Until April 7, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can claim the free horror movie The Mist for their digital libraries. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate perks change regularly, and while they are mostly focused on giving away free content for live service games, sometimes they give away free movies as well.
Are We Finally Seeing the Slow Return of Video Game Demos?
19.02.2024 - 20:59 / howtogeek.com / Xbox Game Pass
Video game demos used to be a staple of gaming, from discs and floppies included with magazines to downloadable trials that could be played indefinitely. But when the digital age came along, demos seemed to fall out of fashion. Fortunately, that trend seems to be reversing.
Old-School Demo Discs: The Start of Something Great
Early home computer magazines commonly featured floppy disks packed with demos. Later, PC magazines shifted to demo CDs which could store far more data. In the early days of the PlayStation 1 and 2 and the original Xbox, demo discs were a dime a dozen. You'd find them on store shelves at GameStop or even Walmart for dirt cheap, or sometimes you'd find them in cereal boxes.
Popping a demo disc into your PC or console would greet you with snippets of levels from upcoming video games, allowing you to sample them and see what you might want to play in the future.
CloseSometimes, publishers would even stick demos for other games as bonus content on a full-fledged title. I used to boot up my dad's copy of Madden '06 just to play the single level of Burnout Revenge that was in the game's bonus features pretty frequently. Eventually, that prompted me to check out the series in full and discover one of my favorite childhood video games.
I remember playing these a lot as a kid, running through the same level of Aladdin on the PS1 over and over instead of playing any of the games I actually owned. It was like a gateway to a game I'd never otherwise play, carried by the reassurance that if I didn't like it, there was little to no sunk cost to compel me to continue playing anyway.
Try Before You Buy
The loss of game demos made it harder for players to get a feel for a game before it was released. Sure, you had magazine previews, gameplay trailers and (maybe) YouTube playthroughs, but nothing can replace playing the game for yourself. Especially with the recent price hike in the current console generation, being able to try out a game before making the $70 commitment is more important than ever.
While some games have free trials that let you play for a certain amount of time at no extra cost, these are often locked behind paid subscriptions such as PlayStation Plus. For a while, this has been the main method of "trying before you buy" as free demos were solely relegated to the occasional indie game most of the time.
Video Game Demos in the Modern Digital Age
With the PS3 and Xbox 360 came the rise of the digital marketplace, and more accessible distribution of video game demos. You no longer had to pick up a physical disc or spend any money at all to try new games. With just an internet connection, you could download demos for hundreds of different games and try them out entirely free of
The website gametalkz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Authors
Popular Topics
thesixthaxis.com
07.03.2024 / 14:41
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess gets a new gameplay trailer
Capcom has released a new trailer for Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, their intriguing action strategy game that is coming out later this year for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC – it’ll be day one on Xbox Game Pass, as well.
thesixthaxis.com
07.03.2024 / 10:35
Final Fantasy 14 Xbox launch date set for later this month – Claim Starter Edition on Xbox Game Pass
The full release of Final Fantasy XIV on Xbox Series X|S is coming later this month on 21st March, with a Starter Edition of the game being bundled in as an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate perk until 19th April.
thesixthaxis.com
06.03.2024 / 22:55
Persona 3 Reload Expansion Pass starts this month – Episode Aigis -The Answer- arrives in September
Atlus has revealed that the Persona 3 Reload Expansion Pass will be available from this month, with the first content arriving on 12th March, building up to the release of Episode Aigis -The Answer- in September 2024. Oh, and here’s a neat twist for Xbox gamers: the Expansion Pass will be included as a freebie Perk for Xbox Game Pass subscribers!
thesixthaxis.com
06.03.2024 / 21:09
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess gets a new gameplay trailer
Capcom has released a new trailer for Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, their intriguing action strategy game that is coming out later this year for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC – it’ll be day one on Xbox Game Pass, as well.
gematsu.com
06.03.2024 / 19:57
The Alters coming to Xbox Game Pass at launch, ‘Gameplay Reveal’ trailer
11 bit studios has released the first look gameplay trailer for The Alters, as well as announced that it will be available via Xbox Game Pass at launch. It is due out for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and Microsoft Store in 2024.
comingsoon.net
05.03.2024 / 21:41
Xbox Game Pass March 2024 Games Include MLB The Show 24
The first games coming to during March 2024 have been announced, and there are a few surprises to go with the expected day-one games. We already knew about the impending release of MLB The Show 24 and Lightyear Frontier, but there are a couple of older faces and others to keep the kids occupied.
screenrant.com
05.03.2024 / 18:39
Get Ready, One Of The Best Games Returns To Xbox Game Pass On March 13
One of Remedy's best games is coming to Xbox Game Pass this month. Microsoft's subscription cycles through new titles each month, adding new titles while removing others. Recently, major titles such as the and remakes, and have been added to the subscription.
gamerant.com
05.03.2024 / 16:48
Xbox Game Pass Confirms 4 More Games for March 2024
Xbox Game Pass has revealed four more titles that will be added to its library in March 2024. All of the newly confirmed arrivals, which include some highly acclaimed games such as Control, will reach Xbox Game Pass over the following two weeks.
gematsu.com
05.03.2024 / 15:27
Xbox Game Pass adds MLB The Show 24, Lightyear Frontier, Control Ultimate Edition, and more in early to mid March
Microsoft has announced new titles coming to Xbox Game Pass in early to mid March, which includes MLB The Show 24, Lightyear Frontier, Control Ultimate Edition, and more.
gamerant.com
02.03.2024 / 21:19
Xbox Game Pass is Losing at Least 3 Games on March 15
Microsoft has yet to announce all its Xbox Game Pass plans for March 2024, but the Leaving Soon section in the app has potentially revealed three games that are being removed on March 15. Xbox Game Pass subscribers are treated to new games every month, but they also lose a handful of games every month as well. Minus some rare exceptions, Xbox Game Pass games are removed on the 15th and last day of every month.
gamerant.com
25.02.2024 / 02:11
Palworld Trick is Super-Fast Way to Kill Bosses in the Game
A Palworld player has found a clever trick that can stun and kill most boss Pals in the game, sharing a short video of their defeat of Paladius and Necromus on social media as proof of their deed. The Palworld player then received compliments from their peers and offered some clarification that detailed which Pals their trick would not work on.