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[Geekosystem] Australia Finally Investigating Its Absurdly High Software Prices

post #1 of 83
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Quote:
Life ain’t easy down under. In addition to particularly strict laws regarding violence in gaming, Australians can also expect to pay a pretty penny for their software. For reasons mostly unknown, software tends to be more expensive in Australia than it is in the U.S., sometimes reaching near twice the price of copies licensed to U.S. citizens.
While inexplicable, it’s something of a standard practice, as if downloading files in Australia is significantly more resource intensive than downloading them somewhere else. To the relief of Australians everywhere (but mostly those in Australia), the Australian government is now looking into this bizarre trend.

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post #2 of 83
It's about time! This of course, extends to games - where a decent release in the US will set you back $60, for the same title, you'd be lucky if you got it for $100. And $110 would be the standard at Australia's leading game retail chain.

But in the age of digital distribution, what's the excuse?!
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post #3 of 83
Finally! Although with the high level of incompetence in the ranks of our government these days, I won't be holding my breath in anticipation of a favourable outcome from their investigations.

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post #4 of 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by RJacobs28 View Post

It's about time! This of course, extends to games - where a decent release in the US will set you back $60, for the same title, you'd be lucky if you got it for $100. And $110 would be the standard at Australia's leading game retail chain.
But in the age of digital distribution, what's the excuse?!

I shall show you this image from the morning herald story on this issue

207

MS Office 2010 Professional......$500USD difference.......$500........what the *insert expletive*

And look at the price gouging on CD's as well, no shock there, we pay 2.5x as much for the same CD through the same DIGITAL distribution system.

Its a shame that it will take at least 2-3 years before anything will come of this. IF anything comes of it (Which I doubt)
post #5 of 83
Given the current AUD to USD exchange rate, the prices are completely absurd. It used to make at least a little sense when they were only like 25 percent more after currency conversion... but now everything is just straight up 2x more.
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post #6 of 83
^^That is simply put, ridiculous.
We can only hope that this brings some small, if any, change. Not holding my breath.
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post #7 of 83
Yeah, also, UK government? Get too this also.

$40 game in the US? £40 in the UK.

$40 exchanges to £25. So, why are we paying £15 more? I'm sure there's a couple more taxes and what not here, but for it to be so rounded to the point they're almost exactly the same numbers stinks of something wrong to me.

Also, Steam used to be epic. I bought a LOT of games before they started localising their prices and we all of a sudden lost out majorly. They also locked down gifting from US -> UK I think too. Sickeningly expensive.
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post #8 of 83
It's a scary day when governments start thinking they decide how much companies charge for their products. That is not how a free market works.
    
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post #9 of 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by RJacobs28 View Post

It's about time! This of course, extends to games - where a decent release in the US will set you back $60, for the same title, you'd be lucky if you got it for $100. And $110 would be the standard at Australia's leading game retail chain.
But in the age of digital distribution, what's the excuse?!

This is why they are doing it - to protect dying brick and mortar retail businesses. I hate protectionism.
post #10 of 83
Quote:
Originally Posted by mott555 View Post

It's a scary day when governments start thinking they decide how much companies charge for their products. That is not how a free market works.

No, it's called regulation and it's essential to the running of a free market. If all those companies are getting together and artificially keeping prices high that's called price fixing and it's anti-consumer. At the end of the day, the government (should) look out for consumers.
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