Show Demo Time Limit/Expiration Date

[Loot Hunter]

I honestly don't understand why many demo games are accessable only until certain date. But okay, maybe devs want to nudge people to play their demos rather early than later.

But even in this case it's very inconveniet as there is no way to look up if the demo has a time limit. At best there can be something in recent news but that's not guaranteed. Many demos are available during "fests" but you can never tell if devs will take away the game after the fest ends. So when I stumble upon some potentially interesting I often have no clue if I can put it in a backlog or start playing right now because demo will expire in a few days.

Why couldn't Steam just put a timer/note on a demo if it expires at some point? Just like it does for giveaways and discounts that you can see right on a game's page when they expire.

[Crazy Tiger]

Messaggio originale di Loot Hunter:

Why couldn't Steam just put a timer/note on a demo if it expires at some point? Just like it does for giveaways and discounts that you can see right on a game's page when they expire.

Because that's info the developers/publishers put up and not Valve/Steam. They enter how long a giveaway is and thusly a timer gets shown. Steam doesn't know whether a developer is intending to take down a demo after the fest.

Though personally I always assume that they will, since most do it.

[Loot Hunter]

Messaggio originale di Crazy Tiger:

Messaggio originale di Loot Hunter:

Why couldn't Steam just put a timer/note on a demo if it expires at some point? Just like it does for giveaways and discounts that you can see right on a game's page when they expire.

Because that's info the developers/publishers put up and not Valve/Steam.

And how is it different from announcing a discount?

Messaggio originale di Crazy Tiger:

Though personally I always assume that they will, since most do it.

That is assuming that demo WAS a part of the fest. Like, when I go through my recommendations list and see a game with demo option - how do I know if it's a part of the fest? Also, some devs have their demos expire at a date not tied to the end of the fest. Again, when a page has an announcement that demo is part of the fest - I can guess but sometimes there is no such announcement.

So, I suggest (again) that temporary demos should have timer attached, just like discounts. And yes, obvioulsy devs would enter the date they intend to take demo off Steam.

[Crazy Tiger]

Messaggio originale di Loot Hunter:

Messaggio originale di Crazy Tiger:

Because that's info the developers/publishers put up and not Valve/Steam.

And how is it different from announcing a discount?

The main difference is that developers/publishers care enough to do announce such things, but not enough to provide info on whether a demo is limited time only.

[Loot Hunter]

Great! Yet another demo expired without any warning. The Invincible. I have a rather slow connection and was downloading it during a day. And just when I wanted to start playing - it showed "no licenses" plaque!

[Loot Hunter]

Another part of the issue that I find quite frustrating - some of the demos can actually be played even after they expire, you just have to find the exe file in their folder. However, not all demos are made like that. Some demand verification of the license and thus you can stuck in the middle of the demo section.

[[N]ebsun]

If you get a game for free, then they increase or change the price we don't suddenly lose access right ?
Demos should be treated the same as a game that has been acquired - if there wasn't an agreed expiry date at the time of acquisition, then it should never expire.