Video Game Deals Catch-All

No idea. I don't think we have any taxes on video games or that kind of thing. It stemmed from the fact that the Aussie dollar used to be only worth 0.50c US. So our games were up at $100 for a US $50 game. Made sense because of the exchange rate and all that. But then the Aussie equalised the US Dollar, but the retailers kept the prices the same since they knew we were already conditioned to pay that price and well, they liked getting that money.

So I guess that certain publishers have deals with the Brick N Mortar stores so that they keep the digital price up just so they don't lose the contracts with the Brick N Mortar stores. So the only way to get past it effectively is getting games gifted via steam and doing a paypal payment in return.

Well, that sucks. Almost sounds like something that would be considered price-fixing in the US, but I'm not really knowledgeable on the subject.

I always assumed that it was a tax as well, but this article backs up the idea that Australian gamers are just getting screwed (at least the parts that I skimmed through) http://www.kotaku.com.au/2010/11/why...

I've finally purchased Sins of a Solar Empire on the Steam sale, now to figure out how it works....

BlackSabre wrote:

but the retailers kept the prices the same since they knew we were already conditioned to pay that price and well, they liked getting that money.

Remember how putting games on inexpensive plastic discs instead of ROM cartridges was going to make them cheaper?

peedmyself wrote:

I always assumed that it was a tax as well, but this article backs up the idea that Australian gamers are just getting screwed (at least the parts that I skimmed through) http://www.kotaku.com.au/2010/11/why...

“Of course,” begins Mark. “The competition and parallel imports issue should be less of a problem now that we can buy stuff like software over the internet. Over time this should reduce the price differences.”

So... why are we being screwed on buying serial keys where the majority of the factors driving up Aussie prices raised throughout the article aren't there.

Kurrelgyre wrote:
BlackSabre wrote:

but the retailers kept the prices the same since they knew we were already conditioned to pay that price and well, they liked getting that money.

Remember how putting games on inexpensive plastic discs instead of ROM cartridges was going to make them cheaper?

Well I did pay $140 Australian for Phantasy Star 3 back in '91. That's like $250-300 these days.

Mr GT Chris wrote:

Well I did pay $140 Australian for Phantasy Star 3 back in '91. That's like $250-300 these days.

Dang, you crazy

BlackSabre wrote:

No idea. I don't think we have any taxes on video games or that kind of thing. It stemmed from the fact that the Aussie dollar used to be only worth 0.50c US. So our games were up at $100 for a US $50 game. Made sense because of the exchange rate and all that. But then the Aussie equalised the US Dollar, but the retailers kept the prices the same since they knew we were already conditioned to pay that price and well, they liked getting that money.

So I guess that certain publishers have deals with the Brick N Mortar stores so that they keep the digital price up just so they don't lose the contracts with the Brick N Mortar stores. So the only way to get past it effectively is getting games gifted via steam and doing a paypal payment in return.

Wow, sounds like the reverse of how things are with $50 games. Well, were. Remember the uproar when $60 became the new $50? Regardless of inflation, US consumers thought games should cost $50, and when ... EA(?) pushed to $60 on some new console releases (but held at $50 on PC), people got upset. Then other publishers followed suit. Then PC games were $60.

And now, people are conditioned to accept $60 at the "correct" price for a new AAA title, though for a long time, $50 was the price, for ages.

Economics is fun, and psychology is crazy.
(Yes, intended.)

Amazon is running a Double Fine bundle (Costume Quest, Stacking, Psychonauts): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Z5Y9G4/ Registers on Steam.

Also, a 2K Games FPS Pack (Bioshock, Bioshock 2, Borderlands GOTY, DNF): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008GW5V9E/ Also registers on Steam

And GOG is running an indie Adventure Pack today (Wadjet Eye, Anamita Design, and Double Fine games): http://www.gog.com/promo/assorted_in...

Some of those Amazon deals are continuing until Jan 5. And if you bought one of their deals in the past week or so, you have a $5 credit that you can use starting Jan 1. Patience.

duckilama wrote:

Wow, sounds like the reverse of how things are with $50 games. Well, were. Remember the uproar when $60 became the new $50? Regardless of inflation, US consumers thought games should cost $50, and when ... EA(?) pushed to $60 on some new console releases (but held at $50 on PC), people got upset. Then other publishers followed suit. Then PC games were $60.

And now, people are conditioned to accept $60 at the "correct" price for a new AAA title, though for a long time, $50 was the price, for ages.

Economics is fun, and psychology is crazy.
(Yes, intended.)

Yes, I remember when $120 became the new $100
Fortunately we have more buying options now, and prices are coming down further than ever if you are patient.

Mr GT Chris wrote:
Kurrelgyre wrote:
BlackSabre wrote:

but the retailers kept the prices the same since they knew we were already conditioned to pay that price and well, they liked getting that money.

Remember how putting games on inexpensive plastic discs instead of ROM cartridges was going to make them cheaper?

Well I did pay $140 Australian for Phantasy Star 3 back in '91. That's like $250-300 these days.

Ultima VII was $175 when it was released in NZ, and then another $75 for the add-on, which wasn't even a full size expansion - it was about the size of a DLC you would get today.

Ok.... I had to take a double take on this. Who would ever pay $39.97 for Duke Nukem Forever??

1. Bioshock 2 - $19.99
2. Bioshock - $19.99
3. Borderlands Game of the Year Edition - $29.99
4. Duke Nukem Forever Complete Pack - $39.97

Total Individual Price: $109.94
Bundle Price: $9.99

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

Blondish83 wrote:

Ok.... I had to take a double take on this. Who would ever pay anything for Duke Nukem Forever??

