Are PC games going to be priced at $60 now?

Americans complaining about the cost of their games is a joke. We pay exactly double for games over here in Australia. $99 for any standard game and $120 for any AAA game. This used to be fine when our dollar was half that compared to america, but we're now 93c vs the american dollar and growing steadily, its ridiculous.

It used to be quite fine to purchase games on steam in american dollars, even with a 2% conversion rate, you could save almost 40% of the standard game cost. A 30usd american game is easily found on the shelves here for $100 aud. However Developers have noticed that australian's have basically accepted paying double, and thus if you log into steam with any australian IP address causes the prices on steam to double for certain games.

Dragon Age for $39 usd, modern warfare 2 for $79 usd, borderlands for $89 usd. Disgusting.
 
phrozenfayte said:
Americans complaining about the cost of their games is a joke. We pay exactly double for games over here in Australia. $99 for any standard game and $120 for any AAA game. This used to be fine when our dollar was half that compared to america, but we're now 93c vs the american dollar and growing steadily, its ridiculous.

It used to be quite fine to purchase games on steam in american dollars, even with a 2% conversion rate, you could save almost 40% of the standard game cost. A 30usd american game is easily found on the shelves here for $100 aud. However Developers have noticed that australian's have basically accepted paying double, and thus if you log into steam with any australian IP address causes the prices on steam to double for certain games.

Dragon Age for $39 usd, modern warfare 2 for $79 usd, borderlands for $89 usd. Disgusting.
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Just because you have to pay more doesn't mean we're not allowed to dislike any price increase. Sucks that you guys have to pay that much, but as you said the gamers in your country have shown that they're willing to do so. There isn't anything I can do about that so I really don't concern myself with it. I do, however, concern myself with prices that effect me.

PS: Dragon Age is $39 USD on the US Steam store with a US IP so its not changing the price for that. MW2 is $10USD more for you. Borderlands yeah, thats terrible its only $39 USD for us over here.
 
Derangel said:
Just because you have to pay more doesn't mean we're not allowed to dislike any price increase. Sucks that you guys have to pay that much, but as you said the gamers in your country have shown that they're willing to do so. There isn't anything I can do about that so I really don't concern myself with it. I do, however, concern myself with prices that effect me.

PS: Dragon Age is $39 USD on the US Steam store with a US IP so its not changing the price for that. MW2 is $10USD more for you. Borderlands yeah, thats terrible its only $39 USD for us over here.
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Yeah, I was trying to make a point about greedy developers. Bioware have specifically made available US prices to australian's for their games. They still get the same money, but we're FAR more inclined to buy it due to the fact its half cost.

The day borderlands came out the prices hadn't been set for australians yet, so we were still paying usd. I bought a 4 pack for $120 aud on steam, and went to the local EB only to see a single copy available for $120 aud.

You of course have every right to complain about a price increase, but whatever increase you receive, we receive in double.
 
i think you can gift games even if you live in another country

I gifted an old friend of mine who lives in Australia Torchlight when it was on sale, he was beside himself, weeping with joy, since he had his eyes on it but didn't have the funds to buy it.
 
Fail said:
i think you can gift games even if you live in another country

I gifted an old friend of mine who lives in Australia Torchlight when it was on sale, he was beside himself, weeping with joy, since he had his eyes on it but didn't have the funds to buy it.
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You can. I do it a lot for a friend that lives in Germany. He sends me the money I gift him the game. Works well enough.
 
Fail said:
i think you can gift games even if you live in another country

I gifted an old friend of mine who lives in Australia Torchlight when it was on sale, he was beside himself, weeping with joy, since he had his eyes on it but didn't have the funds to buy it.
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Well thats fantastic. A recent steam update can somehow detects if you're using a proxy and still reverts to australian pricing.
 
