Sony has patented degradable demos – near-complete games that diminish over time.
According to Siliconera, who first uncovered the patent, “the software has customizable triggers that disable features after a set number of plays or lapsed play time.”
Implementation could include removing race tracks over time, diminishing the effectiveness of a weapon, or even incrementally reducing graphical and audio quality. Full features could be restored at any time by purchasing the title.
Sony also envisions physical distributions of such demos (a retail release, as we understand it) which can be unlocked with a key.
