Valve Inflicts European Gamers with $1 = €1 Equation

[DarkMatter]

It really doesn't matter. This is a supply/demand issue. Valve projects that for a higher price, they can pull in more money or at least break even with the old price. There's nothing illegal about it. If it were illegal, all these cookie manufacturers couldn't sell the exact same cookie under 10 different brands ranging in price from $1 to $10 a box. If the demand exists, they exploit it.

So, if you don't like it, prove their economists wrong: don't buy the product off of Steam at the inflated price. If they see their bottom line declining because of the change, they'll change it back. Dollars and cents are the only language businesses understand. You decide what is "fair" or not by your "dollar vote."

For the 1000th time. I DON'T CARE WHAT IS LEGAL OR WHAT NOT! IT'S NOT FAIR AND THEY ARE SCAMING US JUST FOR THE SAKE OF MAKING MONEY, WHICH IS WHAT I SAID IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND I HAVE ALL THE RIGHTS IN THE WORLD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT SCAM!!

PLUS if it's legal or not that's something still to be seen.

Dont worry that I won't buy any game from Steam, a lot of people won't. I won't buy Valve games neither, maybe HL:Ep3 to finish the series, but that's all. I was going to buy L4D this holidays, but never will.

BUT that won't prevent this move from being profitable for them. With the new margins they just imposed, they could sell 10 times less games and still make more money than before. That's the sad part, that no matter what we do, they win, we lose. Because it's easy that a 10% of people will pay whatever they charge, they always do.

EDIT: Oh and BTW, what you said about the cookies doesn't happen in the EU (at least for long), there are laws in place to prevent that kind of things. It's sad if that happens in US, but what it is more sad is that you see it something normal. I will never understand the conformism of the "americans"...

 

[FordGT90Concept]

For the 1000th time. I DON'T CARE WHAT IS LEGAL OR WHAT NOT! IT'S NOT FAIR AND THEY ARE SCAMING US JUST FOR THE SAKE OF MAKING MONEY, WHICH IS WHAT I SAID IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND I HAVE ALL THE RIGHTS IN THE WORLD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT SCAM!!

It isn't a scam; it's economics. If the change causes losses from previous pricing, they'll change it back.

EDIT: Oh and BTW, what you said about the cookies doesn't happen in the EU (at least for long), there are laws in place to prevent that kind of things. It's sad if that happens in US, but what it is more sad is that you see it something normal. I will never understand the conformism of the "americans"...

It can't ever be stopped. If they just color one cookie green and one red, they can still sell it as a different brand for a different price despite tasting exactly the same. As with every law, there are many ways around it.

 

[DarkMatter]

It isn't a scam; it's economics. If the change causes losses from previous pricing, they'll change it back.

When economics go far beyond the value of the product or at least perceived value, then that's a scam. And definately when you are charging more to some than the others, that's a scam for sure.

It can't ever be stopped. If they just color one cookie green and one red, they can still sell it as a different brand for a different price despite tasting exactly the same. As with every law, there are many ways around it.

As I said there are laws to prevent that to some point. Them changing colors etc falls within my comment: "at least for long". They are fixed sooner or later. Tasting the same is not a problem, two products that are similar can be priced differently as long as it's definately a different product (aka they can demostrate they made them differently) or from a different vendor. It's if it's the same product from the same vendor sold at different prices when those laws can kick in.

 

[TheMailMan78]

For the 1000th time. I DON'T CARE WHAT IS LEGAL OR WHAT NOT! IT'S NOT FAIR AND THEY ARE SCAMING US JUST FOR THE SAKE OF MAKING MONEY, WHICH IS WHAT I SAID IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND I HAVE ALL THE RIGHTS IN THE WORLD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT SCAM!!

PLUS if it's legal or not that's something still to be seen.

Dont worry that I won't buy any game from Steam, a lot of people won't. I won't buy Valve games neither, maybe HL:Ep3 to finish the series, but that's all. I was going to buy L4D this holidays, but never will.

