Steam Switches to the US Dollar for its Turkiye and Argentina Stores

[btarunr]

Valve Software today announced that the Steam store will switch to the US Dollar as currency for Turkiye and Argentina. The stores for both countries have implemented this change as of November 20. The reason cited for the change is the high degree of volatility of the local currencies in the two markets, which is causing game developers to struggle to find the right pricing for their games. Gamers from other regions have been using VPNs to shop from these countries as the volatile exchange rates would mean low pricing. Those with Steam Wallet balances in the local currencies from these two markets will see their wallet balances convert to US Dollars at the day's exchange rate.



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[Yttersta]

Overall I'm happy with this change. For too long I have felt bad for getting indie games for a dollar or two. Now I can reward good games and punish bad ones better with my wallet I hope. Valve is fair with their local pricing still

 

[low]

I was there, 3000 years ago, when Death Stranding fell to 7$ at the release.

 

[theouto]

To be fair, if you look at the state of affairs at least in argentina, with a devaluation rate so insane that the normal day to day becomes a headache, this decision makes sense. I imagine if things stabilize then the regional pricing would go back.

Anyways, chilean steam store meta, coming up!

 

[kondamin]

Can you still get dollars as a Turk?
I thought the government had demanded all foreign currency held by citizens?

 

[ZeppMan217]

Can you still get dollars as a Turk?
I thought the government had demanded all foreign currency held by citizens?

You don't actually need USD, the Lira gets automatically converted according to the current official exchange rate.

 

[L'Eliminateur]

yeah we got royally shafted by steam, i can see the sales plummeting like a lead ballon after this.

Specially as we just today got a 35% hike in our exchange rate

 

[Vya Domus]

The real reason they did this is because it was a well known "trick" to use a VPN to make an account and buy games for cheap from the Turkish steam store.

 

[trsttte]

yeah we got royally shafted by steam, i can see the sales plummeting like a lead ballon after this.

Specially as we just today got a 35% hike in our exchange rate

Allow me to disagree, you got royally shafted by insane economic policies that sent the currency value hay wire. It sucks, but it isn't steam's fault

 

[Assimilator]

Allow me to disagree, you got royally shafted by insane economic policies that sent the currency value hay wire. It sucks, but it isn't steam's fault

Honestly it's a miracle that Steam has put up with this for so long. It's really not their problem to deal with countries whose economies are imploding.

 

[Chomiq]

Argentina inflation rate 143%
Turkey inflation rate 61%

Sure, blame Steam.

 

[bonehead123]

Can you still get dollars as a Turk?
I thought the government had demanded all foreign currency held by citizens?

Well, back in the 80's when I was there, the gov't policies on the possession & use of the Dollar seemed to change almost as frequently as I changed my underwear....not sure what their current policy is though

 

[L'Eliminateur]

Argentina inflation rate 143%
Turkey inflation rate 61%

Sure, blame Steam.

i will, not my fault politicians do shit.
As i've said, i don't see steam selling much after the 20th, too bad they don't really publish sales data per region

Honestly it's a miracle that Steam has put up with this for so long. It's really not their problem to deal with countries whose economies are imploding.

It is actually their problem if they want to operate in those countries.

piracy will once again skyrocket, even if it's a PITA to make multiplayer and patches work

 

[Niceumemu]

i will, not my fault politicians do shit.
As i've said, i don't see steam selling much after the 20th, too bad they don't really publish sales data per region

It is actually their problem if they want to operate in those countries.

piracy will once again skyrocket, even if it's a PITA to make multiplayer and patches work

Actually yes, your politicians are voted in by you and your peers, so it does fall on your shoulders as to what they do. Vote them out and join rallies or other efforts to get others doing the same.

 

[L'Eliminateur]

Actually yes, your politicians are voted in by you and your peers, so it does fall on your shoulders as to what they do. Vote them out and join rallies or other efforts to get others doing the same.

i don't vote those, rallies are useless.
so again, no, steam should keep our super cheap regional pricing, i hope they don't complain about piracy afterwards...

