Ah, the PS2 era. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Truly a golden gen of gaming. So…why the hyperbole? I jest of course. But for one, I was in competition with a seemingly infinite amount of gamers for a very finite amount of…magazines? Yes magazines. Remember those? The magazines weren’t the prize, mind you. As great as they were (and they were great), it was all about the pearl that layeth within. None other than the demo disc! Let’s go back in time.

One must first remember that the internet and DVD were more or less in their infancy. There was no digital distribution. Videos weren’t as prevalent as they are today. Nothing was a drag ‘n’ drop away. To have the means to watch a video (let alone play a demo) felt like a feat in and of itself. Never mind paying for the privilege. But I was determined one particular night, more than most. My eyes were on the prize. In this case, a first look at none other than Metal Gear Solid 3! 

There were no holds back then. No guarantee that the local 7-11 would have a copy to begin with. Nor that said magazine would still be intact by the time I got there. Looted by some ne’er do well no doubt. Fortunately, my minimum wage job at the local game store happened to be just across the street which gave me the jump. I’d finish my shift, then bolt straight for it. More often than not, I’d succeed. This night was no exception. With disc in hand, it was a straight shot home to my console-come-DVD player: the PlayStation 2. 

Now I don’t have to tell you , Metal Gear was arguably my favorite series at the time. From the NES original to the PS1 revival, Hideo Kojima never ceased to amaze me. This time was special though, as players would for the first time get their controllers on the Legendary Big Boss himself! It was a prequel, set in a Russian jungle promising new gameplay opportunities. Secrets revealed, origins exposed. The reveal was a big deal…and exclusive to that month’s PSM DVD. Such was often the case back then. If you wanted the scoops (an MGS3 playable demo would come later), you needed these discs. They were rare, handled with care, they were great! 

Now don’t get me wrong, much as I loved getting first dibs, these discs also struck a chord beneath the surface. A veteran of static camera angles, I actually taught myself how to play with a 3D camera via demo disc. Splinter Cell to be exact. I demo’d Sly Cooper and a little title called Shadow of the Colossus. Series I might not have given a chance otherwise. From first crack at Atari’s fantastic Transformers game, to a first look at the PlayStation 3. Their inherent value could not be denied. It was like Game Pass before Game Pass. But all good things come to an end. Or so they say. 

As we ushered in the HD era and mainstream online, not only did magazines take a hit but so did physical media. So did the demo disc. So did the very notion of the demo itself. Yes in many ways we have things better today than we ever did, technology wise. But there remains a part of me that can’t help but look back fondly at the original early access. 

The diary of physical media might be writing its final chapters, but there are still lessons there about game preservation. About ownership, subscriptions be damned. About holding on to something tangible. To anyone that loved and lost PT, I think you know exactly what I mean.