Games@lemmy.worldbyLtDan@lemmy.zip
2 days

Why are Steam games priced unfairly in Euros indifferent to where one resides?

English

Regardless where one lives in Europe (including countries where salaries are lower than those living in France or Germany for example: such as Hungary, Romania, Latvia or Serbia to name a few) yet they’re confronted with 89,99€ at release considering EVERYONE in Europe as wealthy (further from the truth since there are nations in Europe where people aren’t paid 8000€ a month, some are paid x10 less than that).

Regional pricing is indifferent in this case no matter as to their actual income, it’s weird since they count countries where Euros aren’t used (Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia) whilst people there aren’t earning high salaries, like this: a Romanian earns 815€ a month but are treated no different: a 90€ game at launch (about 10% of their wage), for some reason they don’t bother adjusting it based on a specific country.

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    • Miaou@jlai.luEnglish
      3 hours

      Most digital goods are already georestricted, I wonder if there’s anything stopping Valve from working with that. Maybe gamers are more likely to use VPNs than the average Netflix/Spotify etc. user. In any case, another thing where my eastern European neighbours suffer needlessly.

    • Enkrod@feddit.orgEnglish
      4 hours

      Steam actually developed an entire toolkit allowing developers to price their products fairly. Even as far as by purchasing power parity or market strength per country. This was done after Polish gamers complained about their games being the same price as in Germany.

      https://partner.steamgames.com/pricing/explorer

      But it is up to the sellers to use those tools, Steam does not compell pricing.

      And I just looked it up, this might have been broken in the past, but they updated it recently: https://youtu.be/Nz4FOKZRX_8

      Still, developers need to use this.

    • Atomic@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      1 day

      Because the value of 1 euro is always 1 euro no matter where in EU you live.

      Games are priced the same in California as Florida despite California having a higher cost of living.

      Same thing. Because 1 dollar is 1 dollar.

      • potustheplant@feddit.nlEnglish
        14 hours

        Not really an analogy. OP is asking about different countries, not states. That thing about the euro being the same currency for all those countries doesn’t track either. Prices in the Argentinian store are in USD but it still has regional pricing.

          • potustheplant@feddit.nlEnglish
            4 hours

            You’re comparing different states with different countries. So no, it’s not an accurate analogy. It is succint, but it’s still incredibky misguided. Maybe you should google words before using them?

        • Atomic@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          6 hours

          Steam does not decide the price. The publisher does.

          They used to accept Argentinian pesos. But no one wants it because it’s worthless so that’s why they have to pay in USD.

          • potustheplant@feddit.nlEnglish
            4 hours

            That’s completely besides the point. You said that they could have different prices due to having the same currency in the store. However, there are plenty of stores with the same currency and different prices.

            Also, how much ARS is worth when compared to USD has absolutely nothing to do with why the store is in USD. For a period of time a few years ago, there was quite a bit of inflation and prices had to be updated constantly. To avoid this, they switched it back to USD. Customers paying in ARS does not mean that publishers/devs get paid in that currency.

            You clearly think you’re more knowledgeable than you actually are.

            • Twerp10@reddthat.comEnglish
              22 minutes

              Atomic made a great comparison and backed it up. No need to be so stubborn.

            • Atomic@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              33 minutes

              I offered an explanation as to why I thought it was the same price in most of Europe.

              It’s also quite easy to travel within Europe. So they might think it will get taken advantage of for significantly cheaper prices. Which means less revenue for the publisher.

              “Quite a bit of inflation” is a very nice way of saying “the currency is useless”.

              I don’t know which currency the developers are paid in. But Valve is paid in whatever currency you spend. How they handle it from there is up to them and their bank(s).

              They still have to pay tax in the countries they sell products in. I can’t speak for all countries, but they generally want to be paid in their own currency.

              In the end. It’s up to each individual publisher to decide how and where to price their game. It’s a question that has as many answers as there are publishers. I assumed we were all under that understanding but clearly I was mistaken.

    • ampersandrew@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2 days

      I live in NYC, where the median household income is about 40% higher than in Philadelphia. Rent is more expensive in NYC, which drives salaries up for what is otherwise the same job. When video games are sticky at certain price points, like $70 right now, that price feels cheaper to me here than it does just a few hours away in Philly. Money is weird like that, but when you’ve got digital distribution, they’ve got to make some calls about how to price things accordingly. If I buy a 20 oz bottle of Diet Coke in Brooklyn, it might be $2.50, but it could easily be $4.50 or $5 in Manhattan.

      • Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        2 days

        As a Californian, I feel the same way. Some of my friends live in states where prices aren’t as affordable to them, so I try to gift games from time to time.

    • exu@feditown.comEnglish
      2 days

      They can’t realistically restrict keys to only be valid for certain countries in the EU. Cheap keys in one country would mean everybody gets these cheaper prices and the publishers would rather not have that.

      • Poopfeast420@lemmy.zipEnglish
        2 days

        They can’t realistically restrict keys

        I think it’s actually illegal to restrict this stuff in the EU.

        In the past Steam had separate keys for lower income countries in Europe, that could only be activated there. However, either because laws changed or they started to actually be enforced, Steam had to change it.

        You can still make the games cheaper to buy in those countries, but you also have to allow people from Germany, France, wherever to buy them (as long as it’s in the EU), which very few publishers want to do.

