Why is Nintendo so pinchy with demo disks?

T

The Take Out Bandit

Member
I just received the Winter Playstation Memory Card Formatter in the mail yesterday, and it just struck me as kind of odd that Nintendo hasn't embraced the demo disk concept yet. I'm no Xbot, but to my knowledge there are plenty of demo disks available for the Xbox via a magazine and regular releases. Both Sony and MS have regular demo disks in circulation.

Nintendo Power would be a great venue for the demo disk, and add some value to the publication. It already has superb game coverage, in the forms of fairly detailed partial walk throughs.

It just seems kind of ass backwards to not have demo disks in wide distribution. I don't want to have to drive to Target or EB to try the latest Nintendo warez.

Get with the times Nintendo. I want to try Mario Pouwa Tennis already. >:|
 
Personally I don’t see the resemblance.

mrpinchy.gif
 
i find it strange as well. perhaps nintendo are obscurely under the impression that they're still using carts. or perhaps they're afraid that five minute demos will prove to be adequate substitutes for full games. who knows. i swear the demo disc is my favorite genre these days. most games can only hold my attention for a few minutes anyway, and demos gracefully end just as i'm getting sick of them.
 
Nintendo is going to do you one better and start to download demos wirelessly to your DS and most likely the Revolution.

purely speculation.
 
Yeah it's a shame really. The demos of alot of PSX games are damn near legendary now, I have no idea why Nintendo demos are so scarce. It made sense back in the n64 days, but with discs out now it just boggles my mind.
 
I remember being really excited when I got a new PSX demo back in the day. Whenever a new underground came out I would go and but it and play it to death.. and it sold me on a number of games.. Armored Core, Parapa and I.Q. come to mind. I think they were all off the same demo disc as well.
 
Nintendo is going to do you one better and start to download demos wirelessly to your DS and most likely the Revolution.
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Yes, but what about all of those Gamecube owners? :/

Sure not every OPM demo disk is fabulous, but with the prices of even rentals increasing, I'm not particularly inclined to rent these days on the off chance I'll waste $7-8, which is a hefty chunk of a Greatest Hits / Players Choice title. Which is largely what I'm buying from of late.

The lack of demo disks for the Gamecube is just another indication of how far out of touch with console reality Nintendo is these days.

Next generation is too late. Demo disks have been around since last generation, and I'm hoping that next generation I'll just have a Playstation 3 under my television and nothing else. I'm sick of the clutter. One Console World!

I remember being really excited when I got a new PSX demo back in the day. Whenever a new underground came out I would go and but it and play it to death.. and it sold me on a number of games..
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Helps sell magazine subscriptions too. :)

I'm too pinchy to buy OPM off the newstands every month, but I've got no problem paying $60 a year, or whatever the cost is. A savings from the cover price.
 
Well, Nintendo *did* release a demo disc to retail a while back that was comparable to the PS2 Jam Packs. I guess it just didn't work out for them -- that is, they didn't see substantial enough returns, whether in software sales or profit off the discs. The Metroid Prime 2 demo was leveraged in such a way as to be a major bonus for new system buyers or those who'd registered a bunch of games -- I guess that was more what they were going for, rather than giving it away with every issue of the mag.

The question, then, is basically whether or not Nintendo Power should include a GameCube demo disc with each issue. Since I believe the bulk of Nintendo Power's sales have always been to subscribers, it would result in subscriptions being bumped upwards of $19.95, which they might not want to do. NP isn't sold on newsstands -- just at major bookstores and game specialty shops. So they might not have the newsstand circulation to support demo discs.
 
Well, Nintendo *did* release a demo disc to retail a while back that was comparable to the PS2 Jam Packs. I guess it just didn't work out for them -- that is, they didn't see substantial enough returns, whether in software sales or profit off the discs.
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Is the purpose of a demo disk really to turn a profit on the disk itself, or to promote and increase sales of software? I'm going with software sales myself. If they're doing it to turn a buck off the demo disks themselves, they're fools. Insert requisite crack about Nintendo squeezing every red cent out of gamers possible.

That said, if the Viewtiful Joe demo disk was the only demo disk - that's pretty pitiful. The Jampacks come out two or three times a year, I believe it's Summer and Winter Jampacks. Even if they released one bi-annually for consumers that would still rock harder than what they've got now.

