Copies purchased via retail and digital download will both sport the functionality, which allows recipients to access the full game in both LAN and single-player modes, but locks off online multiplayer component. After that one day, those players will be able to unlock the game through an online purchase.
Though the announcement was light on details, publisher cdv indicated that "subsequent installs" of the game will act as the demo version, suggesting that players will have the choice of registering their copy or activating the demo after installation.
"This innovative digital rights management solution raises the bar on how consumers can sample games before they buy them," explained cdv marketing director Mario Kroll.
"Rather than showcasing only a limited character or content selection, as most traditional demos do, gamers can share and enjoy the full game experience, trying out the features that most appeal to them, and getting a true sense of the full game."
The PC version of the action-RPG has gone gold and is due to arrive November 11, but the Xbox 360 and PlayStation iterations will have to wait for February 17 of next year. For those who dislike waiting, a PC demo is available now on FileShack.
The action-RPG had been delayed a couple times in its development, but the finished product features cooperative play and the demo is available now on FileShack.
As confirmed by American distributor Atari just the other day, the PC version will arrive on November 11, while Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions are set for February 17 of next year.
The oft-delayed multiplayer-oriented action-RPG was originally slated to hit retailers in early 2008, but was later delayed into September so that the team could "realize all the development plans." Both the console and PC releases will sport online co-op, with the console versions also packing offline two-player co-op.
While distributed by Atari, Sacred 2 will be published by cdv Entertainment. Atari will likewise handle distribution for other "key" cdv releases, such as I Heart Geeks! (DS) and My Little Baby (DS).
Sacred 2's PS3 incarnation joins the previously announced PC and Xbox 360 versions of the title. In addition to online multiplayer modes via Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, Sacred 2 also features shared-screen cooperative play for two players on the same console.
Following the announcement of a delay late last year, all versions of Sacred 2: Fallen Angel are expected in stores this fall.
"An extension of the development process was necessary in order to ensure that we realize all the development plans and ship both PC and Xbox 360 versions with the best possible quality and stability," Ascaron wrote on the game's official site.
The company also noted its intent to deliver a playable demo to the gaming public before the game's release.
To learn more about the massive and Diablo-esque world of Sacred 2, check out Chris Remo's preview.
Some graphical features claimed to be made possible by the system's triple core architecture will be unique to the Xbox 360 version of the game; among these is a fluid-based simulation of the motion of leaves kicked up from the ground, creating an attractive flurry of flora as the player's character traipses through forested areas. "We are very lucky that we do not have to reduce the quality of the monsters and characters and the effects," said Heiko on Ascaron's first move into home console development. "Everything works." Multiplayer is a key area of focus in the PC version of Sacred 2, so the team is targeting full Xbox Live online support as well as local options. Two players can play cooperatively on the same screen, while up to four can play via local system link or on Xbox Live. I was able to join Heiko's game to play cooperatively, and it appears to allow players to join a friend's game world at any time.
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