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Another game hit by the Switch tax: Minecraft Story Mode

Shiggy

Member
Just as the Rime pricing controversy has been resolved, another game appears to add a 10 EUR/USD premium for Switch users.

Minecraft Story Mode is available on all other platforms (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U) for 34.99 EUR or 29.99 USD. Major retailers around the world list the Switch version, which is coming in July, for 44.99 EUR/ 39.99 USD now:

Amazon.com
Gamestop.com
BestBuy
Amazon.fr
Amazon.es
FNAC.fr
Saturn.de
Gamestop.de


48048413z.jpg
 

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
Shiny new console tax has been there forever - PS4/XBO versions of many games were also more expensive than their PS360 counterparts like TWD Collection from Telltale.
 

commish

Jason Kidd murdered my dog in cold blood!
Shiny new console tax has been there forever - PS4/XBO versions of many games were also more expensive than their PS360 counterparts like TWD Collection from Telltale.

Were they released at the same time? And wouldn't the PS4 versions actually be upgrades to the last gen version?
 
Almost as insulting as that box art. Console launches usually have games marked up, though presumably it's for other reasons. Wonder if this will continue, hopefully not.
 
Mmmh, on the other hand, that Switch version here is packing episodes 1-8.

When the disc version was released on other consoles, the box was only covering episodes 1-5, because episodes 6, 7 and 8 were added later and I think they were in a second season pass.
 

Fat4all

Banned
Mmmh, on the other hand, that Switch version here is packing the episodes 1-8.

When the disc version was released on other consoles, the season pass was only covering episodes 1-5, because episodes 6, 7 and 8 were added later.

It's comparing the prices of the Complete Adventure (all episodes)
 

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
Were they released at the same time? And wouldn't the PS4 versions actually be upgrades to the last gen version?

No they werent released at the same time - same as with MC Story Mode.

I dont know what upgrades the PS4 would have besides the higher resolution/better performance because of the more powerful hardware. Thats a given because of the hardware. Otherwise we could start adding up the PSV and PS4 prices of games and compare them to the Switch price because its a hybrid.
 

ReyVGM

Member
There's no fucking Switch tax. The increase comes from the fact that there's a physical version involved and usually companies want to keep price parity with digital/physical versions.
 

Shiggy

Member
No they werent released at the same time - same as with MC Story Mode.

Apart from the Wii U version, the retail version The Complete Adventure launched simultaneously on all platforms.


There's no fucking Switch tax. The increase comes from the fact that there's a physical version involved and usually companies want to keep price parity with digital/physical versions.

The physical version is cheaper on all other platforms. Please read the first post again to make sure you understand the issue at hand.


Is that only for the physical version? The UK version still shows it to be 28.99:

https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Wii-U/Minecraft-Story-Mode-The-Complete-Adventure-1167756.html

That's the Wii U version, which is cheaper, as said in the first post.
 

13ruce

Banned
What's with the 5 euro tax? But honestly new psn games are 69,99 and retail for 60 so i guess it's just dumb euro digital tax?
 
Do we know for sure that this is the retail pricing and not a placeholder? I'm hoping that this doesn't become a problem, but so far we haven't seen too many examples. Let's keep it that way!
 
There's no fucking Switch tax. The increase comes from the fact that there's a physical version involved and usually companies want to keep price parity with digital/physical versions.

There are physical and digital releases on almost every other platform, all 10 bucks cheaper.
 

oakenhild

Member
Any publishers considering this really need to use the Puyo Puyo Tetris and (now) Rime loophole of adding in some trinket or OST with a '$10 value' so they can drop the digital price.

Just not willing to support paying more for digital on Switch than other systems.

Edit: And Nintendo needs to figure out their physical pricing situation ASAP. Either charge less for cartridges, and eat the cost until prices come down or push publishers into the trinket game.
 

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
Apart from the Wii U version, the retail version The Complete Adventure launched simultaneously on all platforms.

Talking about the Switch version compared to the other/older ones obv. - it was the same way when Telltale started bringing those collections to PS4/XBO. People were flipping out because it the PS4 version didnt include TWD S2 at that price point.

Thats just one example of many....has been happening since forever - thats how the market works, its not a Switch exclusive occurrence.
 
Shiny new console tax is not the same as old gen discount. A COD / (Destiny?) game being 50$ on old gen consoles means new gen keeps the 60$ price. This is a price hike, pure and simple.
 

Aostia

El Capitan Todd
The famous tax thar applies to the never ending list of...one game in one region?
Puyo puyo in EU, while it was cheaper in AUS?
because Rime will be sold on par with other platform and I don't remember many other games involved in this infamous scandalous trend
 

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
With PS4/XBO versions your at least getting some FPS and/or resolution bump.

...and with the Switch version you get a portable and console version ? Your point being ?
Better performance or the games using the features of the console are the reason people double dip in the first place.
 

Shiggy

Member
Talking about the Switch version compared to the other/older ones obv. - it was the same way when Telltale started bringing those collections to PS4/XBO. People were flipping out because it the PS4 version didnt include TWD S2 at that price point.

Thats just one example of many....has been happening since forever - thats how the market works, its not a Switch exclusive occurrence.

The difference is that those platforms started a new cycle. With the price of Minecraft Story Mode being the same across PS3/X360 and PS4/X1, the price did not drop down to TWD PS3/X360 levels; instead the price was increased on PS3/X360. Switch isn't really starting a new generation cycle now, and I also don't see publishers charging more for PS4/X1 games to match the Switch price.

In other words, the situation is not the same.


The famous tax thar applies to the never ending list of...one game in one region?
Puyo puyo in EU, while it was cheaper in AUS?
because Rime will be sold on par with other platform and I don't remember many other games involved in this infamous scandalous trend

Rime is 10 EUR/USD more expensive at retail, just as Puyo Puyo Tetris.
 

Fredrik

Member
Don't be that guy, MS. Not now. This is bad PR and you really don't need that now. Treat people right and people will treat you right. Treat people bad and people will treat you bad. Price parity is a must.
 
...and with the Switch version you get a portable and console version ? Your point being ?
Better performance or the games using the features of the console are the reason people double dip in the first place.

Pretty much. If the Switch gets all the same games PS4 and Xbox does, even the huge AAA ones, I see it as a portability tax.
 

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
The difference is that those platforms started a new cycle. .

There is no difference - the PS4/XBO version were more expensive because they could get away with it since the library on those systems were relatively small at that point - exactly like on Switch right now. Later Telltale releases on PS4/XBO were cheaper again because they had more competition from their own Telltale games and other publishers.

This is the first Telltale or Adventure game of this kind on Switch...they have no competition on a new popular system - ofc they will try to get away with a higher price. Same way they would on every other new console.

To be fair, the game is also a lot older now, so charging more is only natural.

Its Minecraft related - doesnt really matter how old it is, they can charge that price.
Or are you expecting regular Minecraft or GTAV to drop in price soon because of their age.
 
...and with the Switch version you get a portable and console version ? Your point being ?
Better performance or the games using the features of the console are the reason people double dip in the first place.

Except the physical versions of Telltale games are always $30 on all consoles. In fact new gen consoles hardly get price hike ups. They're still around the standard price games usually cost. It's more the last gen version are $10 cheaper.
 
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