Editor's Note: This article is posted by a reader of Edge and does not necesarily reflect the opinions of Edge's editorial team.

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Do liberally distributed beta tests take the edge off promotional campaigns?

For a long time videogames have had a solid and effective method of delivering product trial in the faithful old demo. However, the rise of the “open beta” has seen this mainstay of the game marketer’s promotional toolset redefined.

Often decried as glorified demos - while the utility of the open beta is undeniable, as far as probing for bugs and weaknesses in network infrastructure goes, this can carry a heavy cost to the promotional buzz surrounding an upcoming game or application.

Sony has put a lot of stock in the beta as a tool in the development and promotion of its network-based products. As the firm prepares for the ‘Home’ open beta in December, handing out invites like they’re going out of fashion, they run the risk of undermining the exclusivity and perceived quality of the end product.

Poorly implemented and executed betas have the effect of games sliding muddily into existence, rather than having identifiable and powerful releases. There is no reason why games need to be “released” as such, in the sense that they cannot evolve and develop over time with the addition of extra content etc. However, when a company spends millions promoting a product - creating excitement and tension among audiences that should snap on the day of release in an explosion of sales - it is a great loss and shame to see that tension slowly deflated through the long sigh of a loose open beta.

A prime example of this was in the lead up to the launch of ‘Little Big Planet’. Part of the excitement and tension built into that game was laid mystery surrounding how it would play, the scope of the tools and the online community that was promised to develop around it. As such, it was unfortunate to see the beta announced, released and slowly permeate its way through the gaming community - filling the internet with videos and commentary that answered each of those questions, defusing any excitement with it. As such the actual “release” was underwhelming and didn’t do the game any justice whatsoever.

Though nobody wants to release a product to market that isn’t thoroughly tested, the effects of a beta test that is too open seems to be much the same - the same faults and failings that should be ironed out before its exposure to the public can just as easily make their way into its collective conciousness.

That said, the depth of burgeoning online networks such as PSN, Xbox Live and Steam have created huge, latent and - to a greater or lesser extent - willing groups of subjects for the purposes of market research and testing. Implemented properly, there is no reason why these communities cannot be invaluable resources for opinion and testing at all stages of production.