BUT that won't prevent this move from being profitable for them. With the new margins they just imposed, they could sell 10 times less games and still make more money than before. That's the sad part, that no matter what we do, they win, we lose. Because it's easy that a 10% of people will pay whatever they charge, they always do.

EDIT: Oh and BTW, what you said about the cookies doesn't happen in the EU (at least for long), there are laws in place to prevent that kind of things. It's sad if that happens in US, but what it is more sad is that you see it something normal. I will never understand the conformism of the "americans"...

You have yet to prove anything other than your contempt for Americans.

Other people here have posted facts and asked you to prove your side of the story and all we hear is crying "its not fair waaaa". Well show me I'm wrong. Show me how much Valve pays to distribute in YOUR local area. Show me how they are doing anything different than anyone else in the market? Also your statement "they could sell 10 times less and still make more money than before" proves nothing than your lack of understanding for the currency exchange rates. Please Darkmatter lets get down to brass tacks here. You don't want to pay more because its an American company or your just cheap.

 

[DarkMatter]

You have yet to prove anything other than your contempt for Americans.

Other people here have posted facts and asked you to prove your side of the story and all we hear is crying "its not fair waaaa". Well show me I'm wrong. Show me how much Valve pays to distribute in YOUR local area. Show me how they are doing anything different than anyone else in the market? Also your statement "they could sell 10 times less and still make more money than before" proves nothing than your lack of understanding for the currency exchange rates. Please Darkmatter lets get down to brass tacks here. You don't want to pay more because its an American company or your just cheap.

I already demostrated they pay NOTHING to distribute in the EU. Demostrate that they HAVE to pay anything. They DON'T, NO ONE HAS TO PAY ANYTHING, that's why we have VAT. Maybe contrary to the US, things are done transparently here, there's no money exchanged below the desk to have the right to market something (I'm not saying that happens in the US, but I'm asuuming yes?? Purely based on your comments and how you take as granted such a thing must happen). Anyone can do that and they will only ask VAT, that is directly passed to the customer anyway.

As for how much more they get with $1=1 € it's easy to demostrate. I have a friend in a Gamestop here, his salary is 1500 € per month* (14 payments + bonuses) and there are 6 working there (one is the boss). They sell less than 1000 games average per month and about 10 consoles. Let's extract hom much of the 45-50 € per game sold they get by the simple fact that the store does work financially (far from bankrupt). They are six employees: 6 * 1500 = 9000. Let me round that to 10000, the boss surely earns more, take into account the bonuses too, etc. So 10000 € have to be paid in salary concepts each month and 1000 games are sold. That's 10 € per game that goes into sellers salaries and 7 € is what pertains to VAT so 35 € is probably the max that the store ever pays for them. You still have to extract how much the delivery company takes, the intermediaries, etc. I can easily say that at max 20-25€ are paid to the publishers in retail. How much costs to make the game? Judging by the publishers reports of profits and how many games they sold, they usually make a profit of $3-$5 per game usually. Calculate it yourself, the numbers are public. Because through Steam they have to pay NO ONE of the people/services above mentioned, they'd get 50 - 20/25 = 25-30 € wich is $35-42. So yeah I don't dare to say that's 10 times more.

As you can see it is YOU who have no idea of how the market works. Revenue doesn't matter at all and currency exchange rate much less. It's profit what matters and that can certainly be 10 times higher, the more you inflate the price the more you get. If the euro is 50% higher you'd certainly get 50% more revenue. But the profit would be MUCH MUCH bigger. Learn a fact or two before saying such STUPID things as "proves nothing than your lack of understanding for the currency exchange rates", PLEASE DO US A FAVOR.

And as for "Please Darkmatter lets get down to brass tacks here. You don't want to pay more because its an American company or your just cheap."

I don't want to pay more, BECAUSE I DON't WANT TO PAY MORE. Because there's no fucking reason except Valve's greed for which I had to pay more than you, or an aussie or an asian boy. I don't know what's so wrong about that, that you have to enter here to complain about my desires of EQUITY and FAIRNESS, to the point that your only VALID POINT is that you doubt about my integrity.

