Unlike demos, which are limited, the free trial lets you play a title with access to all content; the feature was released in Dead Space and offers 90 minutes of gameplay
Steam has started releasing the free trial feature on its platform. The system allows users to try the desired games for a period of time before buying them or not. Unlike demos, which give you a small sample of a game and can be misleading, FreeTrial gives you full access to a game (and I know the question you have).
“But how will Steam handle the refund policy and free trial?” Steam hasn’t detailed how the return guidelines will work with this new free trial. For the uninitiated, the platform allows the 14-day money back if you’ve played a title for less than two hours.
In theory, a malicious consumer you can play for more than two hours without paying anything. And of course, Steam wouldn’t build the free trial feature without having a policy for dealing with these “smart kids” and speedrunners. However, here comes another piece of information (or lack thereof): The platform has not disclosed whether the time of the test is regulated by developers and distributors.
The free trial version is released, but for now only in Dead Space
So far, the free trial is only available on Dead Space, a remake of the classic 2008 game. When you log into the game’s Steam page, you will see the option to test the game for 90 minutes just below the “Wishlist”, “Follow” and “Ignore” buttons.
Other top-selling games don’t have a free trial. The novelty can become a “requirement” of consumers if it has adherence. For example, community reaction to a release can be negative if a developer hasn’t released the free trial version.
With the recent cases of games arriving “unplayable”, such as The Last Of Us for PC, and the diffusion of portable consoles (see Steam Deck and ROG Ally), the free trial will allow consumers to see if the desired title is playable and if it works well on a laptop.
With information: gizmochina AND PC magazine
Steam creates “test drive” games with full access to content
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
