| Whoever said that video gaming is a childish | | | | Many video gaming companies have made it a |
| pastime clearly hasn't seen the prices of | | | | habit to release free PC game demos. Ubisoft is, |
| videogames these days. For $50 and above per | | | | perhaps, the most prominent of them all. With hits |
| product, video gaming is no longer a right. It's a | | | | like the Call of Duty series, the Rainbow 6 series |
| luxury that only adults - given their purchasing | | | | and the Ghost Recon series, players have come |
| power - can actually enjoy. | | | | to expect that Ubisoft's titles will have demos |
| Indeed, with the rising cost of videogame | | | | distributed prior to their release. |
| software, the hobby has become an expensive | | | | Ubisoft, just like other videogame companies, |
| investment. Review websites are enjoying wide | | | | have another reason for releasing these demos, |
| readerships because people want to know - for | | | | namely, for beta testing purposes. |
| certain - whether or not a video game is worth | | | | Beta testing refers to that stage of the |
| the money they'll spend on the same. | | | | videogame's creation when bugs are being sought |
| Sadly, reviews aren't always as accurate as one | | | | and the engine is being test driven to perfection. |
| would expect them to be. Videogame reviews | | | | Beta testing is doubly important for videogames |
| are always subjective, always dependent on the | | | | with online components (which account for 95% |
| likes, dislikes and other idiosyncrasies beholden to | | | | of the videogame software programs released |
| the reviewer. And if recent controversies are to | | | | these days), as this stage not only challenges the |
| be believed, videogame reviews are also | | | | engine itself but also the infrastructure and |
| dependent on how much advertising dough the | | | | stability of the videogame's would-be server. |
| company has spent on the review website's | | | | Unlike the usual free PC game demos, however, |
| pages. | | | | videogames being beta tested allow users to |
| Thankfully, most games - particularly PC games - | | | | download a game client that more or less |
| offer free PC game demos. These demos are | | | | comprises the entire game. |
| partial representations of the actual game. They | | | | There are two types of beta testing: open and |
| may allow the player to play the game for a | | | | closed. Open beta testing allows everyone who |
| limited amount of time, or they may allow the | | | | has the means to download the game client to do |
| player to play a small portion of the game, say a | | | | so. Closed beta testing only allows a selected |
| level or two. The game company hopes that such | | | | number of people - usually invited - to download |
| small immersion in the game's virtual world would | | | | and test the game client. |
| be enough to lure the player into buying the full | | | | Where can you download these PC game demos? |
| version. | | | | There are many websites that host every PC |
| Videogame companies also hope that these | | | | game demo ever released. You can try |
| demos will be better versions of game reviews, | | | | Gamespot.com, and even for a comprehensive |
| as the prospective buyer himself can gauge the | | | | listing of these demos as well as access their |
| merits of the game to see if it's the right one for | | | | amazingly fast servers. |
| him. | | | | |