whats the point then?

now it's going to cost $65 a game and my kid doesn't have to play it?

I don't know, I think this is a pretty novel idea. This is targeted primarily at the non-hardcore gamers. My fiancee, for example, really enjoyed playing Zelda: Wind Waker. However, she had trouble beating some of the boss fights. If this option were in the game, instead of having me beat the bosses for her, she could just turn this on and get through the difficult areas, then regain control.

Not sure how this would detract from the experience of any gamer that wants to figure everything out on their own. If you have an issue with this, do you have an issue with guide books or gamefaqs?

I don't have any problem with guide books or game faqs, the player has to at least read the book and play the game themself. with an auto play/demo mode it takes away from the experience.

Would be like hiring NFL players to play in high school games and then say the kids won the championship.

Except for the fact that in a football game, for someone to win, someone else has to lose. In a single player video game, the point is to enjoy the experience.

In addition, there are ways to distinguish between those who use it and those who don't - don't allow players to get points while using the auto-complete thing, put an asterisk by the save file, etc.

But going back to your comment, what about an adventure game where there isn't any real skill involved, just puzzle solving? Wouldn't looking at a faq "take away from the experience" just as much? IMO the only worry is that someone might abuse it, then complain online that the game was too easy, which could potentially affect other peoples' opinions.

I believe it takes more skill to solve a puzzle then it does to shoot everything in sight. Now with that being said I would much rather play a First person shooter style game then a Role playing game.

When I play games I don't want to have to think I just want to blow stuff up.