Topic: Six Ways to Get Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby Demo

[John Rairdin]

Putting it on the eShop is just too easy.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/38788/six-ways-to-get-alpha-sapphireomega-ruby-demo

Apparently Nintendo really enjoyed the early demos they gave away for Smash Bros. 3DS, because they're doing it all over again. To build hype for the upcoming release of Pokémon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby, Nintendo is distributing a free, though somewhat hard to get, early demo. Unlike the Smash Bros. demo, Nintendo is offering six different ways to acquire the new Pokémon demo.

1. Go see a movie. Nintendo will be giving out codes at select cinema locations from November 7th to November 13th. (The list hasn't been announced as of this time.)

2. Retailers will be given codes to distribute as prizes for giveaways throughout the holiday season.

3. When you buy Pokémon Art Academy from Nintendo eShop on your Nintendo 3DS or 2DS system, a code will be included with purchase.

4. Don't want Art Academy? No problem, codes will also come with two Pokémon games coming to the Virtual Console. Pokémon Puzzle Challenge and Pokémon Trading Card Game will each come with a code.

5. If you're lucky, Nintendo might just send you a code. During the week of October 31st, Nintendo will email out codes to a select group of Nintendo Network IDs who have opted to receive promotional emails from Nintendo.

6. Finally, codes will be distributed throughout the holiday mall tour at sixteen different locations. The tour runs from November 24th to December 21st. Nintendo says they will be announcing specific tour locations shortly.

[DrHogie]

FYI, I received demo codes on my Pokemon.com account and both my kids' Pokemon.com accounts.  I activated my kids' accounts last month for the PTCGO PC game, but didn't opt-in for newsletters from them until last week when the demo announcement was first made.


I also talked to a friend of mine who's opted-in for the newsletter, and he hasn't received his yet.  So keep checking that inbox!

[Ian Sane]

I got my code in my email, though since I'm away from my 3DS until this evening I now feel strangely paranoid about it somehow getting leaked and someone else claiming it before I do.

Why Nintendo can't just have this demo available on the eShop for everyone I have no idea.  If anyone can sign up for the stupid newsletter then it isn't like they're limiting exposure or anything like that.  It's basically the exact same thing as a normal demo except with dumb hoops to jump through.  Who is the jerk at Nintendo that insists that the company always do things in a goofy way?  Does NCL headquarters have ladders instead of stairs because the way they make any routine simple thing needlessly complicated and annoying you figure it would.

It just seems like Nintendo won't ever do something someone else already did first because it would suggest that someone else had a good idea.  So on routine stuff that the other guys did first where there is no need or desire for an alternate method Nintendo comes up with one.  Either some very paranoid individual has a lot of clout in Nintendo to enforce such insanity or Yamauchi was nuts and only hired people that were equally deranged.

[jglonek]

How they are handling this demo is so bizarre. It's apparently completely different in the UK as well (that info is below), which makes me think Reggie was trying to decide how evil to be.

So, how does this work with people who signed up for the Pokekmon Trainer Club, per the news from last week? Does that fall under #5, or is it something else completely?

UK process (http://www.pokemonrubysapphire.com/en-gb/cool-features/special-demo-version)

Look for a code for the Special Demo Version at these locations:


1. From October 15, look for your code on the Nintendo Life website. A special section of the website will allow you to claim a code to redeem the Special Demo on the Nintendo eShop.


2. If you have purchased Pokémon X or Pokémon Y via Amazon.co.uk, Smyths Toys, ShotTo.net or the Nintendo UK Official Store you may receive an email with your code.


3. If you have already pre ordered Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire via Amazon.co.uk, ShopTo.net or the Nintendo UK Official Store you may receive an email with your code.

4. Claim your code at the Pokémon booth during the MCM Comic-con London (form October 24 to October 26).

[Ceric]

This is the answer folks.  A demo will probably not make news on its own but, you make it slightly limited somehow and there you go its now good news.

[UncleBob]

Is this a "Special" demo in the way the Smash3DS Demo was "Special" - unlimited usage vs. a 30-use limit on the regular demo?

[Ceric]

I would hope so.  That would make it excellent for my Son.  Maybe I should try to get this...

[Triforce Hermit]

The demo is being handled differently in all countries. And really this is extremely ridiculous on how to get it. I have the Pokemon Trainer account opted to receive a code and I still got nothing so that kinda pisses me off too.

Allowing retailers to distribute the codes through giveaways sounds like the worst idea I have ever heard of.

[Ian Sane]

This is the answer folks.  A demo will probably not make news on its own but, you make it slightly limited somehow and there you go its now good news.

Yeah, because GODDAMN POKEMON isn't like one of the biggest videogame franchises of all time and needs this stupid nonsense to catch people's attention.  It could very well be Nintendo's logic but that doesn't mean they're not being idiots.  Besides isn't the "good news" this generates just news that Nintendo are and continue to be out-of-touch morons?

I think the message they give here is what it always has been with them and demos: they think demos eat into sales because they fear people will be content with the demo and not feel the need to buy the full game.  Thus we get usage limits and weird goofy **** like this.

[Mythtendo]

Ian, if they put out a demo you might get one brief mention. But the way they have done it, has resulted in multiple stories on each site (including the initial announcement weeks ago). Yes it's Pokemon and will sell well. However, the remakes always get lower sales than the new releases, and this is a remake of the lowest selling mainline Pokemon games (and the ones usually ranked as the worst of the mainline Pokemon games), so they are trying to get as much coverage as possible.

That being said, I don't like this since the only guaranteed way to get it is purchasing another Pokemon game (knowing Nintendo, the number of theatres getting this will be less than 20 for the whole country.

[Ian Sane]

I think the PR of being user-unfriendly asshats is considerably more damaging than the positive effect of getting the demo mentioned more than once.  Nintendo's reputation for making their customers jump through hoops for routine stuff that all of their competitors effortlessly get right in one try is a bad thing, almost certainly costing them more sales then it has ever earned.

It ain't just demos.  You can assume that for damn near anything Nintendo will make you put up with a bunch of needless bullshit.  Nintendo will always ask you to pole vault over the fence instead of just opening the gate for you.  If it was just "why is this company that is always so on-the-ball doing something weird for this demo and this demo alone?" I would think it might be a strategy but doing something in a goofy way that benefits no one is Nintendo's routine.

[NWR_insanolord]

I don't see how it's any different from companies giving out "exclusive" beta codes through similar means.

[jayar]

Is this a "Special" demo in the way the Smash3DS Demo was "Special" - unlimited usage vs. a 30-use limit on the regular demo?

I just opened mine, and looks like it's unlimited.

[Mop it up]

Way number 7: Buy one on eBay for $30-50.

[UncleBob]

Anyone still need a code?
http://www.ytv.com/blog/get-a-special-demo-version-code-today