* I want to express how hard has been to me that the reason I have phoned a friend to who I did not talk for almost a year (no reason for that) was to know those details, but I felt I had to. I now regret doing so, but it's done.

 

[silkstone]

Ok, Listen guys it's there excuse that most people are p@##$d off with - It makes it easier for the consumer - if that were the case why don't they do that with Canada? $1CD=1USD, much easier or even in Australia.
Secondly one of the biggest points is the tax - they now impose a flat rate tax onto the cost of games even if in that country you don't have to pay tax. Legal?? we'll see, i'm sure there have been lots of complaints. I'm sure most of you guys wouldn't be arguing this point if it were the same in the US.

 

[silkstone]

I don't want to pay more, BECAUSE I DON't WANT TO PAY MORE. Because there's no fucking reason except Valve's greed for which I had to pay more than you, or an aussie or an asian boy. I don't know what's so wrong about that, that you have to enter here to complain about my desires of EQUITY and FAIRNESS, to the point that your only VALID POINT is that you doubt about my integrity.

On many forums the Yanks seem to just to have an "It's your fault for being born in Europe" attitude.
But from browsing some forums it seems to me that steam have lost a lot of customers - hopefully you will see them revise their pricing policy. Whether they do or not will prove the point either way.

I hope your not thinking of me as an Asian boy ^^ I just live here.

 

[TheMailMan78]

I already demostrated they pay NOTHING to distribute in the EU. Demostrate that they HAVE to pay anything. They DON'T, NO ONE HAS TO PAY ANYTHING, that's why we have VAT. Maybe contrary to the US, things are done transparently here, there's no money exchanged below the desk to have the right to market something (I'm not saying that happens in the US, but I'm asuuming yes?? Purely based on your comments and how you take as granted such a thing must happen). Anyone can do that and they will only ask VAT, that is directly passed to the customer anyway.

As for how much more they get with $1=1 € it's easy to demostrate. I have a friend in a Gamestop here, his salary is 1500 € per month* (14 payments + bonuses) and there are 6 working there (one is the boss). They sell less than 1000 games average per month and about 10 consoles. Let's extract hom much of the 45-50 € per game sold they get by the simple fact that the store does work financially (far from bankrupt). They are six employees: 6 * 1500 = 9000. Let me round that to 10000, the boss surely earns more, take into account the bonuses too, etc. So 10000 € have to be paid in salary concepts each month and 1000 games are sold. That's 10 € per game that goes into sellers salaries and 7 € is what pertains to VAT so 35 € is probably the max that the store ever pays for them. You still have to extract how much the delivery company takes, the intermediaries, etc. I can easily say that at max 20-25€ are paid to the publishers in retail. How much costs to make the game? Judging by the publishers reports of profits and how many games they sold, they usually make a profit of $3-$5 per game usually. Calculate it yourself, the numbers are public. Because through Steam they have to pay NO ONE of the people/services above mentioned, they'd get 50 - 20/25 = 25-30 € wich is $35-42. So yeah I don't dare to say that's 10 times more.

As you can see it is YOU who have no idea of how the market works. Revenue doesn't matter at all and currency exchange rate much less. It's profit what matters and that can certainly be 10 times higher, the more you inflate the price the more you get. If the euro is 50% higher you'd certainly get 50% more revenue. But the profit would be MUCH MUCH bigger. Learn a fact or two before saying such STUPID things as "proves nothing than your lack of understanding for the currency exchange rates", PLEASE DO US A FAVOR.

And as for "Please Darkmatter lets get down to brass tacks here. You don't want to pay more because its an American company or your just cheap."

I don't want to pay more, BECAUSE I DON't WANT TO PAY MORE. Because there's no fucking reason except Valve's greed for which I had to pay more than you, or an aussie or an asian boy. I don't know what's so wrong about that, that you have to enter here to complain about my desires of EQUITY and FAIRNESS, to the point that your only VALID POINT is that you doubt about my integrity.

