes time that could jeapordise that

  • korky #25 6 years ago

    It does take ages to create a demo - a polished and properly tested demo at any rate. Its not just a case of chopping back the full game and shipping it. For one thing it depends if you've planned to create a demo all along? Do you already have "tutorial" code and content or do you need to create it? How do you isolate and repackage the content you want to ship with the demo (minimising download times for example)? How do you trim back the code? Assuming all this is straightforward (ha!), have you got the demo scheduled and resourced for a full test cycle? Is bug fixing scheduled in with a team needing a break? What level of bugs are you prepared to let through (there are always quite a few)? Is your config mgmt system wired up for feeding bug fixes back into the main code / patch branch ? Oh, then there's certification + feedback / fixes, partnernet testing... etc etc etc

    Next time you delete a demo after 1 min and 23 seconds of play saying "load of shite" just think what went into it - at least after some consideration, your original assessment will seem fairer ;-)

  • Hughes. #26 6 years ago

    Would it be incredibly cynical of me to suggest that they're worried if people play it first they won't buy it? If the AI woes and generic gameplay mechanics that underwhelmed in the games early days haven't been improved people might stay away.

    Releasing it with a "Let's stick it to Sony!" attitude is a lot more likely to get the fanboys out to buy it on day 1.

    Edit Erk! Which a lot of other people seem to have said to. Read the thread first Huges!!
    Edited by Hughes. at 04/08/06 @ 13:43

  • darkbhudda #27 6 years ago

    People are stupid to expect to buy a console at launch?
    Maybe the fact that companies and stores advertise the date so much has something to do with people's expectations. Consoles seem to be the worst offender for advertising product that isn't actually available to buy.



    I hope GoW is good. I want to chainsaw people to death. And then do it in a video game.

  • hawk12 #28 6 years ago

    I think it was not Epics decision not to make a demo. MS has something to say it, they don't trust that people rush to buy that game if demo is released or they know it's not so good game. If we don't get reviews of that game before 17.11 then it's a crappy game.

  • simiankid #29 6 years ago

    wow, didn't expect to actually get a reply from the software chaps! Cheers to Scientist, Salvia and korky for that.

    I will definitely be less cynical about this in future now, lets hope gears of war lives up to its hype and doesn't play like mechwarrior in a pair of super-sized diving boots...

  • ejstyles #30 6 years ago

    I think if anyone got to play a demo before, they'd realise this gimmicky mode of combat was little better than a (admittedly gorgeous) high-res Kill.Switch.

  • rinoaMW #31 6 years ago

    "I think if anyone got to play a demo before, they'd realise this gimmicky mode of combat was little better than a (admittedly gorgeous) high-res Kill.Switch. "

    without a demo - how can you back up such a claim? ;)

  • Rash' #32 6 years ago

    glaeken,

    I still doubt the impact the move will have. Particularly if there's no drop in price of games or the console. Will Gears be enough to entice them, that's the question. Just as there are those that won't know about such preordering schemes there will likely be those to whom Gears poses no attraction.

  • yagisencho #33 6 years ago

    A: U-huh!
    B: Nuh-uh!
    A: U-HUH!
    B: NUH-UH!
    A: *pout*
    B: *POUT*

  • Penguinzoot #34 6 years ago

    @Korky

    +1

    Some sense at last!

    A lot of work needs to go into a demo. As a developer, when you have time constraints and a limited budget you have to decide how best to use your resources.

    If you decide you would rather expend those resources on the full game or DLC, then thats the decision you make.

    Doesn't mean the products crap at all. Like morriss said - Bungie never do it.
    Edited by Penguinzoot at 04/08/06 @ 19:54

  • Sorb #35 6 years ago

    How many games did Bungie release for the 360 again? None!? Oh I guess you wouldn“t know if they would make a demo for the 360 marketplace or not then.

    I can“t believe the big news from Epic was that there will be no Gears of War demo. How disappointing :(

  • BigHairyBear #36 6 years ago

    Tell you what.....if I was in Epics/Microsofts Marketing Dept. I would be showing teaser trailers for this game NOW on TV....as much as I'm looking forward to this game, I just can't see it denting PS3 on launch day.....for example, my 2 sproggloids love games..they won't be the slightest bit interested in GOW when the PS3 is released....it's to,um, Adult Sci-Fi?....is that the word? Yep, that'll do.....GOW needs to be rammed down everyones throat starting now..Think about it, WE will probably love it but as a Flagship title up against PS3 does it stand a chance with Joe Public?

    Don't think so, my workmates haven't heard of it......they have heard of PS3,though..

    Get advertising ala DS adverts on Channel4.......I'm wasted as a Shoe Repairer, i tells ya!!!

  • Yossarian #37 6 years ago

    I can 100% guarantee you now that Bungie will not make a demo for Halo 3 except maybe a month after its release

  • The-Bodybuilder #38 6 years ago

    >"Don't think so, my workmates haven't heard of it......they have heard of PS3,though.."

    Joe public didn't know about halo prior to release. Look how that turned out.
    Same can be said for GTAIII. They may not know now, but when you walk into a store that has massive posters everywhere for "emergence day" along with a video of the game and GAME employees talking about how awesome it is (they need the software sales), joe public will know.

  • Prophet_Hero #39 6 years ago

    Does anyone think that they will keep to the $=£ formula for the release? The game will be $59.99 in the US (the SE for $69.99); some US sites have been debating the price hike.

    If it does hit £60 (RRP) would you demand a demo first?

  • BigHairyBear #40 6 years ago

    @Bodybuilder....good points,mate, we shall see.....Personally I would have rather had Viva Pinata(or whatever it's called) and Forza2 released at the same time as PS3 just because those two would appeal to a wider audience...like I said, looking forward to GOW but I can see it being engulfed with the PS3 razzamatazz unless MC start making more people aware of it's goodness............

  • dk_rare #41 6 years ago

    Paid content, make it before the game is released? That is like selling a HSV, but keeping the wheels and charging extra after you buy the nice car ^_^ Like cutting the balls of a puppy and saying you will reattach them for more money

  • bladeaku #42 6 years ago

    The thing that will make gears is weather or not you need to use the cover,if you need to use the cover it will make a brilliant game.

  • PAUL_CERULA #43 6 years ago

    THE REASON for this is with big games they don't want to turn off anybody by releasing a demo. You'll see this with mass effect, GOW, GRAW, Halo 3 and many more.

    Big titles don't need demos because everybody knows about them. And by releasing a demo it would hold people over and delay people from buying it. Demo's for big titles would only hurt its sales.