Saints Row demo hits stores

Trial version of THQ's open-ended Xbox 360 action game to be available at major retailers by the end of the week.

While the full version of THQ's Xbox 360 urban action game Saints Row isn't expected to hit the streets until the end of August, a demo version of it has begun trickling into stores. According to a THQ representative, the demo disc should be available at all major retailers by the end of the week.

However, some Toys R Us locations have been selling the demo disc as a separate game instead of a preorder bonus. A Toys R Us representative told GameSpot this was a mistake, saying THQ sent out the demo disc before the company had started taking preorders on Saints Row, and some stores mistakenly put it out on the shelves early. With no associated preorder program, the discs merely ring up as a $9.99 Xbox 360 game.

People who already purchased the demo aren't completely out of luck. The representative said that once the chain starts taking preorders for the game (currently expected to happen August 1), customers who bring in their receipt and the demo can have the money credited to a preorder of the game.

In addition to the demo, the disc contains a "making of" documentary, which includes music tracks, trailers, and artwork from the game. THQ is attempting to have a downloadable version of the demo ready for the Xbox Live Marketplace around August 1.

70 Comments

  • sl33py_boy

    Posted Aug 26, 2006 9:43 am PT

    u guys r dumb i played the demo at my friends house and it kicks ass!!

    p.s. theres ragdoll physics so runnin over the people is so fun and u can launch ur driver outa the car

  • javimena

    Posted Aug 9, 2006 11:15 pm PT

    It feels slow for a next-gen console. It's a good game, but not the best... I think is has better graphics than GTA, but essentially, it's the same..

    Good: Graphics, sound, game-play, the map
    Bad: Framerate

    I would like to test rockets in the demo

    Score (guess): 8.3

  • m0K_3

    Posted Aug 6, 2006 12:30 pm PT

    This game is gonna be sweet i will say at first i thought its probably gonna end up like 25 to life but i guessed wrong the demo is fun i playe dthe missions on there then i ran around and shoot people.Im buying this for sho.

  • STEVESIZE

    Posted Jul 26, 2006 8:02 am PT

    Hello, you don't have to pay for the demo. Stay the hell away fron toy's r us. You can get it at gamestop or best buy when you reserve the game for free!!!!
    or just wait untill the 1st of aug and get it on xbla. I got the demo yesterday and could not stop playing it!!! Any one who thinks this game sucks needs to have their head examined. This game is way better then GTA. It's smoother, and of course better looking and the whole gang thing is great!!!
    If you don't love this game then you don't like GTA either.

  • nbaluvr17

    Posted Jul 25, 2006 2:33 pm PT

    so is it worth buying or not? what is the demo about is it a mission or just free roaming?

  • ocdog45

    Posted Jul 25, 2006 11:46 am PT

    looking for hte demo on the xbox live market

  • -Tito-

    Posted Jul 25, 2006 11:07 am PT

    It sucks that I can't get Saint's row, becouse it will be for over age 18 only.
    And I can't get games like that, but I still would like to get it!
    This sucks!!!
    So how are you guys going to get this game if your not over 18??

  • scootamaster

    Posted Jul 25, 2006 6:26 am PT

    yes. the demo is good. i cant stop playing it.

  • nbaluvr17

    Posted Jul 24, 2006 2:06 pm PT

    so is the game demo good or not? cause i wanna kno if i should buy it

  • shy0309

    Posted Jul 20, 2006 1:22 pm PT

    oh mybad i got the demo at toys r us in gastonia nc where i live ........the demo gives u behind the sence an themes for ur xbox 360 they sold it to me but some toys r us say that they was not suppose to sell it till they got the preorder tickets or something like that so i guess i was lucky.....but if u buy the demo for 10 dollars keep ur recipt an they will put that ten dollars on ur preorder like they was suppose 2

  • shy0309

    Posted Jul 20, 2006 1:18 pm PT

    just beat the demo ,,,,,,,,,,,,,this is going 2 be a great game!!!

