Free-to-Play Bravely Default Coming to Japanese eShop

If you have a Japanese 3DS and you missed out on Bravely Default, a new demo coming to the Japanese eShop might be your saving grace.

The new demo allows players to try the first four full chapters of the critically-acclaimed RPG, with the additional five chapters available after the demo is over for ¥2,000 ($4.99), The final five chapters will also include the Japanese voice-over pack and the first chapter of the AR movie.

This is a brilliant way for RPG fans who missed Bravely Default the first time around to see if it's the kind of game they can get into. We're not sure if Western players will get the chance to try the game out like this, but if so we'll let you know right here. It's also a briliant way to get people excited for the upcoming sequel Bravely Second, which is currently in development.

The idea of a free-to-play demo is interesting, but we're not entirely sure if it's a good idea. If more games offer half of the experience for free, then offer the rest of the game at a reduced price, it could slowly turn the entire games industry into a free-to-play wasteland. On the other hand, if more games offer this but also wait a few months after the initial release, like Bravely Default here, it could be a great way to expand a game's fanbase. Time will tell.

The free-to-play demo for Bravely Default will hit the Japanese eShop on July 28.