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The sad reality of other country`s videogame prices

S

Salsa

Member
Ok, So ive decided to show GAF a little bit about the videogame situation on the country i live in (Uruguay).

It is almost impossible, or unthinkable for a person who knows better, to buy games and consoles around here. I dont really remember how it was around my childhood, or how much my parents paid for my SNES and MegaDrive, but somehow down the road, it just got fucking insane.

Im mostly gonna show some pictures that speak for themselves.

erae7d.jpg

otdafn.jpg

a2xba0.jpg


It even applies to older games.

dxnz9e.jpg


All of those prices are USD.

I can do with the huge delays, or some games never making it over here, but this is just sad.

I mostly get through buying things on travels, having relatives that live elsewhere sending me games. Buying from online stores and paying shipment (even this is a lot cheaper), or digital distribution. My Wii is from Spain, my DS is from the US. (You dont wanna know about console prices here, believe me)

The gaming communities over here are mostly PC-based. Wich im totally fine with since i game a lot on my PC. Thing is this sort of pricing of course leads to some piracy. People selling cheap pirated copies on the streets and stuff.

I really love Steam for changing this situation a bit. It really is the digital distribution system ive gotten the most out of. A lot of my friends are really greatful too.


so, the "other countrys" instead of "my" on the thread title is because im mostly sure that im not alone. Given the different nationalities of some of GAF members im sure im not the only one who has it this bad, right ? :(
 
K

King Chozo

Banned
Wow... And I thought when a friend of mine went to Kuwait and told me that most games were around 90USD that it was bad.
 
M

mr jones

Ethnicity is not a race!
Ouch. My condolences.

How do game stores make money over there? I would think that no one would buy a videogame for 80-120 USD. So stores would go out of business from lack of revenue...
 
G

GCX

Member
I was gonna come here and bitch about the game prices in Finland... But somehow it doesn't really seem all that necessary after the op.
 
S

Salacious Crumb

Junior Member
Major 3rd party releases in Australia retail for 105 USD (120 AUD)

"T.T 60 bucks is far too much for new releases, I can't handle it, and if the prices don't go down soon the games industry is gonna crash again." This is you AmeriGAF
 
S

Salsa

Member
ntb825 said:
Pardon my ignorance, but what causes these prices for these items? Import costs?
Click to expand...

I dont even know. I dont even know whats the criteria, i mean NSMB is older than Kirby SSU, but for some reason its more expensive :/

mr jones said:
Ouch. My condolences.

How do game stores make money over there? I would think that no one would buy a videogame for 80-120 USD. So stores would go out of business from lack of revenue...
Click to expand...

I see a lot of wealthy parents buying stuff for their kids without knowing that if they did a little research they could buy a lot cheaper. They just dont care i guess :/

Salacious Crumb said:
"T.T 60 bucks is far to much for new releases, I can't handle it, and if the prices don't go down soon the games industry is gonna crash again." This is you AmeriGAF
Click to expand...

Yeah, one of the reasons for the thread. Of course they have their right to be mad considering what they are used to, but just to show that some of us have it worse.
 
H

Hato-kun

Member
You could have taken some pictures of better games.

Mush said:
You have my sympathies OP. tbh I was planning to come in here and whine about our situation here in NZ (and AUS I guess) but this is apples to oranges. Nothing is comparable.
Click to expand...

.
 
D

Dead Man

Member
Some of those prices make Australian prices look almost reasonable! I agree Steam can be good, but some of the publishers are pricing their games more in Australia than the US, so some of the benefits are not realised. As ever, businesses get more benefit from a global economy than consumers.
 
F

Fritz

Member
Oh jesus. US Dollar?! I knew it was pricy, but thats ridiculous. And here I was thinking it was expensive over here.
So your Wii is PAL. Did you try ordering from those UK online stores like zavvi.com or mymemory.co.uk? Because that's what Im doing , great bargains.
 