* I want to express how hard has been to me that the reason I have phoned a friend to who I did not talk for almost a year (no reason for that) was to know those details, but I felt I had to. I now regret doing so, but it's done.

Ok so VAT is a flat rate? You do know that VAT taxes are goverened by the local regions goverment/state/country. Again you do not know how much Valve pays to provide you with Steam as a service.

As for the exchange rates by your logic the EU would be hundreds of times richer than the United States and the UK would be the richest country in the world far beating the EU. Do some research and you would see thats simply not true. Also as for what it cost Gamestop to sell a game is completely irrelevant. Shipping costs and the such do not matter because Valve is charging what the MARKET DICTATES! You also do not know how much Valve has to pay to keep Steam as a service up and running. It ain't free thats for sure.

FYI you think the U.S. is crooked? I'm sure the EU never ever does anything under the table. Its all big business. Its all about the bottomline. Money. Welcome to the real world. Nothing is fair or equal. Everyone and everything has a price. If you don't like it then I suggest you move to Mars.

Ok, Listen guys it's there excuse that most people are p@##$d off with - It makes it easier for the consumer - if that were the case why don't they do that with Canada? $1CD=1USD, much easier or even in Australia.
Secondly one of the biggest points is the tax - they now impose a flat rate tax onto the cost of games even if in that country you don't have to pay tax. Legal?? we'll see, i'm sure there have been lots of complaints. I'm sure most of you guys wouldn't be arguing this point if it were the same in the US.

No silk I would express the fact it sucks I have to pay more but I wouldn't call "foul" and "illegal" if I knew it was just a market adjustment. As for our friends down under I think it sucks them guys have to pay more. I wish you didn't. But as with Europe I just wouldn't buy anything off of Steam until they readjust the prices and or correct the prices they have on certain third party games.

 

[silkstone]

No silk I would express the fact it sucks I have to pay more but I wouldn't call "foul" and "illegal" if I knew it was just a market adjustment. As for our friends down under I think it sucks them guys have to pay more. I wish you didn't. But as with Europe I just wouldn't buy anything off of Steam until they readjust the prices and or correct the prices they have on certain third party games.

Ok, we'll my point is that it sux and may be illegal (not is). I know that in the UK they/we have pretty stringent trading standard laws. But in saying that in the UK, cars used to cost 50% more than in Europe. I don't know if that has changed or what the current legal standing is over there, but it is interesting to see that steam has done this only to Europe and not the UK.
My knowledge of all things legal is fairly slim (apart from substances). How i like to see it Unfair=Illegal - I realize this is seldom the case.

I have however had a lot of experience with dual pricing systems, Where i live used to impose a 100% foreigner tax, and it seems that these things die pretty quickly when they get negative press.

mind you i would still call it foul - If it's never happened to you you wouldn't know the feeling of discrimination.

 

[btarunr]

Here's where I step in:

• As much as being expressive is fine, being vocal about things isn't...it usually spoils some serious and interesting debates
• Beyond a point let's agree to disagree with things...the participants of the debate hold the higher ground over the moderator of it, to decide when to do so...again, while things are within limits

Use these pointers as you proceed with the ongoing discussion. Thank You.

 

[DarkMatter]

Ok so VAT is a flat rate? You do know that VAT taxes are goverened by the local regions goverment/state/country. Again you do not know how much Valve pays to provide you with Steam as a service.

As for the exchange rates by your logic the EU would be hundreds of times richer than the United States and the UK would be the richest country in the world far beating the EU. Do some research and you would see thats simply not true. Also as for what it cost Gamestop to sell a game is completely irrelevant. Shipping costs and the such do not matter because Valve is charging what the MARKET DICTATES! You also do not know how much Valve has to pay to keep Steam as a service up and running. It ain't free thats for sure.

FYI you think the U.S. is crooked? I'm sure the EU never ever does anything under the table. Its all big business. Its all about the bottomline. Money. Welcome to the real world. Nothing is fair or equal. Everyone and everything has a price. If you don't like it then I suggest you move to Mars.