The question, then, is basically whether or not Nintendo Power should include a GameCube demo disc with each issue.
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It's the opposite of what PSM does. Last I looked the newstand edition comes with a video DVD, and the subscription comes with nothing. Nintendo doesn't have to do it, but seeing as how nobody is going out of their way to publish another Nintendo specific magazine, it's the obvious solution.

They could just offer a standard subscription and a demo subscription. Or, they could just release quarterly demos.

Something is better than nothing, which is all GC owners have at this point. :/
 
As an NP subscriber it sure would be nice to get something because lately there's been squat for extras. Yet just a couple years ago there were decent mini-posters, e-cards, and the biggie - the SSBM orchestral cd. So a demo disc every now and then would be appreciated.
 
Seriously, I've talked about this on the last GAF and I think Ninty needs to just dump NP and put their official magazine in the hands of one of the big game mag publishers. NP only speaks to die-hard N-fans, IMO. Put that official title on a mag from Future or Ziff-Davis, and get it on the shelves alongside others with a demo disc, and you've got something 10x better than NP ever was.
 
I think Nintendo's audience are easily amused and could play the demo over and over again. Therefore not buying the game.

*runs*
 
Vormund said:
I think Nintendo's audience are easily amused and could play the demo over and over again. Therefore not buying the game.
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Funnily enough I can believe that this might be true, especially for those fans who don't work and rely on their parents for games, i.e. birthday's etc.

Fortunately since I have my own income, I'm not that moronic to ignore the final product. Also personally I haven't played a demo of any game in years - fact.
 
Vormund said:
I think Nintendo's audience are easily amused and could play the demo over and over again. Therefore not buying the game.

*runs*
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The San Francisco Rush 2049 (DC) Effect.
 
Nintendo doesn't have to "demonstrate" or PROVE anything to YOU. You should KNOW that the game is good and buy it. Otherwise you don't deserve it.



:lol
 
Kobun Heat said:
Well, Nintendo *did* release a demo disc to retail a while back that was comparable to the PS2 Jam Packs. I guess it just didn't work out for them -- that is, they didn't see substantial enough returns, whether in software sales or profit off the discs.
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Perhaps it didn't push software as they would've liked, but the demo disc certainly sold well...over 100,000 copies, and was ahead of several Nintendo titles on the NPD list, including F-Zero GX for a long time. If they put discs in a magazine, even on a bi-monthy basis, I'd probably subscribe. Sending them to retail for sale would suck though. I never think to look for them in a store.

I was going to say Nintendo just hates making playable builds available, but they've been good about updating store kiosks over the last year or two.
 
Sho Nuff said:
Nintendo doesn't have to "demonstrate" or PROVE anything to YOU. You should KNOW that the game is good and buy it. Otherwise you don't deserve it.



Not all of Nintendo games are good. So demo disks would help. and yes they do have to prove something to the gamer nowadays. If they want people to buy there games and systems.
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I really don't understand the resistance either. I can understand their worry of releasing early builds of their own games, but most demo disks are 3rd party centric anyway. This is the kind of thing Nintendo should be doing to make people believe that they are serious about competing and working with 3rd parties.
 
Kobun Heat said:
Well, Nintendo *did* release a demo disc to retail a while back that was comparable to the PS2 Jam Packs. I guess it just didn't work out for them -- that is, they didn't see substantial enough returns, whether in software sales or profit off the discs. The Metroid Prime 2 demo was leveraged in such a way as to be a major bonus for new system buyers or those who'd registered a bunch of games -- I guess that was more what they were going for, rather than giving it away with every issue of the mag.
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Yeah, but the purpose of a demo disc shouldn't be a return in profit on the demo discs themselves. They are suppose to be about promoting the games and the brand. Plus, if I remember right, Nintendo did a cluster distributing and pricing these demo disc packs in non retail boxes. I remember seeing this disc for 10 bucks! Damn, too expensive. 5 bucks at most. The beauty of the Exhibition and Jampacks is that even though the MSRP is $7.99, most places I see price them at $4.99.

Between the PS2 Jampacks, OPM, OXM, and the Xbox Exhibition packs (Which is on volume 7 now I believe) Nintendo performance in ths area is pitiful in comparison.
 