  • Gamer46

    Posted Jul 20, 2006 11:05 am PT

    Don't know if this was mentioned or not since I didn't read all the comments, but the Sept. OXM has the demo as well, so if you're a subscriber you should be getting the mag and the demo soon. Mine just got here today. Seems like it will be a great game, btw.

  • JimTurner1988

    Posted Jul 20, 2006 10:22 am PT

    shy0309
    well i got the demo an i can tell u that this game will bethe one to beat ..........love this demo cant wait for the full version


    Where did you get the demo at, which store?

  • shy0309

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 9:51 pm PT

    well i got the demo an i can tell u that this game will bethe one to beat ..........love this demo cant wait for the full version

  • sasuke55

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 10:30 am PT

    It just plain baffles me how some people just don't read a whole article before posting? They see people paid $9.99 and freak out. How about the last part that says they made a mistake and that anyone who bought one can bring back the rec and get credit towards a preorder.

    And for those of you whining about it not being on XBL yet just preorder it then if you don't like the demo switch the preorder to another game that you already have money on or to a game you know you want. I hope this helps.

  • Sociologist

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 9:49 am PT

    I haven't played the demo yet, but this game looks promising in many ways. However, in some of the gameplay videos, it reminds me of State of Emergency, which is never a good thing. I have high expectations for this game, so I hope that it is well polished.

  • NinjaFoot

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 1:16 am PT

    Maybe I can actually get a copy of the demo now. The manager in my local EB gave me a blank look when I mentioned the demo Monday night.

  • phSychO_AtDawn

    Posted Jul 19, 2006 12:07 am PT

    who the hell buys their games from Toys R Us?

  • ballashotcalla1

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 10:38 pm PT

    everybody shutup up i love saints row because i can start my own live gang called hezbbollah!

  • david123458

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 9:05 pm PT

    2 words [THIS SUCKS]

  • Gamer46

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 8:51 pm PT

    :
    Well, I don't pre-order games so I won't be picking this up. But I don't think THQ should release a demo like this. The Xbox Live Marketplace is the new place to release demos. So, I'll wait for it to come to there.


    Well, some people don't have Live so I don't think this is a terrible idea. I think it just needs to be a little more organized next time a company does this.

  • pathogenb

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 8:41 pm PT

    Guys, read the article. TRU messed up and they know they weren't supposed to sell the demo. If you did buy it, you can go back and get credit for the preorder. No one's charging $70 for the game and demo.

  • Mechakucha

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 8:34 pm PT

    Think I'll go down to EB, preorder and get the demo, then cancel it the next day and keep the demo.

    That games just looks like a San Ann rip off with pretty graphcis. Course who knows, maybe the demo will change my mind (but in that case, wouldn't they give you a demo BEFORE you preorder?)

  • nintendorocks

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 8:25 pm PT

    Well, I don't pre-order games so I won't be picking this up. But I don't think THQ should release a demo like this. The Xbox Live Marketplace is the new place to release demos. So, I'll wait for it to come to there.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 8:14 pm PT

    It will be a damn shame if this game sales millions because consumers don't know crap when they see it.

  • jcloverboy

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 7:26 pm PT

    sucks it ain't on live yet

  • thekey

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 5:00 pm PT

    I'm copping that piece!!!!

  • benihya

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 3:15 pm PT

    the demo is FREEE FREEEEE, the $10 will be credited when you buy the game

  • OtterX

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 2:42 pm PT

    Lol, that's funny because all demo discs say NOT FOR RESALE on the sleeves. Stupid Toys R Us

  • Darth_Tigris

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 2:14 pm PT

    Nobody reads anymore. Sad commentary on us as a society ...

  • PringerOtaku

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 2:14 pm PT

    You could always pre-order the game for the demo disc, see if you like it, and if not, cancel the pre-order. The manager doesn't mind me doing that because I know him, but I'm sure it's fine for most EBs and GameStops too. It doesn't cost extra, so you've got nothing to lose. I just hope it lives up to the GTA Killer hype.

