Bandai Namco appears to have struck a well-timed combo with the release of the Tekken 8 demo in December.
According to Katsuhiro Harada, the hot-blooded long-time producer and director of the Tekken franchise, the demo’s positive feedback from fans has resulted in a steady increase in pre-order sales ahead of the game’s release.
According to Harada, the Bandai Namco gathered invaluable data from the demo, promising that the development will work hard to address all the issues reported and found during the demo.
The TEKKEN8 demo, which is now available, has attracted very positive feedback and preorders are steadily increasing. Thank you all for your support.
And we will be fixing the problems found in the demo version in the full product version. Please wait for a while for the release.— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) January 5, 2024
There are several reasons why demos went from commonplace during the 90s and 2000s to becoming a rarity in recent years. A major factor is the negative impact demos can have on sales. The challenge is creating a demo that is exciting enough to encourage full game purchases but not so complete that it satisfies players’ curiosity, deterring them from buying the full version.
Furthermore, many games spend some time in Early Access, offering a demo-like experience without the financial risk for developers. This is especially true for small-time and independent developers, where resources and time spent on creating a separate demo could detract from the final product.
Games have also become more graphically advanced and complex, making it difficult to create demos that adequately represent the game without giving away too much. For example, creating a demo for an open-world game like Grand Theft Auto without allowing players to experience its primary appeal – free exploration – would be quite the challenge and, in a way, potentially misleading. But, this hasn’t seemed to have stopped a growing number of video game studios, especially those headquartered in Japan like Square Enix, and now, Bandai Namco, from giving audiences a chance to play their upcoming games.
It remains to be seen if Tekken 8’s successful demo will encourage other developers, but it has clearly defied concerns.
The aforementioned Tekken 8 demo offered various gameplay modes, including a snippet of the story, arcade quest, as well as a vs mode, effectively showcasing the game’s features and encouraging players to pre-order. This comprehensive approach provided enough content to get a feel without giving away too much.
By offering players a taste of Tekken 8’s gameplay, Bandai has increased the excitement and anticipation but also build trust with audiences by showing a commitment to quality and player satisfaction.
With Square Enix expected to release a demo for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth ahead of its release on February 29, it’s safe to say that the age of video game demos is far from the dead.
Tekken 8 will be available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and PC (via Steam) on January 26.