First of all 16%, 16% VAT per game, that's what I have to pay so that Valve can sell their games in Spain. The government charges that 16% to the companies that sell the games, but it's been long since the companies decided to pass that cost to the customers instead of putting them in their "operating expenses" (or whatever they call it) section of their annual reports.

Second, why in heaven would EU be hundreds of times richer? Or UK? YOU PROVE one more time you have NO IDEA what you are talking about. The euro and the pound are higher because the prices of things and/or cost of living are higher in the countries in which they are used. 30k € buys you about the same in the EU as $30k in US especially to what pertains to internal economy. The EU has indeed a little advantage when it comes to importing things, but also the same disadvantage when it comes to exporting things. If you knew something about economics, or if you had spent 1 second thinking about them before posting such an stupid thing, you'd have known that the importance of exportation greatly outweighs the one of importation. The more you export the better.

Third, the expenses DOES matter for fairness and it costs the SAME to Valve to market in the EU, Asia, Australia or the US. So charging more in the EU is NOT FAIR.

And finally,

FYI you think the U.S. is crooked? I'm sure the EU never ever does anything under the table. Its all big business. Its all about the bottomline. Money. Welcome to the real world. Nothing is fair or equal. Everyone and everything has a price. If you don't like it then I suggest you move to Mars.

There are MUCH MUCH more strict LAWS and punishments that prevent companies from doing those things here in the EU. God knows M$ learnt it and you should know it better by now.

As for how the world is, I know, I'm not naive, but the fact that the world is not fair that doesn't mean WE have not the right to complain. And just because some do bad things that doesn't mean we should let others make it too or even something worse as is the case. FYI, when we think something is not well, we meet together and complain about it in the streets (sorry for my lack of english vocabulary, but the word just doesn't want to come to my mind). In fact millions of people complained about the war of Iraq, just for example.

 

[TheMailMan78]

Here's where I step in:

• As much as being expressive is fine, being vocal about things isn't...it usually spoils some serious and interesting debates
• Beyond a point let's agree to disagree with things...the participants of the debate hold the higher ground over the moderator of it, to decide when to do so...again, while things are within limits

Use these pointers as you proceed with the ongoing discussion. Thank You.

Well then I shall agree to disagree. Let the EU voice with their dollars and not their government.

 

[DarkMatter]

Well then I shall agree to disagree. Let the EU voice with their dollars and not their government.

OK that explains it all. You won't say it here, but I almost can imagine your thoughts on this (typical american thinking I must say, in many forums I found it to be more common than I first thought): "Fucking socialists, they are evil. Guilty of everything that happens in the EU, that's for sure". And it's funny, because not a single person born in the US has the slightless idea of what Socialism is. Not that I agree with all of it's foundations, but I know that extreme capitalism is not the way to go. Capitalism has ruled the world more than ever and look where we are, into the worst crisis the planet has ever faced.

Ooops! Sorry: "Fucking socialists, they are evil. Guilty of everything that happens in the WORLD, that's for sure". Fixed.

 

[silkstone]

And just because some do bad things that doesn't mean we should let others make it too or even something worse as is the case. FYI, when we think something is not well, we meet together and complain about it in the streets

Well then I shall agree to disagree. Let the EU voice with their dollars and not their government.

DM> Yes, we all have the right to protest, as long as it doesn't infringe on the rights of others.

Mailman> The general feeling on the web is that a lot of steam users are boycotting the service. I just saw one poll, 68%=not use Steam, 15%=Continue 17%=Undecided.

So the general feeling is that it is certainly unfair and possibly illegal (but probably not). You have to expect a lot of gamers and users of their service to be "ranting and raving" about this. You'll also have a lot of dumb people using the famous words of Eddie Murphey "mmmmmm...........ok."

 

[DarkMatter]

DM> Yes, we all have the right to protest, as long as it doesn't infringe on the rights of others.

