Why are Australian games so damn expensive?

[ConnorTheRed]

As an Aussie, the only thing about our gaming environment that annoys me more than the lack of R-18 is that I usually have to shell out $100-$110 for a new console game. And yet, in America (and I assume other places) the same game is only $60! When I got Portal 2, it was cheaper to express post a new American copy than it would have been to go into a local store and buy it. Does anyone know why we got the short end of the stick in this deal? (Especially now that the dollar is worth so much.)

 

[Ilikemilkshake]

This is just a complete guess, but is it possible that the government has a high tax set on games and possibly other entertainment products in order to put people off from buying them?

 

[DragonFae]

I don't know for sure, but here's my take:
You have to take into account that while American gamer shops and Australian ones might source the games from the same place, it's likely that the postage to Australia is higher. Also, we have GST, and different taxes. And that while the Australian dollar is worth like 1.04 American dollars, it could be worth less with where the games are produced.

 

[ConnorTheRed]

This is just a complete guess, but is it possible that the government has a high tax set on games and possibly other entertainment products in order to put people off from buying them?

Man, what does my government have against video games? I'm going right up to Gillard and demanding, as a fellow redhead, that this problem be fixed!

 

[ConnorTheRed]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.301091-Poll-Australia-Games-are-too-expensive

Just gonna leave that there.

Well played sir.

 

[LawlessSquirrel]

The reason is because Australians will pay that much. If you're going to get $80 profit on a product, why sell it for a $20 profit? Same goes for a huge portion of our market right now. Australians are so used to paying extra when it was arguably necessary that sellers see no reason to lower the prices now just because it isn't necessary.

It'll change if everyone fights against it en mass, but that's not going to happen.

 

[blind_dead_mcjones]

1) the GST

2) shipping freight to australia is inherently expensive

3) some shops mark their prices higher than others (typically i've found that gametraders mark their prices for new games at a slightly more reasonable $80-$90 before membership discounts are thrown into the mix)

4) the minimum wage is also reflective of the market price

 

[Project_Xii]

Economy based I guess. Over here, we earn a minimum wage. For some of us, that's as high as $15-$21, even in menial retail jobs. In america, they can earn as little as $5-$8.

The biter for us is: we can purchase their cheap games from overseas and enjoy (see: Steam), but they can't do that with us. So in a way, if we're smart and know how to buy our stuff from outside the country, we can end up coming out a lot better on top.

 

[Cherry Cola]

It's $100 over here in Sweden too. I feel your pain.

 

[Ultrajoe]

Because, politely, if you're not buying online then you'll probably pay whatever that ask for.