Bad news for European gamers: Steam prices soar


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Valve's Steam distribution platform changes currency to euros for the European region, but operates on a 1 USD = 1 EURO pricing scheme. Today's actual rate is 1 EURO = 1.46 USD. Depending on local exchange rates this means hiking prices by 20 to 50 %!

Source: http://digg.com/pc_games/Bad_news_for_Euro..._soar_almost_50

Valve you make some good games, but at times prices for your games on Steam are ludicrous.

I can never understand the methodology of retail stores with physical copies severely out-pricing digital distribution which completely cuts out the middle man, packaging and disc based costs.

Couple of weeks ago I went to buy Football Manager 2009 on steam, it would've cost me ?36 or something.

I could buy it off shop-to for ?20 (ended up getting it in asda for ?27 cause I was in shopping), and the real kicker is the retail copy can activate through steam, so you actually end up with the game requiring no disc and installing updates with steam (aka it becomes the steam versio:laugh:gh:

Another example, Far Cry 2, ?34.99 on Steam

?17 MORE than what it costs on consoles (consoles are usually more expensive than PC gaming) - http://www.play.com/Games/PlayStation3/4-/...Far+Cry+2+(PS3)

?17 MORE than disc based PC retail also - http://www.play.com/Games/PC/4-/7113724/Fa...-2/Product.html

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Seems to have been (slightly) fixed, FM2009 is now ?29.99 inc VAT. Still a ridiculous price, but better than what you've said it was before Audioboxer...

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Huge thread about this at the steam forums.

When I bought Left4Dead the other week, I paid $49.99 (342.67 NOK). It's now available for the bargain price of ?44.99 (440.78 NOK)!

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They really need to start sending us some lube if they want to keep butt-humping us like that.

Best. Metaphor. Ever!

At least I hope it's a metaphor :blush:

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This will get sorted out very soon. People keep a very close eye on sales to price ratios there, so I can a decent midpoint happening.

Aside from the offers, Steam has always charged more than I would expect. As long as they get it sorted out by HL2:EP3, I don't mind :p

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The Euro currency was in beta. There were a lot of games listed at dubious/obviouslly bugged prices. My understanding is though is that you're not forced to pay in euros, and you can just select US currency at the top right of the page.

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The Euro currency was in beta. There were a lot of games listed at dubious/obviouslly bugged prices. My understanding is though is that you're not forced to pay in euros, and you can just select US currency at the top right of the page.

And then you'll just have to suffer the mandatory tax, so it all amounts to the same pretty much ...

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Just found this on the Steam Forums act quick before they change it!

Alien Shooter Vegence:

US $10, UK ?3 Saving: ?3

Bioshock:

US $55, UK ?14 Saving: ?18

Civilization 3 complete:

US $30, UK ?3 Saving: ?17

Crysis:

US $50, UK ?17 Saving: ?13

Exodus:

US $40, UK ?14 Saving: ?9

Flatout:

US $50, UK ?6 Saving: ?24

Jericho:

US $40, UK ?10 Saving: ?14

Outrun:

US $20, UK ?5 Saving: ?6

Overlord:

US $40, UK ?15 Saving: ?8

Psyconauts:

US $20, UK ?7 Saving: ?5

Rome Total War Complete:

US $30, UK ?10 Saving: ?7

Sid Meier's Pirates:

US $30, UK ?6 Saving: ?11

EDIT

Also just discovered this link.

Steam Store Prices Between ?1 and ?15

Edited by jelli
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The Euro currency was in beta. There were a lot of games listed at dubious/obviouslly bugged prices. My understanding is though is that you're not forced to pay in euros, and you can just select US currency at the top right of the page.

The euro change has gone live now, and you can't change it.

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The Euro currency was in beta.

When I read that, I had totally forgotten the context of the thread x) Then again, I suppose that's kinda what the UK is doing - letting the rest of Europe try out the Euro before we inevitably adopt it.

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