small demos

One thing I think can only help blitz products commerce is...
Be generous with demo size!
Game demos with only 10mins playtime just don`t cut it.
Even if the game is good, 10mins isn`t enough time for the consumer to get addicted to the gameplay and therefore motivate him to buy the full version.
Don`t be scared of giving too much away in the demo. I am not aware of a single game that has lost sales due to this.
Big demo Examples:
Doom : 1/3 of all levels, + most weapons and badguys
Arcade pool 2: Demo feels pretty much the same as full version. I was distinctly disapointed to find the full version doesn`t offer more than it did. But then I realized the game was so cool I had no option but be glad I bought the full verion!
I've played numerous small demos with good gameplay and not felt compelled to buy the full game, while also I've played numerous big demos with not so good game play but felt compelled to finish them.

Pretty much every time...
It's not a taste of the great gameplay, it's getting the consumer ABSORBED IN YOUR GAMES UNIVERSE that gets the purchase! so no more small demos, they are bad for bussiness and irritating for gameplayers.

Had to say that.

There's a lot of evidence ( read the forums on Dexterity ) that giving away too much harms sales. So it's not quite as easy as giving more away. You really have to balance it out and that will vary according to the game.

On the whole, I think you're probably right that people ( myself included ) are erring on the side of caution. Best Friends is one of the best selling Blitz games I know of, and Mike took the Doom approach and gave away 1/3 of all levels + most obstacles. But even then, it's difficult to know whether he would have sold even more if he had given less away. I too was a little disappointed that there wasn't more to the full version of Best Friends, and although that doesn't harm sales, it does make you think twice about buying something else from the same people. That also has to be considered.

I remember duke nukem gave away a hell of a lot. I still bought the full version. thats mainly cause it was a great game. If it had been 10 levels of crap i would n't have bought it