Topic: What's with this whole "special demo" silliness?

Anyone got an explanation for this recent trend of having these exclusive demos that aren't really exclusive and end up being released to everyone in the end anyway?
What's wrong with just released a demo to everyone?

Because these are special. _lol

To build hype, I imagine that the demo will be released publicly soon. It is a bit dumb, though.

Its just Nintendo's stupid marketing ideas again. Just like with the limited run Amiibos and Wii U Game Cube adapters. IMO they should just release unlimited demos on the eShop any way instead of having these email only unlimited demo codes.

It builds hype and gets everyone excited. I don't mind, because if I'm lucky I get an unlimited use demo.

I also find the limited demo use isn't really a problem. i have yet to hit the max on any demo I have. If you are playing a demo so much that you run out of uses then you should probably just buy the game.

The most plausible explanation I've seen is that Nintendo doesn't want another Pokemon Bank-esque fiasco, and is giving out codes over time to prevent the hype train from plowing straight through their servers.

Think about it. If it was a normal demo it would be boring and predictable. But this is like a special demo because you can get it before other people. I know I love getting those emails.

If you are not bothering, then just wait until the demo goes public.

It gives me new content to add to my special folder (where I keep the ambassador games), so I don't mind.

Because the whole Internet explodes whenever they distribute those codes, which is basically free marketing. It might also be a test for the new Loyalty Rewards thing. And like nacho-chicken said, it also spreads the inevitable server-flood.

But does that kind of exclusivist attitude actually end up affecting whether people buy it. I can't see why it would. Ultimately people are going to buy based on whether they like the game. It's not boring to get a regular demo at all. It's significantly more exciting than not getting one!

It creates false-scarcity, which can easily create a free marketing campaign that fuels itself. It's actually kind of ingenious for them. It sucks for us, of course, and I wish there was some drawback that would cause them to stop doing them...but there isn't. It'll only stop working if everyone wises up and stops buying into it. And I don't see that ever happening...there's a sucker born every day, as they say...

Oh I get it. So you think it just makes bigger news if the demo has some kind of special nature to it, as opposed to just being a regular demo.
It's almost as if the media is a bit too easy to manipulate.

The media not so much, the customers.

The ones that receive them feel special and compelled to buy the game.

Those who don't feel a desperate need to play the demo, like it's some sort of treasure.

It simply creates a sudden demand for it, and the next best choice if you can't get the demo is buying the game.

I dunno, there're quite a few claims there. I dunno if I buy that people buy a game because they feel special. The idea of it simply getting more overall media exposure sounds more plausible.

This. Nintendo seems to be in the habit of grossly underestimating demand. Or in a twist, shooting themselves in the foot making things artificially scarce.

it's obviously a way to give their biggest fans access first