No PS3 UT demo pre-release

By Tom Bramwell Published 28 August, 2007

PC one's likely, though.

Epic Games' Mark Rein says we shouldn't expect an Unreal Tournament 3 demo for PS3 before the game's release in November, but a PC one will happen.

"We'll have a PC demo for UT, [but] I don't think we'll have a PS3 demo before the game ships," Rein told Eurogamer during Games Convention.

Rein likened the PS3 situation to the one that Epic faced with Gears of War prior to its release. "What we told Microsoft last year - they wanted a demo for Gears of War and we said 'you've got a choice - you can have the demo this year or the game this year'."

"We're not a big huge company with the resources to do that, and all the time we're testing that demo we're not testing our full game, which we need to be doing constantly," he added.

On the PC front though, things are "easier". In fact, the demo will be something of a beta, giving the programmers at Epic reams of feedback to "devour" as they refine the game prior to its release.

That, of course, will occur in November on PC and PS3, with a 360 version planned for 2008. You can read more from Rein in our interview from last week.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

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

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

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Comments (20) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • BadBoyBonner #1 5 years ago

    So the first level isn't finished yet?

  • Darren #2 5 years ago

    @FluffyTucker - Considering about 80% of 360 game demos are by EA, I'd say that assumption is correct! ;)

  • Dizzy #3 5 years ago

    >UT really isn't needed.

    On PC and PS3 it is.

    Probably the reason why it is "delayed" on 360. Nobody would play it anyway. Then again PC is getting some killers as well. I wonder if the jumping rabbit uber reflex gameplay of UT can survive.
    Edited by 1 at 28/08/07 @ 12:42

  • Nova5lag #4 5 years ago

    UT3 runs at 30fps on PS3... So possibly no demo cos Eurogamer readers will rip it to shreads for running slow?

  • THATinkjar #5 5 years ago

    I don’t need a demo to know I'll (almost certainly) be buying this. Having said that, Epic should probably consider releasing a demo at some point. It can't be THAT difficult, and there are probably enough people out there who don't know about the game or just aren’t convinced it'll work on a console (let alone the PS3) to warrant the time and effort.

    And ignoring all that, Epic (in my opinion) need to get into the mindset of releasing demos on consoles. Part of what makes them such a damn fine company (besides all of the free content they throw out there and the pretty open dialogue they have with the community) is that they release demos a good month or so on PC before shipping.

    I could understand the lack of a Gears demo (heavy marketing from Microsoft, exceptional review scores and plenty of hype pretty much guaranteed sales, and they were probably still getting to grips with the new engine), but I really hope this doesn't remain their policy going forward. Demos are a very good thing, and being able to download them from PSN or XBLM is one of the best things about this generation of consoles.

    NickyJoe: I wouldn't worry... it isn't hitting Xbox 360 this year, anyway.
    Edited by 1 at 28/08/07 @ 13:06

  • Fwing #6 5 years ago

    I saw UT on PS3 at Leipzig. It makes Gears look like a PS2 game. It was stunning.

    I was planning to wait for the 360 release as its my prefered platform but after seeing it I don't think I'll be able to wait. Plus it will be easy to get an online match as every single PS3 owner in the solar system will be buying 2 copies :)

  • Dizzy #7 5 years ago

    "I saw UT on PS3 at Leipzig. It makes Gears look like a PS2 game. It was stunning. "

    ROFL... take your pills.

    "UT3 runs at 30fps on PS3"

    Sure? I think it is 60 fps.

  • kangarootoo #8 5 years ago

    No doubt some threadites will find bad news or conspiracy in this. Good on Epic says I.

    Demos are a pain in the ass. Every demo that comes out needs resource. Either that means money, or it means extra unpaid hours by the dev team. Often the difference is that a dev can't turn around to their publisher and say "no, we have better things to do with our time and your money". In this case Epic are big enough (and important enough to the platform) that they can all their own shots to some extent (or at least voice common sense in an atmosphere that lets it be heard).

    Demos are just adverts at the end of the day. If you don't NEED to make one to ensure people buy your game, why waste the resouces? Gamers will (grudgingly) thank you in the end if the final product is of high quality, and most of the time producing a demo does not contribute to that quality.
    Edited by 1 at 28/08/07 @ 13:36

  • dave06 #9 5 years ago

    Considering about 80% of 360 game demos are by EA, I'd say that assumption is correct! ;)

    hmm funny that i own over 20 360 games and not a single one is from is ea, i mean all they release is rehashed shit of the previous year, but the 360 has a pretty diverse market. yeah it might not have all ur faggy final fantasy emo queerness but hey thats a good thing.

  • Fwing #10 5 years ago

    ""I saw UT on PS3 at Leipzig. It makes Gears look like a PS2 game. It was stunning. "

    ROFL... take your pills.

    "UT3 runs at 30fps on PS3"

    Sure? I think it is 60 fps."

    You think? Have you seen it or are you just pulling these comments out of your hole?

    I stand by my statement. PS3 UT was the most impressive thing I saw at Leipzig and I saw A LOT.

  • Dizzy #11 5 years ago

    "You think? Have you seen it or are you just pulling these comments out of your hole? "

    I have seen it in action a few times... and yea ofc I can easily count the FPS.

    NOT!

    Do you think I have some kind of FPS meter build in or what?

    I think you have no idea at what to look regarding the "most impressive thing".
    Edited by 3 at 28/08/07 @ 13:57

  • Fwing #12 5 years ago

    JUst because you can't tell the difference between 30fps and 60fps don't assume its true for everyone. I can tell the difference and I'm old.

    Not that it matters. My bet is that the release build is locked to 30fps. Which is plenty IMO.

    And while "makes Gears look like a PS2 game" is clearly hyperbole, it IS noticably better - more geometry, higher resolution textures, the works. Of course I'm expecting the same in the 360 version - this isn't a console vs console argument. But PS3 gets to the shops first and I'll be there waiting. . .

  • Fwing #13 5 years ago

    "I think you have no idea at what to look regarding the "most impressive thing""

    You're right. My 11 years of professional games development experience in no way make me qualified to make this kind of statement.

  • Dizzy #14 5 years ago

    "You're right. My 11 years of professional games development experience in no way make me qualified to make this kind of statement. "

    Strange.. same goes for me.

  • lambtron #15 5 years ago

    "You're right. My 11 years of professional games development experience in no way make me qualified to make this kind of statement."

    11 years! Its time for you to pay a visit to the glue factory methinks - face it you're too knackered for anything else ;).

  • JediMasterMalik #16 5 years ago

    I have also heard that UT3 is working at 60fps, they said it on the 1upYours podcast In think.

  • Freek #17 5 years ago

    Yes it runs at 60 fps, along with M/K support. Has been said by Epic.
    Part of it is their increased support for the PS3 version of the UE3 engine. After it got lots of complaints and shoddy ports Epic seems to have taken notice and stepped up to fix the issues.

  • thinred #18 5 years ago

    That's BS. Pretty much every game should have a demo nowadays. I'm increasingly passing on games I cannot test in advance. Life's too short and cash is limited

  • Vandrius #19 5 years ago

    They said no demo pre-release. That doesn't mean there won't be oen just after release.

    Honestly, it isn't a huge deal.

    Either way, PC for me. My PS3 is for non-FPS games, darnitt :-P

  • ViralNinja #20 4 years ago

    So they have the time and budget to make a behind the scenes of Gears of War DVD, where they basically all show off about how they get paid so much they all drive Lambos and date high school girls...but don't have the time or money to make a demo?