So I was looking for the price of Team Fortress 2.
I really wanted to buy the game so I resorted to STEAM.
I knew that you can buy games online on STEAM and I knew that Team Fotress 2 can be purchased online there.
So I looked on to the site, and I noticed this [http://www.steamgames.com/v/index.php?area=game&AppId=440&cc=US]:
30 bucks?
Well.. Maybe it's not that bad...
And then I started to ponder... if Team Fortress 2 costs $30, how much does the entire Orange Box cost? I looked on STEAM and I discovered this [http://www.steamgames.com/v/index.php?area=package&SubId=469&cc=US]:
<img src=http://meg.ownit.nu/ob.png>
50 bucks for the whole Orange Box?
Now why the heck would I pay $30 for Team Fortress 2 alone, when I can get the entire Orange Box for $50, right?
And then I was thinking... how much does the Orange Box really cost at my local retail store?
299 Kr?! That is pretty much the equivalent of $30 US dollars if you compare how much the money is worth.
Then I started to ask myself, how much does STEAM charge for other games?
Well, it turns out that the prices they charge people for online pruchase is rediculous.
I could go on posting screenshots to prove my point, but I'd just do a table comparison.
I know a lot of people in here would never buy stuff at GameStop, but I'll just use it as a price comparison.
Mind you that these are all PC Games only and only new games. None are pre-used
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
STEAM: $69.64
Gamestop: $49.99
My Local Retail Store: $45.99
Bioshock
STEAM: $54.95
Gamestop: $29.99
My Local Retail Store: $32.99
(thumbs up for Gamestop there)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
STEAM: $22.95
Gamestop: $14.99
My Local Retail Store: $12.99
Sid Meier's Civilization IV
STEAM: $29.95
Gamestop: Could not find Civ IV. However, found Civ IV: Gold Edition for $39.99 (contains game + expansion pack)
My Local Retail Store: $9.99!
To finally add insult to injury to all of this, I looked at what STEAM charges for Valves own games. You'd think that since STEAM is Valve, and Valve selling their own product it would lead to that they would be the leading seller of their own franchaise, right?
Half Life 2
STEAM: $19.95
Gamestop: $20 (found it used for $12)
My Local Retail Store: Could not find HL2 standalone. Found however Half Life 2 - Holiday Collection which contains HL1, HL2 *AND* Episode 1 for a whooping $12.95!
My thoughts:
WHAT THE HELL? Isn't purchasing software online supposed to be cutting off the price of it by cutting out the middle man such as distributors and sales retailing? Isn't purchasing the game without the disc, without the box and without the manual supposed to severly cut down the price of the game? There is just really no excuse, NO EXCUSE for STEAM to charge this kind of money for games online.
While I do have an understanding that selling games online is a new thing and that on emphesis they have to have the earnings to go around with their expenses for it charging up to $25 extra what the retail game costs at your local retail store is just the worst.
Is this really what they have in mind for stopping PC game piracy? Is this what's supposed to help the declining sales of computer games and save game developers the money they deserve? By ripping people off this way?
Your thoughts?
I really wanted to buy the game so I resorted to STEAM.
I knew that you can buy games online on STEAM and I knew that Team Fotress 2 can be purchased online there.
So I looked on to the site, and I noticed this [http://www.steamgames.com/v/index.php?area=game&AppId=440&cc=US]:
30 bucks?
Well.. Maybe it's not that bad...
And then I started to ponder... if Team Fortress 2 costs $30, how much does the entire Orange Box cost? I looked on STEAM and I discovered this [http://www.steamgames.com/v/index.php?area=package&SubId=469&cc=US]:
<img src=http://meg.ownit.nu/ob.png>
50 bucks for the whole Orange Box?
Now why the heck would I pay $30 for Team Fortress 2 alone, when I can get the entire Orange Box for $50, right?
And then I was thinking... how much does the Orange Box really cost at my local retail store?
299 Kr?! That is pretty much the equivalent of $30 US dollars if you compare how much the money is worth.
Then I started to ask myself, how much does STEAM charge for other games?
Well, it turns out that the prices they charge people for online pruchase is rediculous.
I could go on posting screenshots to prove my point, but I'd just do a table comparison.
I know a lot of people in here would never buy stuff at GameStop, but I'll just use it as a price comparison.
Mind you that these are all PC Games only and only new games. None are pre-used
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
STEAM: $69.64
Gamestop: $49.99
My Local Retail Store: $45.99
Bioshock
STEAM: $54.95
Gamestop: $29.99
My Local Retail Store: $32.99
(thumbs up for Gamestop there)
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
STEAM: $22.95
Gamestop: $14.99
My Local Retail Store: $12.99
Sid Meier's Civilization IV
STEAM: $29.95
Gamestop: Could not find Civ IV. However, found Civ IV: Gold Edition for $39.99 (contains game + expansion pack)
My Local Retail Store: $9.99!
To finally add insult to injury to all of this, I looked at what STEAM charges for Valves own games. You'd think that since STEAM is Valve, and Valve selling their own product it would lead to that they would be the leading seller of their own franchaise, right?
Half Life 2
STEAM: $19.95
Gamestop: $20 (found it used for $12)
My Local Retail Store: Could not find HL2 standalone. Found however Half Life 2 - Holiday Collection which contains HL1, HL2 *AND* Episode 1 for a whooping $12.95!
My thoughts:
WHAT THE HELL? Isn't purchasing software online supposed to be cutting off the price of it by cutting out the middle man such as distributors and sales retailing? Isn't purchasing the game without the disc, without the box and without the manual supposed to severly cut down the price of the game? There is just really no excuse, NO EXCUSE for STEAM to charge this kind of money for games online.
While I do have an understanding that selling games online is a new thing and that on emphesis they have to have the earnings to go around with their expenses for it charging up to $25 extra what the retail game costs at your local retail store is just the worst.
Is this really what they have in mind for stopping PC game piracy? Is this what's supposed to help the declining sales of computer games and save game developers the money they deserve? By ripping people off this way?
Your thoughts?