Game demo
Template:Current-GCOTW A game demo is a non-modifiable freely distributable, cut-down "preview" or "demonstration" (hence the name) version of an upcoming computer or video game.
Game demos are typically released by the game's publisher to help users get a feel of the game before deciding whether to buy the full version. For computer games, demos are usually released as a free download over the Internet. In some cases these games become exclusive content for specific websites. For console video games, they are usually released with magazines that include the demos on a CD or DVD and likewise may be exclusive to a certain publication. In the past they were also released on cover tape/disks especially in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe throughout the 1980s and 1990s. With the advent of console online services such as Xbox Live, demos are also becoming available as a free or premium download.
Video game console manufacturers also usually release their systems with a demo disc containing playable previews of games to be released for their console.
Types
Game demos come in two variations: playable and non-playable (also called a "rolling demo"). Playable demos are by far the most common. They generally have the exact same game play as the upcoming full game, although occasionally some less-used advanced feature might be disabled.
Non-playable demos are very rare, and usually result from lack of time or effort from the game developer's part. A non-playable demo is often a gameplay recording, usually shown when the player idles on the title screen for a short period of time. They are also sometimes displayed at gaming conventions, such as E3, when the game is still in early production. The term originates in demonstrational recordings used for advertising, but is also used for recordings by players who wish to show off their skills or some feature in a game. Magazines often challenge readers to reach certain tasks in demos they provide in exchange for nothing more than printing the best performers' names and respective scores [1].
Generally, demos of platform or other action games only include the first level of the game, or in some cases, include an "exclusive" small-sized demo which has been made specifically for the magazine readers, and will not appear in the full game. Demos of adventure games are often limited to a very small number of rooms, and have the "save game" feature disabled. Demos of football games usually limit play to an accelerated half-time or complete match between a little number of teams. Likewise, demos of racing games are ordinarily restricted to a single race with a pre-selected car.