Why is Rome 2 $80 USD in Australia?

[Dewy]

So why exactly do Australians pay $20 USD more ($80 USD in total) for Rome 2 on steam than US customers? It's $60 USD in New Zealand so it can't be a distance thing and Valve games are the same price in Australia as the US so it isn't a Valve thing. So the only reason I can think of is that Sega thinks "**** Australians they'll pay more for it".

[Post Hoc]

Price just went up ​https://ebgames.com.au/pc-158497-Total-War-ROME-II-PC


P.S. A helpful article http://www.gamespot.com/features/why...-drop-6401518/

[Dewy]

$8 more for not having to download Rome 2 (probably over 20 GB) is worth it. Maybe SEGA has a deal with retailers to up the price on digital platforms to get people into the retail stores? Either way it's still a rip off. :/

[Aeneas Veneratio]

It's not just R2TW that is overpriced in Australia, all games are. I found this article on the subject, but it doesn't really give a final conclusion other than to present a few hypothesis on the matter (http://www.kotaku.com.au/2010/11/why...-cost-so-much/).

A few possible explanations for the overpriced games:
- Parallel import restrictions, which increase the cost of buying overseas. Without the restrictions oversea purchases could have pushed the prices down.
- Local vendor may face higher operational costs – higher wages to staff, and higher business taxes.
- Regulations cost: The ratings are stricter and a game with MA15+, instead of perhaps a lower PG rating, will have a smaller consumer market, therefore they increase the price to "make a profit".

None of it, though, explains the reason to jam up the price on digital downloads like the ones offered by Steam.

[IZob]

$80
8 starting nations that hardly fill the map; how many nations are left as unplayable, until sold as DLC?
If DLC goes for something like $5 each, and only covers small areas like Athens, Sparta and Epirus; that means there is going to be a lot of DLC.

So (wild estimate here) I can assume, on top of the $80-70 price range that will last for the next 2-3 years, I will probably have to pay an extra $50 for the remaining 10-20 other nations in the game?

And on top of this insult, there will be no modding of new nations, am-I-right? Because CA cant let people make their own "Athens" nation. Nooo that has to be sold in a $5 bundle because if SEGA/CA lost that money, then they wouldn't be able to pay the guy that created the ... bird animations.

I'm watching you price tag.

[Grobar]

I saw a story on ‘Today Tonight’ about price differences between AUS and rest of the world. Basically everyone is charging us more because we are willing to pay more. There is no other reason. A blatant rip off.
Having said that, the number of hours I am going to get out of Rome 2 more than justifies its price.

[Dewy]

It's not just R2TW that is overpriced in Australia, all games are. I found this article on the subject, but it doesn't really give a final conclusion other than to present a few hypothesis on the matter (http://www.kotaku.com.au/2010/11/why...-cost-so-much/).

A few possible explanations for the overpriced games:
- Parallel import restrictions, which increase the cost of buying overseas. Without the restrictions oversea purchases could have pushed the prices down.
- Local vendor may face higher operational costs – higher wages to staff, and higher business taxes.
- Regulations cost: The ratings are stricter and a game with MA15+, instead of perhaps a lower PG rating, will have a smaller consumer market, therefore they increase the price to "make a profit".

None of it, though, explains the reason to jam up the price on digital downloads like the ones offered by Steam.

I get why retail is more expensive ($88 at retail isn't much more than cost price) but there is no reason it should be more expensive on Steam.

I saw a story on ‘Today Tonight’ about price differences between AUS and rest of the world. Basically everyone is charging us more because we are willing to pay more. There is no other reason. A blatant rip off.
Having said that, the number of hours I am going to get out of Rome 2 more than justifies its price.

During the parliamentary hearing of software prices Microsoft basically came out and said that Australians are willing to pay more so we charge more. IIRC the chairman of the parliamentary hearing committee said that the software companies' reasons weren't good enough or were completely wrong. Especially with digital downloads where there is no increase cost in selling to Australians.

Tbh I'm not going to be surprised if the Australian government takes it further. Overcharging Australians is hurting our economy. Particularly for businesses where it costs a few times more to stay up to date than it does for US companies.

[Yayattasa]

$80
8 starting nations that hardly fill the map; how many nations are left as unplayable, until sold as DLC?
If DLC goes for something like $5 each, and only covers small areas like Athens, Sparta and Epirus; that means there is going to be a lot of DLC.

