Last time I was over in the States I bought my daughter a dress and a wee snappy dog thing, and a load of sweets and crisps. They weren’t particularly cheap, but I wasn’t expecting them to be. Unlike games and movies which – for reasons I’m sure are perfectly obvious – tend to be considerably cheaper. Transport for one, of course, because shipping stuff around is less expensive when fuel is so much cheaper. Rent? Maybe. Wages? Not sure.
But here’s the thing, and I’m not the only one confused – why are digital downloads so much more expensive over here than in America? If we look at Burning Skies in isolation for a moment, this is a 3GB game that costs US gamers $36 (after SCEA’s little slip-up) and UK gamers £40. That’s a considerable difference – when you factor in exchange rates it’s about $60 dollar for dollar – around 70% higher than the American version.
[drop]And yes, the file size is a little bit bigger (to account, presumably, for the localised voice-work) but the figures in that respect don’t seem to correlate at all.Even if you take VAT and tax into account it’s still not pleasant reading – take 20% off $60 and it’s still $48, add on 10% (approximately) tax to the US version and you get nearer $40 again, and that’s against $60. There’s an odd difference here, and it’s not immediately obvious – to me – why that might be.
Lets assume that there’s no transport costs – this is a purely digital download. Are we, as consumers, footing the bill for advertising costs, or is this just a case of having to placate retailers who would throw their dummies out of the prams if Sony tried to actually sell the game at below the price they’re punting it out at on the shelves? If GAME are selling it for £40, does that mean SCEE have to match them on the Store or risking upsetting anyone on the high street?
That’s not been the case for past titles, digital pricing was something Sony started to get right with their first party titles like LittleBigPlanet PSP and ModNation Racers PSP. As far as I’m concerned that’s hardly my problem anyway, it’s something they should sort out with retailers and I shouldn’t have to consider.
I’m also curious as to what happened to the 10% discounts on PSN games we were promised?
There’s so much counting against the Vita just now – the lack of respect afforded to it on the E3 stage, the lack of prominent advertising, the growing feeling that there isn’t enough software on the way to sustain it and invigorate its Christmas sales. There’s also a lot to count against Resistance: Burning Skies – mediocre review scores and chart positions to match reflect a game which has moments of enjoyment mired in many flaws. So overpricing a key piece of software, when there’s plenty of discouragement from taking the leap already, seems like madness.
Is this a mistake from someone at SCEE? It seems unlikely, mistakes can be (and have been) corrected, why wouldn’t they fix this? So it appears that the overpricing in Europe is either the result of some unknown factor forcing their hand or a deliberate attempt to gouge customers in a market that traditionally accepts a fair bit of price gouging. Either way, it’s not really acceptable and it demands some sort of acknowledgement and explanation.
We won’t get it, of course, but it’s always worth asking the question.
OneShotWook
I ask myself a similar question every time my brother sends me tobacco from Egypt,4 quid for 50g.The amount costs upwards of 15 quid in this country (UK),the ironic part is that the tobacco packs clearly have Product of JT international made in the Uk written on them.
Travel to Egypt and back somehow decreases the cost by 11 quid which fuses my logic grills.
JesseDeya
No, that one makes perfect sense. Government taxes on tobacco are away of intentionally increasing the price for smokers. Something I wholeheartedly support.
If you want to kill yourself with cigarettes go ahead, but when you and the millions of other smokers end up clogging up the national health system with completely avoidable smoking related health disorders you end up costing ME money. The least you can do is help pay for the treatment of whatever stupid condition you’re going to end up with.
OneShotWook
Do i get concessions for being private,or not being fat,or is there any evidence that the hugely inflated cost on cigarettes actually does goto the health service?
And quite honestly after paying taxes since working age plus fuel revenues and god knows what else and never spending a day in hospital for 39 years i think i’ve earned more than a crappy hospital bed to die in.
To go back to the original article it’s because were regarded generally as mugs.Both my comment and Jesses seem to back that up.
Crocadillian
Everyone has their issues, whether it creates a cost in economical terms or otherwise. Besides, alcohol is a far greater cost to the UK than tobacco, but of course alcohol is harder to target due to it’s significance in our economy and in society.
Don’t start pointing fingers dude :3
JesseDeya
Yes, everyone has their vices but I’m not the one who brought cigarettes up as an example of price hiking. My point is that cigarettes are hiked for a specific reason (regardless of effectiveness or anyone’s agreeance), games are a different story.
Agree however this is off topic and best left for forum banter.
Shalashaska
It’s very rare that I buy anything off the ps store mainly due to bandwidth but the prices are redonculus, GRFS for 60 yoyo’s, burning skies for 45!! I can get both titles in GameStop for a tenner less. Sony really needs to wake up about it’s pricing in general and not just for the vita
AcidCrashX
out of interest, did you reach sony for comment on this article? as you say at the end it demands some kind of acknowledgement.
sony have always said (when i’ve brought up issues with pricing on the blog anyway) that it was the publisher who sets these prices but seeing as Sony is the publisher in this case (reply if im incorrect in this) they should be able to set the price which is comfortable for the consumer
deadwelsh
pure greed
xdarkmagician
When the PS3 was announced, developers talked about the increase costs to develop games. Some notable developers discussed that sometime games would have to increase in price, they even hinted at the price increase happening with the PS3. One could even say that with day 1 DLC and online passes and “Elite/Unlimited” clubs it has. vita games cost more than PSP games so we’re seeing the increase now, and personally I believe PS4 games will cost more than PS3 games. Sony is now tasked with trying to figure out the most someone will pay for a game, or what increase in cost will still provide a huge initial sales. In short they’re testing the waters and games like resistance are Sony’s big toe. And Sony can always reduce the price and people that won’t buy it at the higher price will pick it up then. It’s capitalism at work, and since NA and EU are different markets with different people with different buying habits and different prices in general, EU gets a different price for their own study.
seravok
I always get angry when I look att the pricing in the US, sometimes even the UK. The pricing for Burning skies here in sweden are 405 SEK/56,7 USD/36,4 GBP
DixNeuf
Are the games heavily localised for Europe (translation, voice acting)? That could account for *some* of the price difference across the pond…..
flatspikes
I thought the RRP on this was £44.99 like Uncharted, is this definitely not the case? Regardless it doesn’t help explain the transatlantic difference. I’ve always felt PSN full games should not only be discounted be depreciate inline with retail. This never happens outside of steam sales:-(
DarthSharkey
Honestly, Download games are a rip off!
I only buy PSN titles or bargain discount games and I’m glad I do, I bought Resistance: BS yesterday for £35. Played it for 3 hours yesterday and 2 today and have the Platinum Trophy already. Game was okay but I wouldn’t play it again, (trading it tomorrow for £24 plus Games extra 25% added also).
If I had paid £40 off the store I would be raging as it is not worth the price and would never be played again when I can get £30+ tomo towards another game.
The PSN prices are pathetic, especially the Assassins Creed III preorder of £49.99!
MadJunkBoy
it’s amazing that it can differ so much!!