I do feel Nintendo needs to get their act together on the demo disc front. In Japan, they released a Viewtiful Joe demo disc with Pokemon Box: Ruby and Sapphire, a somewhat ingenius idea.

So can someone tell my why Nintendo doesn't have an unofficial magazine?
 
+1 for regular demo disks

It could have made a difference to certain games. Nintendo need to look at how they hype their games.
 
So can someone tell my why Nintendo doesn't have an unofficial magazine?
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Third graders have difficulty with pre-press? Etc. Etc.

I would guess it's a combination of general consumer apathy towards Nintendo product, and I honestly can't recall there being a Nintendo magazine outside of Nintendo Power in the US. Perhaps Nintendo has some Draconian anti-magazine policies, or some other peculiar Nintendo based policy against magazines which could potentially damage their brand name. :/
 
CVXFREAK said:
So can someone tell my why Nintendo doesn't have an unofficial magazine?
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I want an answer as well. Let's face it, Nintendo Power blows. The content isn't bad or anything, and they do a good job of covering everything available for the system and not just 1st party stuff. But those few good qualities are negated by a lame layout and simplified writing style. Considering how strong the fanbase is, it's ridiculous that there is no equivalent to Xbox Nation or even OXM and ODCM. I heard some rumour awhile back about changes coming to Nintendo Power from someone who particpated in Camp Hyrule--hopefully that's true. Nintendo desperately needs to do these little things like demos and getting together decent mags.
 
The Take Out Bandit said:
Third graders have difficulty with pre-press? Etc. Etc.

I would guess it's a combination of general consumer apathy towards Nintendo product, and I honestly can't recall there being a Nintendo magazine outside of Nintendo Power in the US. Perhaps Nintendo has some Draconian anti-magazine policies, or some other peculiar Nintendo based policy against magazines which could potentially damage their brand name. :/
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I believe that's actually the case. Maybe someone will correct but I swear that I read somewhere that Nintendo will not give the rights to publish a Nintendo centric mag to anyone else in the states. They need to change that policy right now unless they are completely serious about revamping NP.
 
Kobun Heat said:
NP isn't sold on newsstands -- just at major bookstores and game specialty shops. So they might not have the newsstand circulation to support demo discs.
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Are there still newstands these days? Closest I've seen is a news store (magazines and newspapers), and NP is definitely in the mix there. Hell, I can find it at any grocery store or drug mart. Circulation wise, I see more NP issues than Game Informer and Play combined.
 
Nintendo's lack of demos has two major causes:

1)The time it takes to create the demos. They could certainly just use the E3 demo builds, but they're not always consumer friendly as they should be.

2)This is the major cause. Nintendo, over any other videogame company HATES to put their products on show before they are absolutely finished. Chalk it up to over-protectionism, perfectionism, whatever... they hate putting unfinished product into the media limelight, let alone consumers hands.
 
Gaia Theory said:
Nintendo's lack of demos has two major causes:

1)The time it takes to create the demos. They could certainly just use the E3 demo builds, but they're not always consumer friendly as they should be.

2)This is the major cause. Nintendo, over any other videogame company HATES to put their products on show before they are absolutely finished. Chalk it up to over-protectionism, perfectionism, whatever... they hate putting unfinished product into the media limelight, let alone consumers hands.
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Then why is it I can go to retail stores and play Nintendo demo discs with unreleased games at their kiosks? :P

I walked into a Gamestop a few weeks ago and saw some guys playing RESIDENT EVIL 4 on a GC display. It may be a Capcom game, but it was on a Nintendo demo disc. They also had the GC bundle with the Metroid Prime 2 demo disc. Put this stuff in the hands of consumers, Nintendo, or at least bundle them with Nintendo Power for more magazine subscriptions.
 
Lyte Edge said:
Then why is it I can go to retail stores and play Nintendo demo discs with unreleased games at their kiosks? :P

I walked into a Gamestop a few weeks ago and saw some guys playing RESIDENT EVIL 4 on a GC display. It may be a Capcom game, but it was on a Nintendo demo disc. They also had the GC bundle with the Metroid Prime 2 demo disc. Put this stuff in the hands of consumers, Nintendo, or at least bundle them with Nintendo Power for more magazine subscriptions.
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yeah
 
Why do we even ask questions like this when we all know the anwer?

