People are dying to know when the demo for Final Fantasy VII Remake is going to hit the PlayStation Network.
We know that it’s only a matter of time. While neither Sony nor game developer Square Enix have given any official word on the demo’s release, or even its existence, it was discovered and subsequently hacked on the PlayStation Network.
Gamespot falsely reported earlier this week that the demo would release along with the game on March 3, 2020. However, they later walked that statement back when it was proven false.
Releasing a payable demo on release day doesn’t make a whole lot of sense from a marketing standpoint. The purpose of the demo is to get players excited for the release and increase pre-orders.
While a demo released alongside a game could be helpful in attracting new fans post release, it doesn’t ignite the excitement that a pre-release drop would for fans both old and new.
Of course, the demo in question has been the subject of major controversy since it first leaked. Hackers were able to gain access to it and leak the entire demo online. However, the story gets much worse.
Embedded in the demo files were a ton of spoilers for the full game along with technical specs like the installation size and the game’s full soundtrack.
Hackers were able to install these files on a Windows PC and gain access to a ton of juicy announcements that Square was undoubtedly going to unveil before the release, as part of its official marketing campaign.
Square has had success in releasing demos of their games in the past. Even dating back to the era before the PlayStation Network.
The original playable demo of Final Fantasy VIII on the PlayStation 1 was released as a bonus disc with the action RPG Brave Fencer Musashi in 1998.
It’s typical of Square to release a demo months in advance of the actual game. But with Final Fantasy VII Remake less than two months away, one now wonders if the developer will even release the demo in light of these massive leaks.
It is possible that Square, in the wake of the hacking assault, has cancelled plans for the demo all together. But, with the studio having never even confirmed its existence in the first place, who knows if we will ever get an official announcement?
The leaked demo footage also featured a link at the very end which allowed players to preorder the full game through the PlayStation Network. So, if we are still getting this demo, it will undoubtedly come out before the game’s release on March 3, 2020.
