Was just thinking (as Steam is starting to have some) of the days when the majority of the games had a demo for you to try. Did it lead you to make more purchases or less? Did you find something that you never thought you would like and ended up getting it? Did demos help or hurt the game industry?
I would say less. There are times that I have got enough of the game just from the demo to quinch my curiosity. I may or may not have purchased the game down the road.
I can say the same for betas. There have been many that have kept me from purchasing said game.
Demos back when would drive my interest, there was less uploaded video gameplay (from testers and the like) so it was mostly the trailers and demos that would give me any glimpse of the actual game.
Nowadays I’m not so sure.
I do use betas to get a feel for the game - some have led to purchases and some not.
Whether or not they are of benefit to the industry, I couldn’t say - but I certainly prefer them.
Stops me from dropping money and later regretting it.
If they started allowing demos again. Perhaps it would be good - generally it should help the industry as a whole, I think, though maybe indie devs and the like should steer clear.