If a demo disk would make fans happy yet there is no immediate financial gain from it, you can bet your ass Nintendo will not waste one precious second even entertaining the idea.

Nintendo sees it as competition, just like they see every other Gamecube game not made by Nintendo.
 
If a demo disk would make fans happy yet there is no immediate financial gain from it, you can bet your ass Nintendo will not waste one precious second even entertaining the idea.
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I'm inclined to believe this after having read Game Over and just reading about Nintendo's stance on on-line gaming and the like. It's that sort of pig headed logic that landed them in the spot they are in the television console arena. Sure they own handhelds, but it's gotten to the point where when people speak of consoles they only mention the PS2 and Xbox. Way to go Nintendo.

Nintendo sees it as competition, just like they see every other Gamecube game not made by Nintendo.
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They really just need to go third party.

I was hoping they would change directions under new leadership once the senile old Go player stepped down, but it's looking more and more like you average contrived Hideous Kojima game. Yamauchi is still ruling from the shadows. :P
 
I think it was also funny how Nintendo and retailers couldn't arrive at a conclusion as how to distribute the demo disk.

I recall some stores only giving it away with the purchase of a Gamecube, Best Buy selling it for $39.99 or some such, and just a whole bunch of horse shit. Fortunately I managed to snag a copy for $10 without a hitch, but still - the release of that disk was FUBAR.
 
I don't get why they don't repackage the demo kiosk disc's for $7.99
The disc is already produced, its just a matter of creating a boxart and copying it!
 
Cost:

It costs more to make one of those mini-discs than it does to make a standard DVD. Why? Any publisher that wants to make a demo disc on DVD format can competitively bid out the manufacturing to any pressing company available. But, to make one of those GOD discs's you have to go through Nintendo to get them pressed. Since competition is low, price's will be higher. There's also probably a minimum press amount as well and maybe some kind of priority tree. Meaning that a demo disc would have lower priority over a game, so the waiting period would be longer.
 
I tend to think the reason is that demo discs prevent more game sales than they promote. Whether you end up disliking the game or just feel like you've played enough of it after sampling it, the bottom line is that consumers probably skip more games having played the demo than they go out and buy. At best, I suspect the sales remain the same either way, hence making any benefit negligible.

Better to spend that money on promotion and just simply getting the word out to customers that the games exist. They don't have to play it first to want it. They just need to know about it and be compelled to buy.
 
Yeah, the people citing the profit thing are hitting the nail directly on the head. Nintendo is just a backwards company in a lot of ways. It's ok though, I'm sure Sony will demand that they cough up some playable demos for PS3 demo disks if they want a piece of that PS3 userbase when the inevitable happens.
 
Raoul Duke said:
It's ok though, I'm sure Sony will demand that they cough up some playable demos for PS3 demo disks if they want a piece of that PS3 userbase when the inevitable happens.
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Hah.
 
Let me repeat myself just to make something clear, as no less than two people have misread this:

My bad self said:
I guess it just didn't work out for them -- that is, they didn't see substantial enough returns, whether in software sales or profit off the discs.
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Go carefully across this sentence and you will note that nowhere do I state that "the purpose of a demo disc is to make a profit on the disc itself." I said that they might not have seen substantial enough returns in EITHER area.

Let's look at (gasp) the facts: Nintendo DID release a demo disc to retail. They have yet to release another. This would indicate that there was something they were displeased about with the first disc. While this might not be the answer, one solid hypothesis would be that the software sales or other revenue that resulted from the disc did not make up for the cost of producing and promoting the demo.

Finally, demo discs are not and will never be about "making fans happy." Sony's demo disc departments are not staffed entirely by cheerful elves who work and toil in the underground cookie mines bringing up piping fresh demos to bring a smile to the face of every PS2 owner. They're doing it because it makes them money.

Now, I know that many of you believe that turning a profit is really awful and only the shit-all stupidest of stupid companies do it. I'm not trying to change your worldview on this. Just pointing it out.

As far as magazines go: there *have* been unofficial GameCube publications, from Ziff-Davis at least. They were one-shots, but it goes against the "Nintendo doesn't allow it" theory. I just think the competition from Nintendo Power is insurmountable -- there's just no room for another Nintendo publication while NP has that market totally sewn up. If there was a way to produce and sustain a monthly unofficial Nintendo-only mag, I feel like you'd see one out there.
 
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