Can someone from Bethesda please explain why Australians are being charged 45% more than other countries for Bethesda games?



BRINK $49.99 us

BRINK $89.99 au -(45.45% more)


Hunted: The Demon’s Forge $49.99 us

Hunted: The Demon’s Forge $89.99 au -(45.45% more)


Fallout: New Vegas $49.99 us

Fallout: New Vegas $89.99 au -(45.45% more)

Source: http://www.steamprices.com/au and before anyone post that it's steams fault also check out the first question on the FAQ page; http://www.steamprices.com/au/faq

Also the dollar is approx $1au = $1.069us

Why?

edit1; All prices above are for digital download items, not retail store bought items.

edit2; an intresting read, http://www.kotaku.com.au/2010/11/why-do-videogames-cost-so-much/ - submited by Wolf101

More like $1.069 actually.

Its not just Bethesda, we get overcharged for basically everything, not just on Steam. Thats why Australia is in the middle of a "retail crisis", people are increasingly becoming aware of how we get ripped off and they simply shop online. I personally havent bought a book from a bookshop ever since I discovered the Book Depository, and now tend to buy new games off Steam unless I want a Collectors Edition.

Some publishers put their Steam prices for Aussies to match the retail prices. Its not simply limited to Bethesda. Frankly, as long as people keep paying it, they'll keep charging it.

EVERYONE overcharges Australians for games, and printers, and hard drives, computing in general is more expensive in Australia

EDIT: Thats why all the shops are whining about everyone usig ebay or amazon and not going to their rip-off stores

Yep, this is why I had no sympathy for Borders and A&R going bust. They dug their own grave by raising their prices. Once people realised you can get it cheaper online they were stuffed.

We tend to get the same thing with most consumer goods in the UK, where US$1 = ￡1 seems to be the usual price conversion rate. Similarly, companies start squealing when people look for cheaper alternatives.

Astonishingly (for me, at least) we don't get really screwed over with game pricing like you lot seem to: it really svcks that you get overcharged to that extent.

thanks I didn't realize I had dropped the "0"

Blame the publishers.

Not if it's gifted through Steam... :whistling:

I read an article on this not too long ago. Unfortunately it was on the worse side of informative, as anybody who'd have some insight on the subject was unwilling to talk.
http://www.kotaku.com.au/2010/11/why-do-videogames-cost-so-much/

I do know heard one explanation (and only one) as to the reason digital distributions are so expensive. Apparently it's to keep parity with the retail copies, so that the publisher doesn't get a raw deal.
http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/05/why-does-the-witcher-2-cost-more-in-australia/

those links are very intresting, I'm still reading thou them, cheers Wolf101,
I think I might even re edit and post them in my first post.

Just read the links. It's not just Bethesda games, but almost all products. If you look back in the forums or do a search you will see there was a topic on this and alot of good information was given as to why Australians pay more for almost everything.

Same thing goes here as well in Canada. We pay about 30% more than Americans and our dollar is even above par. We know how the Aussies feel.

We get US prices on most games, but on some we get the mark up is ridiculous, US$89.99=NZ$109.99? We only pay $100 in store!


It really is ridiculous, bordering on price fixing really.