M

Mush

6.0
You have my sympathies OP. tbh I was planning to come in here and whine about our situation here in NZ (and AUS I guess) but this is apples to oranges. Nothing is comparable.
 
R

Regulus Tera

Romanes Eunt Domus
This is the real reason why piracy is so rampant in Latin America.

Mexico's prices aren't as exorbitant, but when freaking Super Smash Bros. Brawl costs you 800 plus pesos two years after release you know something is fucked up.
 
S

Salsa

Member
Fritz said:
Oh jesus. US Dollar?! I knew it was pricy, but thats ridiculous. And here I was thinking it was expensive over here.
So your Wii is PAL. Did you try ordering from those UK online stores like zavvi.com or mymemory.co.uk? Because that's what Im doing , great bargains.
Click to expand...

Yep. I pretty much tried every EUR online shop there is. Given this situation i really dont care for my Wii being PAL. Only bad part is that i cant put Uruguay on my Mario Kart Wii profile :lol
 
S

Spwn

Member
Game prices never go down in Finland. I've seen Trine for 28€ and both Left 4 Dead games side by side for 50€ each (PC-version). New PS3 and 360 games are 95% of the time 70€, Wii games are 60€, DS and PC games are somewhere between 40 and 50€. The prices drop when a budget price version is released or there is a sale that consists of at least three years old titles.

Wasn't God of War collection supposed to be budget price? It's 45€ everywhere in Finland. Sure the situation isn't as bad as in Uruguay.
 
C

Conflict NZ

Member
Mush said:
You have my sympathies OP. tbh I was planning to come in here and whine about our situation here in NZ (and AUS I guess) but this is apples to oranges. Nothing is comparable.
Click to expand...

It is still pretty bad here, every time the New Zealand Dollar drops significantly against the US the importers add $10, but don't remove that $10 when the Dollar goes back up. At the start of the generation games were $100-$110, now they are $130-$140.
 
S

Salsa

Member
Spwn said:
Wasn't God of War collection supposed to be budget price? It's 45€ everywhere in Finland. Sure the situation isn't as bad as in Uruguay.
Click to expand...

Yeah, forget about that kind of stuff. Xbox 360 slim supposed to cost the same as a current "phat" unit ? Yeah, right. Itll probably cost as much as when the regular 360 first came out.
 
H

Hahaq8

Member
King Chozo said:
Wow... And I thought when a friend of mine went to Kuwait and told me that most games were around 90USD that it was bad.
Click to expand...

i am from kuwait and the games in the first day arrived to us around 69USD and two days after it will be 61USD .
 
F

freddy

Banned
Salacious Crumb said:
Major 3rd party releases in Australia retail for 105 USD (120 AUD)

"T.T 60 bucks is far too much for new releases, I can't handle it, and if the prices don't go down soon the games industry is gonna crash again." This is you AmeriGAF
Click to expand...
Yep and they wonder why people buy used games here.
 
G

GCX

Member
Spwn said:
Game prices never go down in Finland. I've seen Trine for 28€ and both Left 4 Dead games side by side for 50€ each (PC-version). New PS3 and 360 games are 95% of the time 70€, Wii games are 60€, DS and PC games are somewhere between 40 and 50€. The prices drop when a budget price version is released or there is a sale that consists of at least three years old titles.

Wasn't God of War collection supposed to be budget price? It's 45€ everywhere in Finland. Sure the situation isn't as bad as in Uruguay.
Click to expand...
You can always find games cheaper than 70€ though if you don't buy them from the nearest supermarket.

But yeah, it's still pretty bad.
 
DiscoJer

DiscoJer

Member
Salacious Crumb said:
Major 3rd party releases in Australia retail for 105 USD (120 AUD)

"T.T 60 bucks is far too much for new releases, I can't handle it, and if the prices don't go down soon the games industry is gonna crash again." This is you AmeriGAF
Click to expand...

What I find odd about that is that I (and a lot of other pet owners) buy pet medication from Australia because it's much cheaper. Just bought some last week, saved $30.
 
