Instead of Public Betas, Anthem Will Get a Demo Before Launch

Since this console generation began in late 2013, the line between beta and demo has grown nebulous. The term beta is reserved for multiplayer experiences, which are launched so development teams may garner actionable feedback. Contrarily, demos offer players free hands-on time with a slice of a finished product. According to Game Director Jonathan Warner, Anthem will deliver the best of both worlds with closed alphas and a public demo.

In an interview with VG247, Warner addressed some of the confusion around the two terms, beta and demo. When asked if Anthem will have a beta, Warner responded, “Ah, a demo. You’re going to have opportunities to play the game early and we want to talk about that at PAX.”

Upon request for clarification on the differences between beta and demo, Warner answered, “Well, I think there’s some weirdness in there. We’re going to be testing the game in closed alphas, and then the stuff that is out to the public is a demo.”

Therefore, it seems Anthem won’t have a beta akin to that of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, wherein Treyarch actively updated the game based on player feedback. Rather, Anthem’s pre-launch plans involve closed alphas and a demo for the public to try out. This demo will presumably be a portion of the game in its “finished” state, allowing consumers to try before they buy.

Presently, details on closed alpha testing aren’t publicly known. The same is true of the demo Warner spoke about. As he noted, however, concrete details should come out of PAX West, which begins August 31, 2018. During the event, BioWare will host an Anthem panel to answer questions about the game’s story, multiplayer offerings, and more.

Anthem launches early next year on the PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One on February 22, 2019.

[Source: VG247]