 

[R-T-B]

Argentina inflation rate 143%
Turkey inflation rate 61%

Sure, blame Steam.

Argentinas went nuts above that after they elected that libertarian candidate, which probably prompted this. Or so I'm told. Either way seems wise in the short term.

i don't vote those, rallies are useless.
so again, no, steam should keep our super cheap regional pricing, i hope they don't complain about piracy afterwards...

I understand lacking motivation and wishing things would work out without being an active participant but attitudes like that really are part of your issue I think. That's just not how the real world functions.

 

[GoldenX]

Argentina inflation rate 143%
Turkey inflation rate 61%

Sure, blame Steam.

This is a 470% price increase in games for us Argentinians.
Thank you for the games tax, Gaben.

 

[R-T-B]

This is a 470% price increase in games for us Argentinians.
Thank you for the games tax, Gaben.

Is it really that bad? Buying things in your local currency could not have been great either I picture?

Either way, my sympathy to the gamers on the ground. That's who looses when bozos run things into the ground (amongst everyone else).

 

[GoldenX]

Valve switched from demanding local prices here to suggesting them.

We can't pay full price for games, and now EA charges 70 bucks for their unfinished trash.

 

[MarsM4N]

Actually yes, your politicians are voted in by you and your peers, so it does fall on your shoulders as to what they do. Vote them out and join rallies or other efforts to get others doing the same.

The Turks elected the same clown again, definition of insanity. The Argentines however gambled this year, let's see if it pays out.

This is a 470% price increase in games for us Argentinians.
Thank you for the games tax, Gaben.

Just buy your games from key resellers. Not much more expensive than your old exchange rate.

 

[GoldenX]

Just buy your games from key resellers. Not much more expensive than your old exchange rate.

Or just stick to Xbox and Epic Games, that's what I plan until our gamble pays off or blows up.

 

[Prima.Vera]

Those countrie were lucky to have the store in local currency. Here in Japan, due to the galopant inflation and with the crappy Japanese Yen at all time weakest, the game prices doubled in less than 2-3 years...

 

[caroline!]

[pic of the hanging guy goes here] heh, first time?

You can ignore Steam -not like gaben is coming up with "taxes"- but that's kinda one of the first symptoms you're on your way to becoming a fourth world bananastic hellhole, worthless currency not being accepted, well, anywhere... the respective governments could and will try to apply copium measures such as limiting access or straight banning access to foreign currency, but in the end it'll be useless, I mean, it's a crime in my country to use US currency as legal tender for all debts public and private yet pretty much everyone uses it, de facto, cash only though, only downside is you can't pay with 50s or 100s unless you're actually spending that much on goods ($50 can get you a LOT), but since prices are low when you deal in USD the most used notes are 1, 5 and 10, rarely a 20 if it's for stuff like groceries or my favourite, electronic components, like, most prices are in cents unless rare specialised parts... it's a matter of convenience, a single note vs a whole backpack full of monopoly papers that acccount for the same value... it's just not worth it, literally.

Ah but it gets worse eventually, you let it snowball and you end up with so much restrictions you can't have access to cards with international purchase power, like me, reason I can't legally get any games from these platforms, sure they offer some free games but that's all I have access to, got some nice ones from Epic... GTA V, Dying Light, The Evil Within (one of my favourite games ever), Payday 2 tho I've never played it (not into multiplayer stuff), Death Stranding Director's Cut, Wolfenstein... those are nice, from Steam I got Half-Life, not much but it's a start right? hope they release more free games soon.

 

[theouto]

Valve switched from demanding local prices here to suggesting them.

We can't pay full price for games, and now EA charges 70 bucks for their unfinished trash.

Isn't there a 100% tax on games too? So if you buy a copy of dead by daylight then the government too gets a copy, truly multiplayer I guess.

 

[GoldenX]

Isn't there a 100% tax on games too? So if you buy a copy of dead by daylight then the government too gets a copy, truly multiplayer I guess.

155%.