M

Mush

6.0
Conflict NZ said:
It is still pretty bad here, every time the New Zealand Dollar drops significantly against the US the importers add $10, but don't remove that $10 when the Dollar goes back up. At the start of the generation games were $100-$110, now they are $130-$140.
Click to expand...
While this may be true, we are paying premium for HD console titles, unlike in Uruguay where they are paying high prices for DS games, which market here for around $60-80NZD. I don't even want to know what their prices for HD games are.
 
L

legend166

Member
Obviously there's a level of publishers trying to grab as much cash as possible (I'd know, I live in Aus), but I do believe there's a level of taxation on these goods in some South American countries, no?

I remember reading that Nintendo and other companies had actually lobbied governments in order to remove them. Something about video games being lumped in with gambling devices or some such?
 
U

upandaway

Member
That's a little more than the prices here. The tradeback though is that you get games that aren't just that year's holiday blockbuster for each system + Pokemon.

They did bring Super Paper Mario over here for some reason, I don't fucking know why. Maybe they saw Mario in the title and went for it.
 
ULTROS!

ULTROS!

People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
Ours is priced the same as the US ones. Sometimes with an extra $5 or $3.

I do remember one store selling FFXIII for $100 whereas the retail shop I usually go to sells it for $49.
 
twdnewh_k

twdnewh_k

Member
wow, thats terrible.

Here in the UAE pricing is very odd. If you buy through the official retailers, average price for an Xbox 360 or Ps3 game can range from $68-$75.
If you buy from smaller local stores the price is around $60-$64. Wii games around $52.

Consoles are slightly higher than US prices. $50-$80 dollars more sometimes at official retailer. Slightly less at the local shops, but majority are willing to pay extra since the official retailer provides warranty.
 
S

Salsa

Member
upandaway said:
That's a little more than the prices here. The tradeback though is that you get games that aren't just that year's holiday blockbuster for each system + Pokemon
Click to expand...

Yep, thats another point right there. Sucks.

Mush said:
While this may be true, we are paying premium for HD console titles, unlike in Uruguay where they are paying high prices for DS games, which market here for around $60-80NZD. I don't even want to know what their prices for HD games are.
Click to expand...

One of the reasons i dont own PS360, already have my hands full getting Wii/DS games.
 
M

MidnightScott

Banned
Are the prices even based on what the average person in the country makes? If so us American's don't make worth a shit which is why our prices aren't that high.

BTW I've never even heard of Uruaguay :eek:

You should just try to make friends with AmeriGAF assuming that you are patient for the waiting time for the cheapest shipping option available to you.
 
mhi

mhi

Member
Its mostly caused by high import costs and taxes on "high end" electronics. Console prices are usually double plus more as well.

Pretty much explains the slow adoption in these countries and the only thing manufacturers can basically do is lower their prices.
 
B

BocoDragon

or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
ULTROS! said:
Ours is priced the same as the US ones. Sometimes with an extra $5 or $3.

I do remember one store selling FFXIII for $100 whereas the retail shop I usually go to sells it for $49.
Click to expand...
Phillipenes right? I suspect that is a DAMN good situation considering you're a smaller market.
 
S

Salsa

Member
MidnightScott said:
Are the prices even based on what the average person in the country makes? If so us American's don't make worth a shit which is why our prices aren't that high.
Click to expand...


No. We arent a poor country at all either, but no they are not.

MidnightScott said:
BTW I've never even heard of Uruguay :eek:
Click to expand...

Fixed. And just turn your TV to the World Cup and see who`s kicking some major ass.
 
M

MidnightScott

Banned
I think $80 for a game is my cut off limit. Like when I imported Tatsunoko VS Capcom (which I ended up barely playing, and then bought Ultimate All Stars like a year later...)

I really don't know anything about economics, so pardon my ignorance on the subject. I never understood why prices were so high in other countries. I often hear about Australia getting shit on, but never any of the smaller countries who probably have it just as bad and worse.