1. Bioshock 2 - $19.99
2. Bioshock - $19.99
3. Borderlands Game of the Year Edition - $29.99
4. Duke Nukem Forever Complete Pack - $39.97

Total Individual Price: $109.94
Bundle Price: $9.99

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

FTFY.

More Sierra adventures on sale today at GOG: Gabriel Knight and Phantasmagoria bundle

http://www.gog.com/promo/belated_hal...

Kurrelgyre wrote:
BlackSabre wrote:

but the retailers kept the prices the same since they knew we were already conditioned to pay that price and well, they liked getting that money.

Remember how putting games on inexpensive plastic discs instead of ROM cartridges was going to make them cheaper?

I can make a great case that mass market gaming has become much more accessible since its beginning in the 80's

For example, games were 50$ 25 years ago. According to some inflation calculator I found, what cost $50 in 1987 would cost $97.42 in 2011. So in a way, not really increasing the price according to inflation has effectively reduced the price of games. Not only that but they only had one production run most of the time for cartridges and games did not go on sale. I paid 19.99$ for Resident Evil 6 and NHL 13 each yesterday and they've only been out for a few months. That's not something you would have seen back in the cartridge days. Games drop in price so quick now that unless you're playing exclusively Nintendo titles, it's entirely possible to buy all your games at 20$ and not feel completely out of the loop.

So I guess the advent of the discs for gaming has meant that they've been able to reprint games and make them more affordable and the manufacturing price being so low they're able to discount them down to ridiculously low prices if they want to.

interstate78 wrote:

So I guess the advent of the discs for gaming has meant that they've been able to reprint games and make them more affordable and the manufacturing price being so low they're able to discount them down to ridiculously low prices if they want to.

Or you could look at it and say that because their market is so much bigger now, they've lowered their prices because they are selling so many more units and still making more money than they used to.

Someone posted an old ad in the pictures thread and SNES/Genesis games were $60 new. Due to inflation and massive sales that didn't exist even 4-5 years ago, gaming really is cheaper than it's ever been.

Redherring wrote:

Ultima VII was $175 when it was released in NZ, and then another $75 for the add-on, which wasn't even a full size expansion - it was about the size of a DLC you would get today.

Wow. Amazing game though. I'm very ashamed to say that at the time I pirated it.

SixteenBlue wrote:

Someone posted an old ad in the pictures thread and SNES/Genesis games were $60 new. Due to inflation and massive sales that didn't exist even 4-5 years ago, gaming really is cheaper than it's ever been.

Tell that to my poor bank account.

LobsterMobster wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:

Someone posted an old ad in the pictures thread and SNES/Genesis games were $60 new. Due to inflation and massive sales that didn't exist even 4-5 years ago, gaming really is cheaper than it's ever been.

Tell that to my poor bank account. :)

Haha, I guess I didn't account for the quantity of great games.

Skryim and Oblivion are marked down on XBL today.

$30 for Skyrim, $10 for Oblivion, and their respective DLCs are half off.

SixteenBlue wrote:
LobsterMobster wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:

Someone posted an old ad in the pictures thread and SNES/Genesis games were $60 new. Due to inflation and massive sales that didn't exist even 4-5 years ago, gaming really is cheaper than it's ever been.

Tell that to my poor bank account. :)

Haha, I guess I didn't account for the quantity of great games.

That, and buying 50 games at $10 a piece on a Steam sale is no different than buying 10 games at $50 on day one.

Blondish83 wrote:

Ok.... I had to take a double take on this. Who would ever pay $39.97 for Duke Nukem Forever??

1. Bioshock 2 - $19.99
2. Bioshock - $19.99
3. Borderlands Game of the Year Edition - $29.99
4. Duke Nukem Forever Complete Pack - $39.97

Total Individual Price: $109.94
Bundle Price: $9.99

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

It's the "complete pack", though.

I remember saving up $70 to buy Street Fighter 2 the day it came out for SNES back in the day so yeah they are cheaper now but then again we would put 200+ hours in one game and play it non-stop for months back then too. Oh when all I had to do was go to school for a few hours a day.

MonoCheli wrote:

I remember saving up $70 to buy Street Fighter 2 the day it came out for SNES back in the day so yeah they are cheaper now but then again we would put 200+ hours in one game and play it non-stop for months back then too. Oh when all I had to do was go to school for a few hours a day.

People still put in those kind of hours in to Street Fighter and the like

Lots of great sales coming up on PS+. Highlights are:

inFAMOUS 2 - Normally $19.99 - Sale $13.99 - Free in Plus
Shadow of the Colossus - Normally $19.99 - Sale $13.99 - Plus Sale $9.80
TOKYO JUNGLE - Normally $14.99 - Sale $10.49 - Plus Sale $7.35

A site called intkeys.com has Far Cry 3 for $25. This is a Uplay key, not Steam. I haven't purchased, but my brother did and everything was kosher.

gravity wrote:
MonoCheli wrote:

I remember saving up $70 to buy Street Fighter 2 the day it came out for SNES back in the day so yeah they are cheaper now but then again we would put 200+ hours in one game and play it non-stop for months back then too. Oh when all I had to do was go to school for a few hours a day.

People still put in those kind of hours in to Street Fighter and the like

And Dark Souls! Which is like, $15 now.