Steam Holiday Sale Kicks Off

[Metalrocks]

there is one game i want and hope it will be cheap with this sale. otherwise im busy enough with other titles and not interested in other games.

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

Wait, Bioshock Infinite was there for 10 bucks? I only see $15. Is that other one over so fast?

Different countries means different prices. It's 7.50 Euro here which is about the same as 10 USD.

OT: I'm going to be strong this year and not buy anything. It will take all of my strength and then some.

It's 20USD here in AUS which is about the same as... 20USD.

Double the price... yay... Don't think I'll buy shit form companies that overprice Australia "just coz"

It's not "just coz" it's actually about the legal process around distribution and licensing. That's why games in Australia are generally really fucking expensive compared to pretty much anywhere else. I don't know enough about the law and not enough about the specifics about Australian law to explain this properly, but Valve doesn't really have a say in this.

First off, I know they've given all pricing rights to pubs.

Secondly, It's a decent case you could make for physical copies, but charging double for digital content is horse shit.

 

[Yopaz]

Wait, Bioshock Infinite was there for 10 bucks? I only see $15. Is that other one over so fast?

Different countries means different prices. It's 7.50 Euro here which is about the same as 10 USD.

OT: I'm going to be strong this year and not buy anything. It will take all of my strength and then some.

It's 20USD here in AUS which is about the same as... 20USD.

Double the price... yay... Don't think I'll buy shit form companies that overprice Australia "just coz"

It's not "just coz" it's actually about the legal process around distribution and licensing. That's why games in Australia are generally really fucking expensive compared to pretty much anywhere else. I don't know enough about the law and not enough about the specifics about Australian law to explain this properly, but Valve doesn't really have a say in this.

First off, I know they've given all pricing rights to pubs.

Secondly, It's a decent case you could make for physical copies, but charging double for digital content is horse shit.

Digital distribution is cheaper for the publisher, they don't have to print copies, they don't have to ship and it's more or less a limitless resource. They are still a subject to the laws of individual countries. It sucks there's no question about it. It doesn't make sense. I agree that this is bullshit, but it's simply how it works.

Edit: Also if you know that Valve doesn't have a say, why blame them? at least that's how it sounded from your first post.

 

[Amir Kondori]

Somehow this seems appropriate for this situation.

I'm not sure how much Ill be spending on the steam sale this year since I just got a Wii U, depends how much on my wish list goes on sale.

Getting a WiiU is a great reason to spend MORE money on the Steam sale, given the dearth of titles available for the WiiU.

Wonderful 101 is pretty awesome, plus it came with the new mario brothers, which is also awesome. There is also Rayman legends, which I know is on the pc but its got uplay so blegh.

I love the Rayman games but hate UPlay, so now I have been sitting on my hands instead of purchasing it, however much I want to. I keep thinking I'll break but haven't so far.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

It's not "just coz" it's actually about the legal process around distribution and licensing. That's why games in Australia are generally really fucking expensive compared to pretty much anywhere else.

Could you perhaps mention what any of these laws or legal processes actually are?

I don't know enough about the law and not enough about the specifics about Australian law to explain this properly, but Valve doesn't really have a say in this.

So, you're just making stuff up? You don't actually know anything about whether there are laws pertaining to this, but you'll just claim this is the reason, anyway?

I'm pretty sure that Valve does have a say in this. If there were Australian laws causing their products to be much more expensive in Australia, then they could say something.

 

[Yopaz]

It's not "just coz" it's actually about the legal process around distribution and licensing. That's why games in Australia are generally really fucking expensive compared to pretty much anywhere else.

Could you perhaps mention what any of these laws or legal processes actually are?

These are laws concerning taxes for electronic products, both software and hardware. All companies who are to sell electronic products need to have permission from both the publisher/producer of the product and they need to be cleared off with VAT which goes to the government. So this is mostly about taxes.
Edit: There's also EU's laws on competition and monopoly which restricts companies from pricing themselves in such a way that makes their competition unable to keep up or make a profit.

I don't know enough about the law and not enough about the specifics about Australian law to explain this properly, but Valve doesn't really have a say in this.

So, you're just making stuff up? You don't actually know anything about whether there are laws pertaining to this, but you'll just claim this is the reason, anyway?

I'm pretty sure that Valve does have a say in this. If there were Australian laws causing their products to be much more expensive in Australia, then they could say something.

Not what I said at all. I said I don't know the specifics. I know taxes exist and that's generally why games in Australia are so expensive. New physical games often cost about 100-120 (if I'm not mistaken) because of the taxes. Here games often cost about 90 which is also about taxes. Digital games are bound by the same laws when it comes to the sales tax as physical products.

Now I don't know the specifics so this is just a simplified explanation, but sadly this is more or less how it works.

Also lots of people seems aware of this, but Valve doesn't control the prices. The publishers do. So blame Valve for what prices publishers demand or for what taxes the government imposes if you want to. Things might change if private companies start taking an interest, but bottom line Valve doesn't control the prices as much as people think they do.

 

[Aardvaarkman]

Not what I said at all. I said I don't know the specifics. I know taxes exist and that's generally why games in Australia are so expensive. New physical games often cost about 100-120 (if I'm not mistaken) because of the taxes. Here games often cost about 90 which is also about taxes. Digital games are bound by the same laws when it comes to the sales tax as physical products.

Australian sales tax is a flat 10%. So that does not account for the difference. Care to explain what the other laws involved would be?

 

[Yopaz]

Not what I said at all. I said I don't know the specifics. I know taxes exist and that's generally why games in Australia are so expensive. New physical games often cost about 100-120 (if I'm not mistaken) because of the taxes. Here games often cost about 90 which is also about taxes. Digital games are bound by the same laws when it comes to the sales tax as physical products.

Australian sales tax is a flat 10%. So that does not account for the difference. Care to explain what the other laws involved would be?

EU's competition law (as mentioned) is the only one I know by name, but as I said I don't know much about the specifics of Australian law. However as I said it's the same reason physical games cost about 100.

I also can't help noticing that you completely ignored the part where I said Valve doesn't decide the prices.

How about we just drop this? The prices are high, it sucks, I agree, but it's not something they can decide completely independently.