PC games have been $60 for years for new titles that think they are the best, nothing new, just as consoles have.
 
i can recall PC games in Canada being up to $60 for top titles on release day, I would assume the odd title in the U.S as well and also in other countries, normally they come out around $35-50, but the odd game has been $60 here and there.

it is just bad these days with games like MW2 selling for $60 and selling so much because now other game companies will try to follow suit :(
 
MrGuvernment said:
i can recall PC games in Canada being up to $60 for top titles on release day, I would assume the odd title in the U.S as well and also in other countries, normally they come out around $35-50, but the odd game has been $60 here and there.

it is just bad these days with games like MW2 selling for $60 and selling so much because now other game companies will try to follow suit :(
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Most PC games in the US are $40-50. Outside of MW2 and Ubisoft titles the last normal edition $60 titles I can remember are Warcraft 3 and Diablo 2.
 
Derangel said:
Just because you have to pay more doesn't mean we're not allowed to dislike any price increase. Sucks that you guys have to pay that much, but as you said the gamers in your country have shown that they're willing to do so. There isn't anything I can do about that so I really don't concern myself with it. I do, however, concern myself with prices that effect me.
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When I lived in Argentina game prices were double what you guys are bitching about in Aus and wages were way lower.

So what did people do? Yeah they'd buy pirated copies out of the game shops for 1/20th the price. Funny how the economy works out.
 
pigwalk said:
When I lived in Argentina game prices were double what you guys are bitching about in Aus and wages were way lower.

So what did people do? Yeah they'd buy pirated copies out of the game shops for 1/20th the price. Funny how the economy works out.
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$225 usd per game?

Unfortunately the best we can do is download a pirated game. And since we tend to pay about $50 for 50gig of bandwidth per month online (that being the overall best price available, most isp's are double that), and games are getting to be 15+gig nowadays, well fuck.
 
Haste266 said:
i will NEVER purchase a pc game for $60...


so many games out there anyway that it doesnt take long after launch for the price to drop...
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I like that photograph of the guy holding a brand new copy of Warcraft 3 at Bestbuy 7 years ago with a $60 price tag. It's really not new.
 
We'll be seeing $79.99 in a few years. Don't get your panties in a knot.

Just don't be anxious for new games, wait a few months to a year and you'll be able to get most games at half price.
 
phrozenfayte said:
Americans complaining about the cost of their games is a joke. We pay exactly double for games over here in Australia. $99 for any standard game and $120 for any AAA game. This used to be fine when our dollar was half that compared to america, but we're now 93c vs the american dollar and growing steadily, its ridiculous.

It used to be quite fine to purchase games on steam in american dollars, even with a 2% conversion rate, you could save almost 40% of the standard game cost. A 30usd american game is easily found on the shelves here for $100 aud. However Developers have noticed that australian's have basically accepted paying double, and thus if you log into steam with any australian IP address causes the prices on steam to double for certain games.

Dragon Age for $39 usd, modern warfare 2 for $79 usd, borderlands for $89 usd. Disgusting.
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Everything is cheaper in the US. Even cars made in Australia are cheaper to buy in the US. From memory someone said they have a slightly lower average wage than us.

For games that are $70+ USD on steam I just wont buy them on steam. Its a total rip off. Even though RRP is $100 out here, its rare you'll have to actually pay that unless you are a release day buyer. Even then you often get release day prices of $70-80AUD.
 
Spare-Flair said:
We'll be seeing $79.99 in a few years. Don't get your panties in a knot.

Just don't be anxious for new games, wait a few months to a year and you'll be able to get most games at half price.
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I doubt it. Just like the console market the PC market will eventually settle into $59.99 for a while. If console prices raise next generation (whenever the hell that is going to be) then we might see PC game prices follow a few years later, but honestly I'm surprised its taken this long to see it start happening. Its going to take at least another year or two for the price to stick, if it ever does.
 
I think it will get to a point where a new technology will come around, and the video game makers will turn into the next RIAA/MPAA since people are finding entertainment elsewhere...
Which really sucks for us gamers.
 