I live in the US and my bro paid $500 for the Wii, and $330 for my DS Lite. So I understand the gamers pain. If I was in your country I would just try to have family/friends in another country ship to me. :/

I don't know why I thought Uruguay was somewhere in Europe, it's in South America. I've heard Brazilian prices, so now I see the pain in your wallets.

EDIT: BTW does that Mario & Sonic say it's $130,000 o_O;
 
R

Regulus Tera

Romanes Eunt Domus
SalsaShark said:
No. We arent a poor country at all either, but no they are not.



Fixed. And just turn your TV to the World Cup and see who`s kicking some major ass.
Click to expand...

Argentina and Netherlands, natch.

Everyone else is just waiting for them to kick their butts.
 
S

Salsa

Member
Regulus Tera said:
Argentina and Netherlands, natch.

Everyone else is just waiting for them to kick their butts.
Click to expand...

Damn didnt i have this discussion with you before ? :lol lets keep it at the OT.


I think that one of the crazier things is probably how buying online+shipment is sometimes a lot cheaper than buying a game in the mall around your corner. I dont know what would happen if more people realized this.
 
M

MidnightScott

Banned
PepsimanVsJoe said:
Those prices are almost as shocking as the guy who has never heard of Uruguay.
Click to expand...

Actually I think I saw the name before. You can't lay blame on me for not knowing every country in the world!

Mario & Sonic for $130,000 o-O

Or is that $130.059? Wait that doesn't make any sense...but that must mean O_O

I should set up a website for importers so they don't have to pay out the ass for games. And I could just charge $5 over local prices and find whatever the cheapest shipping option is for each country. But it would have to be on a case by case basis.

I guess a website wouldn't be the best idea then.

One of my friends in England sent me money to buy him Megaman Star Force one time. I bought it at Walmart, but shipping was like $11. It got to him pretty fast still though.
 
S

Salsa

Member
MidnightScott said:
Mario & Sonic for $130,000 o-O

Or is that $130.059? Wait that doesn't make any sense...but that must mean O_O
Click to expand...

I dont really remember, but both are possible.


I really should dig in on the buy/sell thread.
 
A

_Alkaline_

Member
Salacious Crumb said:
Major 3rd party releases in Australia retail for 105 USD (120 AUD)

"T.T 60 bucks is far too much for new releases, I can't handle it, and if the prices don't go down soon the games industry is gonna crash again." This is you AmeriGAF
Click to expand...

And this is why I almost always buy used games.
 
M

MidnightScott

Banned
SalsaShark said:
I dont really remember, but both are possible.


I really should dig in on the buy/sell thread.
Click to expand...

Yeah that would be a good place to start. Wow I just looked up the shipping via USPS to Uruguay, shits expensive o_o; http://pe.usps.com/text/Imm/tz_017.htm#ep1367597

I am totally clueless about mailing stuff internationally though. My grandpa mailed my friends package. Their website is very unhelpful. Someone would have to help me figure out how much it costs to ship it lol.
 
L

lastplayed

Member
Conflict NZ said:
It is still pretty bad here, every time the New Zealand Dollar drops significantly against the US the importers add $10, but don't remove that $10 when the Dollar goes back up. At the start of the generation games were $100-$110, now they are $130-$140.
Click to expand...

Only in extreme cases (MW2 for example), but you can still get new console cames from NZ$80-$100 if you know where to go (online, or dare I say, the Warehouse). It doesn't have to be too expensive.

Having said that, I love Steam when our $ is strong. :D
 
H

hxa155

Member
In Saudi Arabia (and the rest of the Middle East) the prices fluctuate and depend on how popular the title is. For example, GTA IV retailed for 500 SR (133 USD) but for the most part they are similar to prices of European countries.
 
S

Salsa

Member
hxa155 said:
In Saudi Arabia (and the rest of the Middle East) the prices fluctuate and depend on how popular the title is.
Click to expand...

I think this is the case over here as well. Reason for Mario game being more expansive than Kirby game even if it is a lot older.
 
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