Looking forward to Resistance 3? Don't want to subscribe to PlayStation Plus? Well, you might be out of luck when it comes to playing the demo. While US users can access the demo by purchasing SOCOM 4, the only way Europeans can play is to have PlayStation Plus.
“If you’ve checked out the US Blog, you will see that the R3 multiplayer demo will be accessible to SOCOM: Special Forces (aka SOCOM 4) purchasers in North America," said Euro product manager Elliott Linger. “In PAL, this demo will be opened up to PlayStation Plus subscribers at exactly the same time – additional info (such as how and when) will be unveiled in due course."
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't demos used to exist for the purpose of helping consumers make purchasing decisions? When did they become, instead, these things that publishers could hold to ransom in order to make people who already decided to buy the game jump through hoops and spend more money?
Seems to undermine exactly what a demo is supposed to be, but then, that's why I'm not in marketing.
Resistance 3 Multiplayer Demo Coming To PlayStation Plus; Get In The Game Winners [EU PS Blog]
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Contest:
8:40 AM on 04.11.2011 | 
And then they wonder why there's piracy. Fact is, I can test a product that I want or I give it back. Now with keys and all the shit you've a hard time getting your money back if you dislike a game.
Video games. They work so differently as a product when you think about it.
In b4 apologists respond "I've had Playstation plus for 2 days and it's already paid for itself. Even though I'm paying a membership to essentially rent a couple of choice arcade games"
If people want sales for their game, let people try it, and make it good.
Simple.
Doesn't matter though the other thing they do is slap BETA on it to use as a excuse to why it's limited to people. While not true to all, a good bit of betas I noticed nothing different once the game came out
"In PAL, this demo will be opened up to PlayStation Plus subscribers at the exactly the same time – additional info (such as how and when) will be unveiled in due course."
When you follow the link on "US Blog", you're taken to the post about:
"by picking up a specially marked copy of SOCOM 4, you’ll get early access to the Resistance 3 Public Beta!"
koehler83 is correct. It is the multiplayer beta.
Very valid point. I think people are getting spoiled thanks to online access these days and assume a demo should be free (but who can blame them with so many other free demos). But even back then, a magazine was still cheaper than just buying a entire game or a subscription to PS+
Now you have to buy crappy shit like PSN+ which gives you sometimes "early" demo access. I don't know about you, I always liked the concept of PSN+ but in reality it's completely useless. I browsed through the library very often, thinking if I should make a purchase. But the point never came that I thought this really deserves my money.
PSN+ should be used for different stuff than putting demos in there. And call it like you want, MP stress test or whatever. A demo, is a demo no matter the wording.
But hey, maybe the movie industry figures out how cool the system works with video games and they charge you for the next Harry Potter trailer.
If SC is talking about a similar magazine to one I'm thinking about (could be different depending on where you are) the magazine sub would be the same price, or more than the PS+ sub.
PS+ has not sold me yet :/
lulz
This whole beta/demo thing is only making the games industry more anal than it already is. I can see, however, the benefits to what Sony are doing. But at least give Europe the same as North America with codes to the beta included in Socom 4 for the Resistance demo/beta or whatever the fuck they call the demos now.
still i already plan on buying this later on the road :P
"Didn't giving demos out on magazine covers require you to buy something to play them too?"
Yep, and we used to have to walk to school every day in the snow. With no shoes on. Uphill both ways.
And the only toys we had were rocks. Sharp rocks. AND WE WERE THANKFUL FOR WHAT WE HAD.
Yes, you get access to the multiplayer for free. However you're also helping the team test the bugs and balance of the multiplayer, which makes it a give and take relationship. It's a beta and it's going to show in network latency issues, matchmaking problems, and other faults.
@CamelCarcass: SOCOM 4 beta is on the PSN for everyone as of last week, I've been playing it and I'm not a PS+ subscriber.
This seems to be a beta, but the Sony guy messed up by calling it a demo.
Anyway, I'm sure the beta and demo will come to regular users eventually, the demo will at least.
On the other hand, SCE here among other companies, is providing a fan service by offering the beta to PS+ users and in games such as Socom 4. As a long time beta tester I can tell you that if a person really "deserves" any shot at being in a beta, they will be invited by these companies ahead of time. For instance, I purchased Killzone 3 for the game, however it also came with the Socom 4 beta code, in addition I have PS+, so I was pretty much guaranteed to get into the beta through these avenues, but I didn't even need those. I was offered a beta invite to the closed beta before all of those. These companies know who the people are that will help them actually make progress in development and contribute constructive feedback about the game vs those who just want a free game to play. They will invite those ahead of time who do offer good towards the cause.
At the same time, looking at betas like demos can also be detrimental. Betas are NOT demos. People who believe they are judge the final product off of these betas which can drastically change and many times do. That is the whole purpose of a beta. Testing out the game and identifying areas needed to make changes.
Further, be sure that SCE will provide other means to get into the beta instead of just a Socom 4 voucher or PS+ membership. They always give out codes by other means, be it via twitter, partnering websites, the PSBlog, etc.
By the way, there is a big difference in Beta's and Demos. A Beta test is done from a portion of an uncompleted product to "test" it. A Demo is general a portion of the final product.