Higher Game Prices Coming to the U.K.

[TankCopter]

A lot PS3 and 360 games set us Australians back, what, 90-100+ dollars? Then they little buggers have the audacity to be released later than they are in other countries. In the town I live (small, remote place) I've spent $120 on a game on several occasions, only to find it's about $80-$90 in the city.

 

[Tattaglia]

Sure it's not fair, but you don't see us poor Oceanians complaining about our $100 game purchases; http://gamesman.co.nz/

*smokes on a cigar made from a Dodo*

 

[Fineldar]

So CoD 4 2 costs almost as much as a Wii? Damm Gina, that so expensive. I mean I used to complain when I had to pay $25

 

[Sneaklemming]

Wouldn't it be odd to see a 15-20 pound difference in brand new games just because theyre from different publishers. Would it be the a first for games?

 

[Dogstile]

I've never understood why England can't just convert to the euro, but this is a crappy turn of events for them nonetheless.

And hey, EA really has changed.

Because converting to a different currency is a bother, and we brits hate that.

Either way, this is bad for me, i have to miss most game release's nowadays because i haven't got the money, this makes it worse

 

[Sevre]

This isn't going to help Piracy is it?

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I may be remembering things wrongly, but I'm pretty sure my Atari 2600 was around the £200 mark and the games were £30-40 each then.

That's £30-40 for ET, over 25 years ago.

Have prices really shot up so much, compared with other things?

Of course you could look at the Spectrum/Amstrad/C64 days where you could buy a game on cassette for £1.99, but then games were being written in bedrooms by 1 or 2 people, or small teams back then.

I still think most games companies are suffering from serious bloat however, and spending too much on CGI and celeb voiceovers and the like, when most gamers would happily take a slightly less pretty game for half the price.

 

[Doug]

Activision [http://www.activision.com] has confirmed that the regular edition of Modern Warfare 2 will launch in the U.K. at £54.99 (roughly $90) and retailers are expecting other publishers to impose similar price hikes. A weak British currency and "record development costs" are being blamed for the increases.

WHAT THE HELL!?! Its like paying the special edition price for every sodding game! This is ridiculous, if the price is $50 to the yanks, why are we paying the about $90?! Even including VAT thats frankly stupid. Those sods in the industry, trying to milk us for cash AGAIN. Ok everyone, who wants to form an Escapist development team to make our own games?

 

[SenseOfTumour]

£54.99, which means store will buy em in at around £25-30, and probably sell them at nearer 40-45 to make sure the stock still moves.

Better to make 10-15 on a bunch of sales than 25 on none.

 

[Eagle Est1986]

I really don't understand this justification, when the dollar was at it's record low, a year or two ago, Americans weren't paying more for games and we Brits weren't getting our games any cheaper. Back then, we were paying the equivalent of $80 for our games.
At the current exchange rate, our £40 standard price for games is equal to just over $65. So we're still paying more than our cousins across the bond but publishers feel like that's not enough?
Bollocks.
If I hadn't already been guaranteed it's original price tag because of my Amazon pre-order, I'd completely ignore Modern Warfare 2, we're always getting shafted over here for games. Good for EA though, I'm glad they've got some decency amd if their games are £15 cheaper than their competitors' then they'll be flying off the shelves.

 

[Crystal Cuckoo]

Everyone in Australia will know what I'm talking about when I say: CRY MOAR.
Honestly, I calculated what 55 quid would be here, and it's only $110!
That's the same as what we would pay for a normal game! Heck, even Steam's cheaper than going to a local store.
We've been putting up with these ridiculous prices for years, and we've hardly complained about it.

 

[Kilaknux]

Oh good! Because games were so damn cheap here to begin with, I was beginning to feel like I wasn't being ripped off! London rage...

 

[Northern]

Back in the day, wasn't Perfect Dark (N64) about £50 on launch ... hmm.

 

[Doug]

Everyone in Australia will know what I'm talking about when I say: CRY MOAR.
Honestly, I calculated what 55 quid would be here, and it's only $110!
That's the same as what we would pay for a normal game! Heck, even Steam's cheaper than going to a local store.
We've been putting up with these ridiculous prices for years, and we've hardly complained about it.

Maybe you should complain about it? Else you won't get it changed. Although that said, I think part of the problem is your seemingly anti-gamer government who seem to think you're all sub-human.

 

[Soxafloppin]

Just what my wallet needs, great.

 

[Akio]

We have less disposable income... they plan to make us spend more per title... glad I'm not the only one who can't see sense in their logic.

 

[Beltom]

Unless this game is the electronic equivalent of God, I highly doubt many people will be buying it on release at Christmas. I mean, you could buy three games off Steam for 55 quid and they're going to be charging that price for single games? It's bloody stupid.

 

[Blue22]

Who saw this coming? Just a question.

 

[TheGreenManalishi]

I'll keep to second hand.

 

[StigmataDiaboli]

I never buy 'new' games now. It's expensive already, with Fuel being £45.99 new as an example from my local game supplier. I just find it better to leave it for a few months, mind you with saying that, COD4 only hit £25 pre-owned last month.