Mailman> The general feeling on the web is that a lot of steam users are boycotting the service. I just saw one poll, 68%=not use Steam, 15%=Continue 17%=Undecided.

So the general feeling is that it is certainly unfair and possibly illegal (but probably not). You have to expect a lot of gamers and users of their service to be "ranting and raving" about this. You'll also have a lot of dumb people using the famous words of Eddie Murphey "mmmmmm...........ok."

What would you say if I tell you that IMO Mailman's and Wile E's replies violate my right to protest? Would you understand better why I said they had no right to post the way they did? They are doing the Devil's advocate.

 

[silkstone]

What would you say if I tell you that IMO Mailman's and Wile E's replies violate my right to protest? Would you understand better why I said they had no right to post the way they did? They are doing the Devil's advocate.

Well, they haven't stopped you from saying what you want to say so they haven't violated your right to protest.
I disagree with what they have stated and it doesn't effect them, but the policy doesn't effect me either, but personally i have strong feelings about the issue.

Where i live used to have the same dual pricing system as steam has adopted. Different customers=different prices even if it is the same service and it is just wrong be it on a local or international level. Remember the internet dissolves borders.

There are more gamers in the state of California than many other states, but does that give EA the right to charge them more?

They have the right to defend the corporations if they feel the need. But i'm sure they wouldn't be defending their positions if it were an individual or even small business practising this

 

[TheMailMan78]

OK that explains it all. You won't say it here, but I almost can imagine your thoughts on this (typical american thinking I must say, in many forums I found it to be more common than I first thought): "Fucking socialists, they are evil. Guilty of everything that happens in the EU, that's for sure". And it's funny, because not a single person born in the US has the slightless idea of what Socialism is. Not that I agree with all of it's foundations, but I know that extreme capitalism is not the way to go. Capitalism has ruled the world more than ever and look where we are, into the worst crisis the planet has ever faced.

Ooops! Sorry: "Fucking socialists, they are evil. Guilty of everything that happens in the WORLD, that's for sure". Fixed.

Ill say it all day long. Socialism doesn't work. Socialism is stupid and anyone that follows it willingly is a moron. But thats not what I meant with my statement. Its not the governments place to say what a company can charge for a service. The only time the government should step in if an company is gouging a essential item such as water or food. I wouldn't consider video games to be essential.

Also for your information I have been all over this planet of ours and I do have a pretty good idea what Socialism is. Iv seen the best in mankind and the worst. You really shouldn't stereotype Americans. Its apparent you don't know many.

Mailman> The general feeling on the web is that a lot of steam users are boycotting the service. I just saw one poll, 68%=not use Steam, 15%=Continue 17%=Undecided.

So the general feeling is that it is certainly unfair and possibly illegal (but probably not). You have to expect a lot of gamers and users of their service to be "ranting and raving" about this. You'll also have a lot of dumb people using the famous words of Eddie Murphey "mmmmmm...........ok."

Well If I were in their shoes I probably wouldn't agree with it ether. However I wouldn't call it illegal or ask my government to get involved. Especially when I didn't know all the factors behind the decision. To call Valve "greedy" is a knee jerk reaction. To accuse them of foul play without knowing the facts is even worse. It brings about the term "guilty until proven innocent." which by any standard is wrong. Complain all you want. Its your right but slander is something else.

Now I attempted to take the high road with DarkMatter with the statement "Well then I shall agree to disagree. Let the EU voice with their dollars and not their government." but he insisted on continuing the argument insulting my country. All I ever asked is to give the accused (Valve) a chance to explain and maybe toss in some rational why they made this decision but if its against DarkMatter opinion then it MUST BE WRONG and it must be the "Evil Americans" at it again. Sadly this whole thing has just shown his opinion and contempt for another culture. No facts.

 

[DarkMatter]

Ill say it all day long. Socialism doesn't work. Socialism is stupid and anyone that follows it willingly is a moron. But thats not what I meant with my statement. Its not the governments place to say what a company can charge for a service. The only time the government should step in if an company is gouging a essential item such as water or food. I wouldn't consider video games to be essential.

