Play limit on Wii U demos set by publishers, Nintendo says

By Tom Phillips
Unlike PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 demos, trial versions of Wii U games downloaded from Nintendo's eShop are limited to a certain number of uses.

This number depends from game to game - FIFA 13 is 10 uses, for example, while Rayman Legends is 30 uses. Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing Transformed is 15.

Eurogamer asked Nintendo why the limits on different games varied - and why there were limits at all. The platform holder replied that it was a game's publisher that decided how many times you can try their game.

[RFornillos4]

sounds reasonable. if you want the game badly, then you should buy it. can't live with demos forever you know.

[CraigandDayDay]

I disagree. I've played the demo for GRID on the PS3 probably a hundred times. I had the game but traded it in. I just play the demo over and over every once in awhile to have fun drifting.

I hate that these game companies keep adding more and more restrictions to our gaming. If the demo is compelling enough, people will buy the game. Not allowing the demo to be played more than "x" times is NOT a good idea.

[t0mmyb0y]

Same here with the Skate games. I've bought all 3. Sometimes I just want to skate around a bit without having to change the disc. And to me it sounds like Nintendo is the one who implemented the limit. "...it was a game's publisher that decided HOW MANY TIMES you can try their game." Guessing that is a requirement to post a demo smfh.

Thanks Nintendo. Grow up already.

[Shnazzyone]

You do realize grid is one of those games not enough people bought even though it was fantastic right? Grid was actually fucking awesome but not enough people bought it so now there will never be a sequel. Last i checked beggers can't be choosers.

If you liked the game so much that you played the demo 100 times, then why the fuck didn't you buy it? I'm sick of this drama queen stuff about a play limit on demos. If you are playing the game demo more than 10 times then you should buy it. You do realize there's tons more content in the real game, right?

Sorry I have zero sympathy for people who play exclusively free demos and refuse to actually spend their money (or do some chores for their parents) to get the full game. It's called supporting a publisher.

[CraigandDayDay]

Actually, man. You're wrong. There IS a sequel coming. Not joking. Look it up. But yeah, it's a fantastic game!! I loved it. I actually enjoyed racing in that more than any other game (even GT5). The drifting was awesome! So addictive. I bought it but ended up trading it in later and I still regret trading it, but still have the demo to play now and again.

Here is GRID 2:

http://www.gridgame.com/tra...

[UltraVegito]

sorry but no just no.
It's ridiculous putting a limit on playing a DEMO.

[dirthurts]

I disagree. It's their property, and allowing you a free temporary license is understandable.
It's their property, and they can use it however they want.
Weather or not it makes us happy as gamers is another matter entirely.
From a business stand point, I think they realize there are people who can't play the demo alone forever and be content, thus never buying the game. It makes sense to limit that.
It's a business.
Again, not saying I like the idea, but if I was trying to make a living I would do the same thing.

[MikeMyers]

I believe XBLA has demos for all the games and can be downloaded as many times as they want. If Nintendo says this is up to the publisher why isn't it the same on other platforms?

[Ghoul]

@mikemyers

because its mandatory for XBLA releases
MS forces every XBLA title to have a demo or they wont release it on XBLA

easy as that and i like it.

i mean iphone games cost around 1-5 bucks but you gotta pay it to try it out. There are simply no demos (at least almost)
and we all know how many of those micropayment games you keep playing

around 1 out of 10

demos are a must

Games are interactive and thus NEED a demo.
what would the consumers say if film makers would stop giving out trailers......

i dont have a problem with a limit if it is in a reasonable scale, if you can try a demo lets say 10-20 times its mostly enough to make yourself a picture of the product

if this leads to better demos with more gameplay elements of the release im all in.

most demos these days are so stripped down to prevent people from only playing the demo it sometimes distortes what the real game is about.

so i would be happy if those restricted demos to be more representative than most demos today

[CalvinKlein]

well the fact that they are allowed to put restrictions on demos comes from nintendo.

I respect nintendo but they are not for me with their methods that cater to 12 year olds and their parents. that thing I read about the other day where you have to Down Load Mature rated games between 11pm and 3AM in Europe just tells me as an american that nintendo thinks it needs to parent everyone including me, and Im 26.

