Don't Like Prey - Return it on Steam

I haven't. If I buy a game I'm definitely interested in it. I'd feel bad about buying something I don't even know I want. The insurance is just there for a way out if I make a big mistake.
But I'm not buying games on steam anyway. They charge 60€ for it. When I can pre-order most games for half that on either cdkeys or gmg. Even if one of them turns out bad I'm still no worse off. And I'm not that bad at choosing games that every second one I buy turns out crap.

And I definitely wouldn't feel comfortable buying something on steam and return it and then buy elsewhere cheaper.

So no I never used it to demo games, Even in the one case when I returned a game I felt like an asshole for doing so.

I've spent enough money on Steam since its inception so I don't feel like anything but a good customer if I return something which has been four times they instituted the return policy. There's just a lot out there that don't have demos like most indie VR titles. Two of my returns have been those but that policy has made be less cautious so at the end of the day I've bought more VR games from no names than I would have without the policy.

So again, sure a demo would be nice but it's really only for Day one purchasers and I don't think most PC games are purchased like that anyhow. I'm probably in for a day one with this because it seems like my type of game.
 
I did not know of that service. That means no more DL of a pirated copy to try before I buy. I've been burned in the past by, IMO, a crappy game.
 
You still have to pay 60 dollars for a demo of 2 hours. That seems like a cop out too me. Yes I also wish they did a sequel to the original. It was very good. This game seems like a bad clone of dead space.
 
I still don't understand why publishers are so against demos.
If the publisher releases a demo and people do not like the game, that is a lost sale. If you do not release a demo, then the people must buy the game first. If they do not like it, there are screwed and pissed off, but the publisher got the money.
 
Ummm, yeah, what is the point of this article exactly? That there isn't a demo for the PC? or that there is a larger conspiracy at play because the PC version might be a turd? Here's a thought... why not just wait for reviews and then decide...
 
"You’ve requested a bunch of refunds recently. Please keep in mind that refunds are not a method for trying out games. If we think the refund system is being misused we’ll decline to grant future refunds."
They sure are a method. It's a better method of trying a game than people "pirating" it to try it.

But mostly, it's way to tell publishers they need to get their shit together and stop releasing games with [KNOWN SHIPPABLE] problems. Or for awful companies like Square Enix or Tecmo Koei who never fix a god damned thing.
 
You guys sound really angry about not having a demo for one game here. Plenty of games on Steam, even PC only ones don't have demos. It takes time to curate out a section of game make sure the assets only load for the demo and to create something long enough to get an idea without giving away a free copy. Skyrim doesn't have a demo and it's a Bethesda game and NO ONE complained and it sold millions of copies and is still selling copies because it i's good and word of mouth will let you know. Don't pre-order, read reviews and wait a week before buying your games and you won't be so sour about a demo. There are enough reviewers out there that they will let you know if the game doesn't run on PC. Stop thinking you need the game day one, especially a single player one, and do your research and don;t be so angry and maybe, just maybe, you'll be happier for it.
 
I don't care that there is no PC demo. This is a SP game. Zero reason to buy day 1. Sit back, relax, wait for others to check it out and post youtube videos if no demo bothers you.
I am going to wait at least until the bugs are worked out, and if there ends up being a bunch of DLC, I will wait for the GOTY.
 
Meh, another game if I got that bored I'll buy for 20 dollars in a few months.

Speaking of unoptimized beta games.... Battlegrounds, I only paid $30 for it, and I've had more fun with it than the $90 AAA titles with DLC and crap. Sure there are bugs but it works well enough and there are some seriously intense and crazy moments when you are in battle.
 
Stop thinking you need the game day one, especially a single player one, and do your research and don;t be so angry and maybe, just maybe, you'll be happier for it.

that's the mentality that too many people can't get away from...the need to play on Day 1

releasing the Prey demo for consoles does show a level of confidence in the game as far as gameplay and story and those to me are probably the 2 most vital components of a game
 
You guys sound really angry about not having a demo for one game here. Plenty of games on Steam, even PC only ones don't have demos. It takes time to curate out a section of game make sure the assets only load for the demo and to create something long enough to get an idea without giving away a free copy. Skyrim doesn't have a demo and it's a Bethesda game and NO ONE complained and it sold millions of copies and is still selling copies because it i's good and word of mouth will let you know. Don't pre-order, read reviews and wait a week before buying your games and you won't be so sour about a demo. There are enough reviewers out there that they will let you know if the game doesn't run on PC. Stop thinking you need the game day one, especially a single player one, and do your research and don;t be so angry and maybe, just maybe, you'll be happier for it.
Demos used to be more wide spread. Just because we lost the fight doesn't mean we need to give up. If that was the case I'd be done with this hobby due to how casual some games are getting due to share holder interest. Sucks that TPB is our only option most the time. It is what it is.
 
I am no Valve fanboy but it's a bit of a "dick move" to suggest a Prey (dev/whatever) use an actual retail game purchase as a DEMO just because Steam has a good return policy. Are the deals as good at Costco as they use to be? No, people abused the Costco return policy to the point that they had to be a little "less cool" with returns now. (hint: the marketing password is "loss leader")
 
I think the reason this makes me, and others, more angry than usual is:

- Consoles got the demo.
- Bethesda no longer gives out review copies.
- Bethesda doesn't exactly have the greatest track record when it comes to bug-free experiences.

To be clear, Bethesda has no obligation to give out demos or provide review copies - BUT we, as consumers, have no obligation to buy the game at launch. If the game plays well and garners above-average reviews, I might check it out. Buying a PC game in this day and age with no reviews and no demo from a company known for bugs is not a smart decision.
 
