The PC crowd has to sit this one out
Bethesda must be awfully confident in Prey. In the months leading up to launch, the publisher has been plenty active marketing the game through trailers and preview events. The most recent move is something you do only if you’re able to put your best foot forward.
On April 27, eight days before release, Prey is getting a free demo on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (but curiously, not on PC). The demo will feature the first hour of the game, likely ending with a specific incident rather than the trial running on a timer. It’s not clear whether progress will be saved for folks who buy the full game.
Demos aren’t necessarily rare these days, but this kind of demo doesn’t really happen too often. Most trials are for multiplayer games, usually disguised as “beta” events. Or, as Bethesda did recently with Dishonored 2, a demo might release well after the game has launched in an effort to capture a second wave of sales.
So, Bethesda putting out a demo for a singleplayer-only game before release is noteworthy to some degree. It probably means, at the very least, that the opening sequence is strong and engaging. Zack previewed this and his impressions were positive. You’ll have to pay to find out if the rest of it is also up to snuff (or, just wait for reviews to hit).
Prey Demo — Play the Opening Hour [Bethesda]
