Stellar Blade is a title that has been gaining a lot of steam for various reasons, including the game’s protagonist and the artistic choices made with her character design. There were also times when some controversy surrounded the game.
The upcoming PS5 exclusive is being developed by Shift Up, a Korean Developer who has released cross-platform titles in the past, too. The game will be released on April 26, 2024, and a demo for the title was also released on the PlayStation store recently; the game’s director recently came forward to share why a demo was essential and what made the studio go for a demo release.
Stellar Blade director Kim Hyung Tae’s remarks on the decision to roll out a demo
Game demos are certainly not mainstream in the current video game industry. Some titles, like Tekken 8, brought back this trend, which fans received well. The idea behind a gameplay demo is for fans to get a feel of the gameplay and decide if it proposes enough value.
Stellar Blade‘s director’s statement was along similar lines, and he spoke about how the decision to release a demo was the studio’s and not Sony’s:
When one reads the director’s complete statement, he also states that the demo only captures a tiny percentage of the entire game’s offering as it is supposed to. He assures gamers that the whole game, in all its glory, will have so much more to it than the demo.
The fact that the title comes from a Korean developer and titles from the region aren’t widespread and do not enjoy mainstream popularity, in general, was also a significant factor in the decision to release the demo. It is worth noting that releasing demos of titles is also consumer-centric as it allows players to get hands-on experience of the game’s essence.
Stellar Blade’s demo proves that sincere developers function differently
Many titles and installments in reputed franchises are accused of offering nothing exhilarating regarding gameplay. On the other hand, when developers have confidence in their product, they usually put out demos and add to the game’s popularity.
The same thing happened with Stellar Blade, and after they released the demo, the buzz around the game increased:
People admitted that they liked the demo and were eager to play the entire game:
While this is undoubtedly good for the title and its marketing, sometimes demos also offer room for exploits, which lead to players finding workarounds to play sections of the game that are only meant to be accessible in the entire game. However, releasing demos is undoubtedly a practice that would go a long way in the industry as it would ensure that people know what they are signing up for.
What do you think of Demos? Would you prefer that more game studios publish demos for gamers to try? Also, what are your thoughts on Stellar Blade? We would love to know your thoughts in the comment section below.