Derangel said:
I don't know where you've been looking, but $50 has been the average price for new PC games for years. Sure a long time ago we saw more at $40, but no they did NOT jump straight to $60. And the packaging cost argument is a bullshit one. People vastly overestimate how much that stuff costs. Its, at most, a few bucks a game.
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What kool-aid pond are you drinking from guy? I have a friend/co-worker who's job it was, to maintain the cd manufacturing and packaging equipment used for software bundling...so I know what the heck I'm talking about. Forget the "few bucks" bullshit you mentioned in your re-post. It's actually a few cents per package. While were at it....the cd itself, doesn't cost much more. The bulk of the re-coup cost is mostly for programming, licensing and distribution. The profit margin at $60 on a great selling game is huge.
 
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I haven't had a chance to read through this thread, so apologies if this has already been posted, but Pachter did a great little review of the cost breakdown for a console game here (starts at 2:40). Should also apply for PC gaming, except for fees required to put out an Xbox or PS game (which is, as far as I understand it, one of the reasons PC game prices have been lower).

Will games be priced at $60 going forward? The short answer is definitely, yes. I'm not sure if all games going forward will be priced there, but the point will definitely move there. Given that there are concerns from publishers over things like piracy, a move to a higher price point and possibly digital distribution will allow them to make significantly more $ per copy sold.
 
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I live in Panama right now and games are stupid expensive. $79.99-$109.99 USD (and they use the USD$ here). You can buy the games used from people locally 3 months later for the price you would pay brand new in the states. Sucks though because the prices don't seem to drop. If it's new and sealed, then the price tag stays. Fuck, I saw Fallout 3 for PC yesterday for $99.99.

Thank god they use the USD$ here so I can take advantage of Steam. Usually have to wait for UK release dates though, but that's a whole lot better than paying up to 60% more for a game lol. And what about games that don't sell through Steam? Screwed.
 
With the Canadian dollar often on par with the US$ sometimes it seems a little odd to pay the same price especially on steam but so be it if the game is worth it at even $60 US.
 
Saabjock said:
What kool-aid pond are you drinking from guy? I have a friend/co-worker who's job it was, to maintain the cd manufacturing and packaging equipment used for software bundling...so I know what the heck I'm talking about. Forget the "few bucks" bullshit you mentioned in your re-post. It's actually a few cents per package. While were at it....the cd itself, doesn't cost much more. The bulk of the re-coup cost is mostly for programming, licensing and distribution. The profit margin at $60 on a great selling game is huge.
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Hence the "at most" jack ass. Its clearly a statement of "I don't know, so I'm guessing high to be safe". If you insist on being a jack ass in your posts don't ever respond to me again.
 
A little angry are we??? I just realized that you said "overestimated" as opposed to "underestimated". My bad for jumping you on that. I can apologize when I'm wrong.
 
Saabjock said:
A little angry are we??? I just realized that you said "overestimated" as opposed to "underestimated". My bad for jumping you on that. I can apologize when I'm wrong.
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I'm just tired. Start a 3rd shift job tomorrow so I have to stay up a lot longer than usual so I can sleep during the day, plus big important college test in the morning so I'm kind of stressed. Sorry.
 
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Tolyngee said:
Freudian slip?
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Not this time. Again, tired. Got like two-three hour of sleep last night. Got a call early about the job and couldn't go back to sleep afterwards and haven't been able to sleep all day, now I can't until later in the day.
 
60 USD is dirt cheap as long as the USD is correctly valued (which should be about 1,000 USD = 1 EUR since Nixon declared USA to be bankrupt back in 1973).

The most I've paid for a PC game wasn't paid for a game but for a professional simulator (Steel Beasts Pro PE) that I've since used as a game: USD 125, including postage and the required USB dongle.
The 2nd most I've paid is slightly less than $60, even including postage and taxes.
 
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