Also for your information I have been all over this planet of ours and I do have a pretty good idea what Socialism is. Iv seen the best in mankind and the worst. You really shouldn't stereotype Americans. Its apparent you don't know many.

Well If I were in their shoes I probably wouldn't agree with it ether. However I wouldn't call it illegal or ask my government to get involved. Especially when I didn't know all the factors behind the decision. To call Valve "greedy" is a knee jerk reaction. To accuse them of foul play without knowing the facts is even worse. It brings about the term "guilty until proven innocent." which by any standard is wrong. Complain all you want. Its your right but slander is something else.

Now I attempted to take the high road with DarkMatter with the statement "Well then I shall agree to disagree. Let the EU voice with their dollars and not their government." but he insisted on continuing the argument insulting my country. All I ever asked is to give the accused (Valve) a chance to explain and maybe toss in some rational why they made this decision but if its against DarkMatter opinion then it MUST BE WRONG and it must be the "Evil Americans" at it again. Sadly this whole thing has just shown his opinion and contempt for another culture. No facts.

I usually don't stereotype people, but it's clear I just hit the nail: "Socialism is stupid and anyone that follows it willingly is a moron." For God's sake!!

Socialism doesn't work?? Haha can you back that up? You just can't because there's no model you can compare. Capitalism is what has failed badly, not socialism. And this comes from a capitalist guy who has never voted, nor is willing to vote socialists. But after the crisis and after understanding the reasons that lead to it, only a foul can't admit there's simply something really wrong with pure unrestricted capitalism.

You keep repeating we don't know the whole truth, but we do. Our governments are not charging them anything. I don't know from where did you take the idea you have from EU governments, but those have never charged anything to sell in them except VAT. You DO have to pay some fees IF you physically operate from here, but that's not the case with Valve. I will repeat it again, the only thing that Valve has to pay is VAT and is paid by us the customers.

Next thing we should know that can lead to Valve charging more?

There are a lot countries in Europe outside of the EU (with their own currency) and on those they have not changed the price (funny). UK is the most clear example, but not the only one. In any case on those countries the laws and taxes are pretty much the same, follow the same model and some are more socialist than those few in the EU (just in case that matters). And still no change in the pricing.

Not only that, but there's nothing new now that could make them follow the $1 = 1 € policy right now and not before, except the fact that due to the crisis more money can come in handy for them. Or the simple oportunity of making a lot of money. Do you honestly believe they've been losing money for 4 years straight????

I see it important to say once again that I never said that was illegal, and I neither said the government had to get involved. It should be investigated and eventually taken to court if they found something illegal, but that has nothing to do with the government, it's called separation of powers, you know.

And as to let Valve explain why, they already did and chose to say it was due to VAT being included and that they had some issues with the pricing. The VAT is a poor excuse as I have explained, because VAT is a fixed thing and the currencies change. Also they changed the price WAY ABOVE what would be required to pay 3 VATs in any country within the EU.

And the one about the issues is just a tremendous LIE, because they had already changed the pricing to € just a week before, BUT with the correct pricing.

All in all, if Valve themselves would have thought this was not UNFAIR, they would have not used such blatant excuses.

 

[TheMailMan78]

Capitalism has worked for well over 200 years in the United States. It works today. Capitalism has ups and downs but always remains strong. You win some and you lose some but you don't panic at the first sign of trouble and jump all over a new "ism". Can I back it up? Sure. Russia went Socialist then to Communist. I don't think it worked out to well for its people do you? Socialism is the transitional stage between Capitalism and Communism.

Cuba is another prime example of complete failure. You fail to understand what it stands for and how the common people are effected. Do you have any idea what violations on human rights countries that currently practice a form of Socialism have done? However I can name some pretty damn strong countries that practice capitalism without the cost of personal liberties. They have been economic powers longer than Socialism was even conceived.