  • lownhigh

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 2:14 pm PT

    its going for over 20 dollars on ebay

  • Corvin

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:47 pm PT

    First of all it wasn't supposed to be sold seperately it was supposed to come free with a pre-order. Second, even if it weren't, selling demos is nothing new back in the day they called it "shareware" like the Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, Blake Stone and etc. on little floppies that included ordering details for the full version. They don't have to be free. Even the original Quake had a demo disc for $5, the most valuable $5 that one could ever spend on a demo disc.

  • Wallace_Green

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:46 pm PT

    can't wait for august 1st!

  • Ohidjwae

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:39 pm PT

    Wow. . . I wonder how many people here READ the articles before commenting.

  • Link_in_Green

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:35 pm PT

    Great. Another GTA me-too game.

  • smiley17O

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:33 pm PT

    cool

  • martoon96

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:31 pm PT

    idiots, you get the demo free with a pre order on aug 1st. read the article toys r us sold the demo by mistake and will credit the $10 towards the game. the demo will be on xbl on or around aug 1st

  • Gamer46

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:26 pm PT

    You're not paying $70 in total. If you were one of the few who paid $10 for the demo you take your receipt back to TRU, and they'll put the $10 towards the game. You're not paying them $70, nobody is ripping you off, not MS, not TRU, and not THQ, you're only being ripped off if you actually paid $10 for the demo and then threw out your receipt.

    And there will be an Xbox Live demo on August 1, so people asking that they do that just need to hold out a little longer. That still gives you 4 weeks to decide if you like the game enough to buy it on the 29th.

  • FarKiller

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:25 pm PT

    Good, now I don't have to hear, Uhhh yeah I don't think we have that, wanna talk to my manager? SCREW TOYS R US! they should not even sell games, freaking brainless people.....

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:24 pm PT

    im not paying for a demo

  • rokkuman09

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:20 pm PT

    10 bucks for a demo? That is so dumb

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:08 pm PT

    You know a game is hot when people pay $10 for a demo

  • tomagreen

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 1:03 pm PT

    lmfao 10 bucks for a demo what kind of joke is that just put it on XBL now not in a week or two

  • teamparadox2k

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 12:54 pm PT

    Talk about gouging consumers...

    Instead of putting this on XBL so we can see if we like it enough to buy the game they are charging people for it. So you will see some people pay $70 total for the game, and those who dont buy it will still make the company profit if they got the demo.

    Yes this is great for them but terrible for gamers...even more so if other companies follow suit, since when do we pay for single demos?

  • Chromez12

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 12:50 pm PT

    Question:

    I live in Holland ( The Netherlands )
    Does anybody know if their is a chance we also get the demo's here in our stores or will it be in the US/UK only?

    Thanks.

  • EvanO_O

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 12:48 pm PT

    I'll try the demo too, just to see what we're dealing with here.

  • SCARFACELP

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 12:46 pm PT

    I dont think they are supposed to be selling those things . I mean dont the retailers get this for free to begin with? Anyways the retail side of the game business is always on the gray side of things like this . I walked into a gamestop not too long ago and they had several copies of the Zelda bonus disc(the ones with the old nes zelda games along with majora's mask and ocarina of time), and it was the display rack with the regular games along with regular games with a price tag of 39.99 usd. I asked the rep about it and pointed out that it clearly stated "bonus disc NOT to be sold separately",
    the rep told me that the promotion was over and that these bonus discs were being sold for more at ebay. That's true but it still doesn't give the retailers an excuse to sell something that is not meant to be sold. Although I suppose by them breaking the rules like this it ensures that consumers who did not preorder the game get the bonus item as well...I guess. But the example that i pointed out is a full game , four full games in fact plus a demo of the wind waker, so the fact that they are selling it like that is even worse.

  • NaturalBornGamR

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 12:43 pm PT

    It's a great time to be a 360 gamer

  • Jdaman01

    Posted Jul 18, 2006 12:37 pm PT

    If anyone is super eager to see what the gameplay is like just head here

    http://xboxyde.com/news_3184_en.html

    There are two videos up comprising about 40 minutes of gameplay from the demo.

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