I honestly wont play a demo more than 1 or two times ever, unless I really like it or cant just play the real game yet and thats pretty much only one time in my life that I can remember(or the time I downloaded the snood "demo" in computer class). But still, the idea that demos can even have a limit just screams RETARDED to me.

[RFornillos4]

like i said, it sounds reasonable. if you don't like the limits really, then it's up to you. if you really enjoy playing demos like forever, fine so be it, it's your call. you may not find it on Wii U.

@CalvinKlein. Apparently you haven't read enough about the restrictions in Europe. NOE is situated in Germany, and as such, they are bound to follow the rules and regulations. Mature games are not to be sold until around night-time. some other countries in Europe follow a similar rule. so although it's a tough situation, and even I don't agree with it, Nintendo is bound by law, otherwise they'll face legal issues. so really, it's not about Nintendo "parenting" everyone, it's about following the law, and i do hope you understand that part.

you might say, but Wii U has "parental controls" in it. how many 12-year olds can work around that "parental control" feature? or better yet, how many parents really turn on the features of parental control for their console? i guess not that many, otherwise we won't have 12-year olds screaming profanities while playing multiplayer games.

[Nerdmaster]

I totally agree with that. When they announced that 3DS demos would be locked after being played a certain number of times, I was angry. But there's not one demo that I used all my "credits". Even in Nintendogs, that only allowed 10 times, there're 5 times left.

If I really like a demo, I buy the full version. If I don't like the demo, after a couple of plays I would delete it. There's just not a reason for a demo to be eternal.

Some guy here said that he had a game, sold it, and kept playing the demo. This just shows how demos can be misused. If a company releases a demo that can be played forever, and people - although they love it - don't care to have the full game, it's almost like the company is pirating itself.

[ape007]

i respectfully disagree, i remember demos like burnout paradise, i was playing it all the time in anticipation for the game as well as saints row 1 demo back in the day

also crackdown 2 demo, with all it's Demo Achievements that unlock later in the full game

[chasegarcia]

sometimes i do play a demo countless times until i can afford the game or install demos so that when friends/family come they could try it out.

also this is one more annoying pop up question. It reminds me of the PS Vita. Every-time I install something it ask me if I want to let others know i bought it.

[marioPSUC]

uh Nintendo is still the one that implemented this "feature" and allowed them to do so.

[warringah08]

The sonic generations demo on the 360 also did this (can't speak for the ps3), it's completely up to the developers.

[theWB27]

Sounds crazy, it's not like we somehow found a way to get the full game by playing the demo so many times it magically unlocked. Setting a limit on how many times we can play a small snippet of a game won't make us run out and buy it...and lastly who plays a demo that much to need a limit? Strange...

[League_of_Draven]

Unless the demo is for Shadow Complex.

[guitarded77]

Aww man I never knew about that... the cheap ass in me is heartbroken I paid for it, but the gamer in me is glad I got to experience a great game. Did the demo glitch have achievements available too, or were they locked?

[Nerdmaster]

Some guy in the first comment said "I've played the demo for GRID on the PS3 probably a hundred times". He sold the full game and just played the demo. So, there's an example of someone who needs a limit.

And if nobody plays demos that much to need a limit as you say, then why are people against it? What difference would it make?

[theWB27]

Thanks to the guy who points out the exception...they still got their money when he bought the game so the demo did it's job. In no way did it harm a game sale which further strengthens my point of pointless limits to a demo that won't MAKE someone go buy the full game. All that says is he got his fill of the game and was ok with racing here and there.

[Nerdmaster]

@theWB27

You didn't say anything about my second paragraph... So I'll repeat it here:
"And if nobody plays demos that much to need a limit as you say, then why are people against it? What difference would it make?"

And yes, limits will make people buy the full game. Let's say that that guy from my example played his demo for 30 times and it expired. If he liked it that much, sooner or later he would go buy the game again. Or he wouldn't even have sold his copy in the first place, so the other guy who bought the game from him maybe would've bought a new copy.

I have a friend that keeps playing his Bayonetta demo on his PS3. He likes it, just not enough to buy the full version. And why would he, if the demo is enough for him? If it had a limit, almost certainly he would've bought the full version. Even if he didn't buy Bayonetta, all the time he spends playing this demo would've been spent by playing another games which he would've bought.