I am no Valve fanboy but it's a bit of a "dick move" to suggest a Prey (dev/whatever) use an actual retail game purchase as a DEMO just because Steam has a good return policy. Are the deals as good at Costco as they use to be? No, people abused the Costco return policy to the point that they had to be a little "less cool" with returns now. (hint: the marketing password is "loss leader")
You can't compare physical with digital goods. A $30 digital game is not the same as a $2000 rusted ass gym from a decade ago that is now getting returned.

Valve already has friends and family sharing, so they are kind of open to this idea anyways.
http://store.steampowered.com/promotion/familysharing

If the game is great people might pay for it. If it's shit, they wont. The 2hr trial isn't full proof but it is about the only thing that protects the consumer.
 
Game is really boring like a poor Bioshock & system shock 2 merger with less action and bad "mod" skills.

I'd describe it as hide and go seek Bioshock
 
I was skeptical of this game the second I heard it had nothing to do with the original title and simply borrowed the name. That's never been a good sign in my experience.
 
Return policies are an insurance system so technically I'd agree. But who hasn't used Steam's return policy like a demo system? I've not done it a lot but have on occasion and I think it's perfectly natural. But of course a demo would normally preclude the need to do this.
I've never used the refund system as a way to demo games, and the thought has never crossed my mind. I've refunded one game since the policy was instituted, and it was because the game kept crashing on my PC. Even then, I felt bad about doing it.
Ummm, yeah, what is the point of this article exactly? That there isn't a demo for the PC? or that there is a larger conspiracy at play because the PC version might be a turd? Here's a thought... why not just wait for reviews and then decide...
No one would be making a big deal out of the situation had Bethesda not released a demo in the first place. But because they decided to release one on consoles and not PC... well here we are.
 
No one would be making a big deal out of the situation had Bethesda not released a demo in the first place. But because they decided to release one on consoles and not PC... well here we are.

This is far from the first time a demo has arrived on consoles and not on PC. As to Kyle's point above, Bethesda publicly stating that Steam's return policy is their out for not creating a PC demo is morally questionable and certainly not defensible. That said, how many other publishers do you think are probably using the same thought process only not stating it out loud?
 
I'm considering the fact that this decision may be due to the fact that console and PC gamers have different standards. The PC community can be the most loyal fan base but it's also the most critical. In some cases our tastes are different from console players as well. I do realize that there is some overlap between console and PC gamers as many of us are multiplatform, but I still believe that PC gamers, or predominately PC gamers will hold a game to a higher standard than console players do. I suppose Bethesda could be telling the truth and saved themselves a few bucks by not paying personnel to create the demo for the PC, but I doubt it. The fact is that the demo shouldn't be that hard to "code" or create given that everything for the game already exists in the version they built and or ported for the PC. A hard stop at a certain point at the end of the demo period shouldn't be hard to implement.

Despite various issues with the game, EA actually handled the demo for Mass Effect Andromeda fairly well. I'm only referring to the technical aspects of the demo rather than the content, timing or whatever. You got 10 hours to play the game. After that the game wouldn't run anymore. There was also a hard stop in the content which wouldn't allow you to proceed in the single player game anymore either. Furthermore, Mass Effect Andromeda's trial was built on an older stable build of the game, which is apparent based on several differences in it vs. the final game. Including the patch lists for the trial and full version being very different sets of bug fixes. The point is, that a demo can be built along side the final stages of the retail version. I doubt it takes that many people or that much time to implement. Especially given that a demo exists for the console version.
 
Try on steam. If you like it, refund then buy the discounted one..

That's a good way to ruin things for everyone else when Steam catches on and tightens the return policy so much that it's useless, or ends it completely.


I am no Valve fanboy but it's a bit of a "dick move" to suggest a Prey (dev/whatever) use an actual retail game purchase as a DEMO just because Steam has a good return policy. Are the deals as good at Costco as they use to be? No, people abused the Costco return policy to the point that they had to be a little "less cool" with returns now. (hint: the marketing password is "loss leader")

EXACTLY!

Ironically, when that happens the people that scream the loudest are normally the moronic douchebags that ruined it for everyone


You can't compare physical with digital goods. A $30 digital game is not the same as a $2000 rusted ass gym from a decade ago that is now getting returned.

Valve already has friends and family sharing, so they are kind of open to this idea anyways.
http://store.steampowered.com/promotion/familysharing

If the game is great people might pay for it. If it's shit, they wont. The 2hr trial isn't full proof but it is about the only thing that protects the consumer.

Actually you can, as it's a product being sold. The point is if a company has a lenient return policy, be it for $30 digital games or $2000 home gym, if it's abused they will tighten or eliminate that policy. When people abuse a system it ruins it for everyone, so it shouldn't be encouraged or supported.
 
they dont own the steam store, they dont get to tell people to do things such as this.

would electronics manufacturers say go buy it from bestbuy and if you dont like it return it? best buy would be pretty mad at the high return rate i would think, telling them to fuck off.

just because there is an option of return, doesn't mean that you, a seller in someone elses store, tells people how to do business with that store.
 
they dont own the steam store, they dont get to tell people to do things such as this.

would electronics manufacturers say go buy it from bestbuy and if you dont like it return it? best buy would be pretty mad at the high return rate i would think, telling them to fuck off.

just because there is an option of return, doesn't mean that you, a seller in someone elses store, tells people how to do business with that store.

Yep. See my posts above about that.
 
Back
Top