So (wild estimate here) I can assume, on top of the $80-70 price range that will last for the next 2-3 years, I will probably have to pay an extra $50 for the remaining 10-20 other nations in the game?

And on top of this insult, there will be no modding of new nations, am-I-right? Because CA cant let people make their own "Athens" nation. Nooo that has to be sold in a $5 bundle because if SEGA/CA lost that money, then they wouldn't be able to pay the guy that created the ... bird animations.

I'm watching you price tag.

8+1 on day-1 (Pontus was included)
8+1+3 if you preorder (Athens, Sparta and Epirus were included for free on preorder)

[IZob]

8+1 on day-1 (Pontus was included)
8+1+3 if you preorder (Athens, Sparta and Epirus were included for free on preorder)

Sorry my bad, 9 factions then.

Dewy, are you Australian, or an immigrant there? If you think $80 is expensive or unfair, then you must not have been gaming in Australia for very long. When I lived there for several years, new games were $100 or more. Your very best bet is to get games from Play-Asia, as I use to before. They're reliable and the shipping is free still it seems.

http://www.play-asia.com/Total_War_R...n-70-4k05.html $60 for you! Cheers!

$88 in retail, $80 online, $60 in the US, online. The price difference in retail to online is understandable. But comparing that to over seas...

Its not about the common trend, that all Australian games are expensive (that itself is a different problem and isn't just limited to prices of games);

Problem is the price difference for the online product: Selling virtual products online, its all downloaded from the same place.

For example: I can purchase PA for $40. That same price is being used all over the word.

There really is no reason for the price increase.

Surely one could bypass the Steam pricing by changing their nationality to British or something.....?I'm not suggesting it; but I'm merely noting an opinion.

I don't think it is that easy or possible. Steam uses your IP address to locate your position.

[Aklis]

You should be able to buy it from www.greenmangaming.com for 45 USD.

[Aeneas Veneratio]

If you know someone, who usually travels abroad on business, you could ask that person, if he/she would bring home a cheaper retail copy of the game you want.

[Barbarian Nobility]

We usually receive the arse of everything in Australia anyway, why should this be any different?

[oOIYvYIOo]

The game still costs the same since i ordered on August 2012 ,55.78 euros,not a single change.

[BlackCore]

its 88 in new zealand...

[Greve Af Göteborg]

Australia is really a terrible place to live in as a gamer.

[von stoker]

$80Aus is normal for big ticket games (Skyrim, total war etc.) in australia and has been for years. I paid $90 for Medieval 2. $80 is a night out. compare that to over 1000 hours of gameplay.

[IZob]

$80Aus is normal for big ticket games (Skyrim, total war etc.) in australia and has been for years. I paid $90 for Medieval 2. $80 is a night out. compare that to over 1000 hours of gameplay.

Thats because the Australian economy has been the best economy (world wide) for years

[Dewy]

its 88 in new zealand...

I have multiple kiwi's telling me it is $60 USD on steam. Are you talking about retail?

$80Aus is normal for big ticket games (Skyrim, total war etc.) in australia and has been for years. I paid $90 for Medieval 2. $80 is a night out. compare that to over 1000 hours of gameplay.

Maybe at retail but not always on steam. However I may not tend to notice because I buy games from good companies such as Valve and Paradox who don't discriminate based on location. Total War games are pretty much the only games I buy from "major" publishers.

[Toho]

why not buy the game from amazon and have it shipped to your location?

or even better use green gaming man which you only pay 45$, there is no discrimination in terms of location.

[Dewy]

Dewy, are you Australian, or an immigrant there? If you think $80 is expensive or unfair, then you must not have been gaming in Australia for very long. When I lived there for several years, new games were $100 or more. Your very best bet is to get games from Play-Asia, as I use to before. They're reliable and the shipping is free still it seems.

http://www.play-asia.com/Total_War_R...n-70-4k05.html $60 for you! Cheers!

I'm 6th generation Australian. $100 (up to $120) used to be a normal price for games at retail (back when the Aussie dollar was way below USD) but $80 USD on steam isn't that normal. It's becoming normal as more and more companies are overcharging Australian customers on steam, not all do though. And as I said before I tend to not buy those games.

why not buy the game from amazon and have it shipped to your location?

or even better use green gaming man which you only pay 45$, there is no discrimination in terms of location.

Yeah a lot of people are telling me to use green man gaming. I'll just receive a steam key right?