Churchill said it best:

. . . a socialist policy is abhorrent to the British ideas of freedom. Socialism is inseparably interwoven with totalitarianism and the object worship of the state. It will prescribe for every one where they are to work, what they are to work at, where they may go and what they may say. Socialism is an attack on the right to breathe freely. No socialist system can be established without a political police. They would have to fall back on some form of Gestapo, no doubt very humanely directed in the first instance

So keep preaching how great Socialism is. I hope YOU never have to face it.

 

[DarkMatter]

Capitalism has worked for well over 200 years in the United States. It works today. Capitalism has ups and downs but always remains strong. You win some and you lose some but you don't panic at the first sign of trouble and jump all over a new "ism". Can I back it up? Sure. Russia went Socialist then to Communist. I don't think it worked out to well for its people do you? Socialism is the transitional stage between Capitalism and Communism.

Cuba is another prime example of complete failure. You fail to understand what it stands for and how the common people are effected. Do you have any idea what violations on human rights countries that currently practice a form of Socialism have done? However I can name some pretty damn strong countries that practice capitalism without the cost of personal liberties. They have been economic powers longer than Socialism was even conceived.

Churchill said it best:


So keep preaching how great Socialism is. I hope YOU never have to face it.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!

Spain is socialist now. Well the party at charge is socialist now and things have never gone better in my whole history.

In Russia COMUNISM failed and CUBA is COMUNIST too. Comunism =! Socialism. As I said you have no idea what socialism is, just what you have been told in a country that hates equity of mankind because they are the ones above all.

Oh and BTW Churchill? Seriously are you trying to make a point qouting him?

EDIT: Not only was Comunism what failed in Russia and not Socialism, but it was Socialism what made Russia one of the most powerful countries in the world. Then they adopted comunism and it took almost a century to fail. Also there were far more factors that led to the fall of the USSR than their economic model.

On the other hand capitalism might have worked for 200 years in the US, but when the crisis has come it's been socialist solutions the ones that Bush has applied to save the economy. I find it extremely funny. Don't you??

 

[WhiteLotus]

What has this thread turned into? lol

While it is unfair that this has happened, have the price of games gone up considerably in the EU now that this has happened?

I have no idea, don't really pay attention to prices.

 

[DarkMatter]

What has this thread turned into? lol

While it is unfair that this has happened, have the price of games gone up considerably in the EU now that this has happened?

I have no idea, don't really pay attention to prices.

Steam ones yes. Like a 75% increase in price.

 

[WhiteLotus]

Steam ones yes. Like a 75% increase in price.

then don't buy from steam. Purchase the game else where and Steam will in turn lower the prices.

Of course it isn't "fair" but not much is.

 

[TheMailMan78]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!

Spain is socialist now. Well the party at charge is socialist now and things have never gone better in my whole history.

In Russia COMUNISM failed and CUBA is COMUNIST too. Comunism =! Socialism. As I said you have no idea what socialism is, just what you have been told in a country that hates equity of mankind because they are the ones above all.

Oh and BTW Churchill? Seriously are you trying to make a point qouting him?

Spain's economy wasn't "booming" because socialist influence. If anything they are living off the fat of the past government of the late 80's and 90's. However you went from a 5% growth to a 3% growth under your "socialist" government. Your growth is slowing and in 20 years you may be back where you started. IF you don't start picking up some Capitalist practices soon. As for your comment about Russia and Cuba Ill repeat myself and say Socialism is the transitional stage between Capitalism and Communism. One is proven to work and the other has been proven to fail. Why would you even consider any practice out of a failed "ism".

Also Ill quote Churchill all day. The man was a genius.

 

[DarkMatter]

then don't buy from steam. Purchase the game else where and Steam will in turn lower the prices.

Of course it isn't "fair" but not much is.

The problem is that with the new price they just have to sell 10-20% the number of games they used to sell in order to make the same profit and they save in administrative expenses, server trafic, etc. Do you think there's not going to be 1 out 10 or 1 out of 5 that will buy the games? There's going to be surely, so we already lost. They have just become elitists and it does work as an economic model. Many hardware vendors have followed that route and car manufacturers, etc.