So there're two options:
- You're right, limits are worthless and change nothing. If it changes nothing, why are you against it? Just let them do their way.
- I'm right and people use demos too much and it hurts game sales (even if just a little). So putting limits will help game sales.

Either way, there's just no reason to be against limits on demos.

[League_of_Draven]

Online passes and now this. What will they take away next?

[FarCryLover182]

$30 to unlock blu-ray movie playback on 720 and PS4.

[boybato]

xbox live Rhodium subscription

[animegamingnerd]

paying monthly fee's for a single player game

[Y_5150]

@everybody above
...DON't give them any ideas!!!

[ape007]

LoooL xD

[Norrison]

Console subscription, you have to pay 60$ monthly to use your console or just pay 1000$ a year and save (not) money!

[boing1]

Pay 60$ bucks a year to be able to play online...oh, wait :/

[Braid]

That's nice, but I've got a better idea: how about a new type of physical media for games that can destroy themselves to oblivion after a limited time? Or better yet, how about gaming consoles with the ability of bricking themselves after running a pre-determined number of games?

Jesus... Do you have to invent new things to make gaming less enjoyable every single day, is that a secret agenda or something? That has to be the WORST thing that has happened to gaming after day one DLCs and online pass.

I just can't comprehend it. Limiting a demo, really???

[animegamingnerd]

shut up your gonna give sony, microsoft, or nintendo or worse EA ideas

[ambientFLIER]

A bit dramatic, aren't we? The concept of time limited demos dates back 20 years...

[Allowen]

The 3DS is like that too with a limit # of times that we play the demos we download from the online store.
So nothing new from Nintendo on that matter.

[MacDonagh]

Exactly. Why are people even surprised by this?

[DivineAssault]

Playing a demo too much will make u hate the game.. I played DMC demo on ps2 so much that when it came out, i sold it before i could even play a few hours into it.. I got sick of it so i think 15-30 tries is more than enough to satisfy ones curiosity

[delboy]

Every day they invent new shit like this and give true gamers/gamers whit brain,more reasons to hate certain publishers.
They think they gave me a reason too preorder a game with exklusive day one dlc,and it's the opposite,i buy it used.
They put online pass and i embrace piracy.

Man,there's a reason software sales are down.

[kingPoS]

Slippery slope is slippery slope, but at terminal velocity.

[millzy102]

its a fucking demo grow up people its not like its a limit on a real game, I've never played a demo more than 30 times in my life maybe 4 or 5 that's it then I BUY THE GAME, how immature are people to even think this is a problem and if you only play the domo countless times with no intention on buying it then why should you play it. 30 play limmit is plenty and atleasy you can download it I remember when we had to wait for a monthly game mag to play a few select demos they saw fit so there not taking anything away from us

[RFornillos4]

same here. don't quite understand why people are irked about it. i believe it's more hate for nintendo rather than hate for the "demo limit".

and people are talking about online passes like it's nintendo's fault. isn't it that online passes are not needed for Wii U games in order to play online? that Wii U games won't require you to get an online pass, to play online? thought it's supposed to be a good thing, jeez...

[kingPoS]

Call me a cheap bastard if you want. But I like playing my Demo's for years on end. Heck I still play the Gran Turismo HD concept and The Last Guy demos every now and then.

[stuna1]

There are many reasons people continue to play demos!
The number one reason could be that they could not afford to buy the game when it's released. So should that automatically be a reason for restricting a demo? No.

And before someone says that if you can't afford to play a $60 game, you shouldn't be gaming! They should also realise that there are other things that are other things that are prioritised above gaming! Like taking care of financial responsibilities.

But the question still stands should that automatically exclude them from playing a demo as many times as they like?

[OneAboveAll]

Sure it's the publisher. You don't see the "publisher" putting limits on demos for 360 and PS3 do you?

Nintendo had to have set this system up in order for it to even work so it's their fault.

[stuntman_mike]

they have been doing the same as this on 3DS for a while now. I don't mind the usage policy (you can always download it again).

[Mikito11]

It's a demo! You play it a few times to see if its worth buying... It's not a big deal, so don't moan cos you are so tight fisted!... Get a job buy the games, show some support if its a game you enjoy...