    • nyctre@piefed.socialEnglish
      2 days

      I’m pretty sure it’s the publisher who decides. They can either enable regional pricing or not. And many don’t. Simple as that, unfortunately.

    • username_1@programming.devEnglish
      2 days

      Because that intricate subdivision you want would cost more than it might bring money because of more sales.

    • [deleted]@piefed.worldEnglish
      2 days

      The same reason it doesn’t have regional pricing by state in the US. They picked regions and priced them the same for that region, and the EU happens to be a region comparable to the US.

    • prti@szmer.infoEnglish
      2 days

      I can just say, the games USED to be cheaper in Poland (the average person is less wealthy here and we don’t have euro). Finds out there is an EU law against it, so now all prices in Europe are flatlined no matter the currency or the country’s average income.

      • Poopfeast420@lemmy.zipEnglish
        2 days

        I think the law doesn’t say that prices have to be the same, it’s just that you can’t block people from other countries from buying stuff at the cheaper price.

        With physical goods you either have to actually go to the country or get it shipped to you, which can make this not as easy or “profitable”. However, with digital goods you just go to a website and there’s not really anything to ship, except maybe an email, so those same hurdles don’t exist, which is why those lower income countries usually get the short end of the stick with prices for games and stuff.

        • ms.lane@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2 days

          *Unless you’re a german webshop, then it’s fine to restrict sales to Germany only apparently.

        • ShinkanTrain@lemmy.mlEnglish
          2 days

          Does Steam not require a billing address or Tax ID? Yeah, it’d be fairly easy to fake it to access the cheaper market, but if you’re gonna do that you might as well pretend you live in Argentina.

          • PapstJL4U@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1 day

            Companies are not allowed to not sell to other EU members. A polish company is allowed to sell in Germany, and a German buyer is allowed to buy from polish Companies without being unfair treated.

          • Poopfeast420@lemmy.zipEnglish
            2 days

            Directly in Steam it’s not that easy, you need a billing address and Steam checks the payment method to verify the country (although I don’t know if certain prepaid cards work for this as well).

            You still have Steam keys, that can be sold anywhere though, and not everyone will care that this cheap key, intended for the Polish market is bought by someone in Germany.

            • Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
              2 days

              Prepaid cards have to be loaded with a specific currency and usually are part of a pre-existing payment processor (VISA/Mastercard in the US).

              Valve’s steam gift cards are sold in the same currency as well, and are usually usable for accounts in the same country of origin (read the back fine print)

              • Poopfeast420@lemmy.zipEnglish
                2 days

                I was thinking more along the line of PaysafeCard or things like that, although that might have similar currency restrictions. Or of course you can just buy foreign prepaid cards from third-party resellers. You’ll pay more than the card is actually worth, but if you would then be able to buy games for half price or even less, it would be worth it.

      • LtDan@lemmy.zipEnglish
        2 days

        I’ve heard the prices in PLN are a joke! The currency stabilized after 2022 when it was weak then, but the prices remained the same from that time making it more expensive than intended.

    • BiscuityCat@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2 days

      And that’s why the only correct choice is a piracy. We just cannot afford to waste that kind of money on unfinished games. Especially while the economy is getting worse and worse.

      Or one could play FOSS games. However, in such case I would still recommend supporting the developers as much as one can, if the game is enjoyable. Usually, those games are better than any AAA game that came out lately.

      • kurcatovium@piefed.socialEnglish
        2 days

        I’d say the other option is being patient gamer. I only buy at discounts year(s) after release. It’s a win win in my book:

        • it’s way cheaper
        • no beta testing, games are patched by the time
        • the moment of purchase I might have a PC that is powerful enough for older game
        • if the game had denuvo, it would probably be gone at the time due to its licensing costs
      • Katana314@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2 days

        Man, I wish I could have a Lemmy community that bans pirates from all discussion.

        Either a game is shit, made by abusive managers forcing crunch time, in which case there’s no moral issue with pirating it but also: Why would you want to for a shit game? Or, a game looks great, is fairly made by inspired artists looking for a return on their risk, in which case: Why are you not paying them for their work?

        And I also have no patience for anyone claiming the latter type of game doesn’t exist. Stop gluing your eyeballs to AAA ads while constantly whining about them, and find some recommendation lists. My GOTY list for 2026 is already packed.

        • hzl@piefed.blahaj.zoneEnglish
          15 hours

          It helps to realize that complaining is a hobby. People will always find something to complain about regardless of whether it’s constructive, reasonable, or anything else. There’s a whole world of other things people could be doing, but some people greatly prefer complaining to anything else. Not even complaining about anything significant, just anything they can.

          Like, yesterday I was hanging out in two different voice chats with some friends who enjoy roleplay in video games. In one chat, we discussed our plans for an upcoming group and reminisced fondly about arcs from years past. In the other chat, everyone just wanted to complain about other people’s rp without really talking about anything they enjoyed at all. I heard them complaining about the same people 3 days earlier. This is literally years after the last time they interacted with them.

          Personally, I find the former more engaging and try not to take part in the latter. Admittedly with varying degrees of success. But that’s me. If complaining endlessly is your hobby, the latter would probably feel more compelling.

          Best just to leave them to it, imo. Complaining about complaining is also a hobby, though, and I would never seek to deprive you of it.

        • ms.lane@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2 days

          Or, a game looks great, is fairly made by inspired artists looking for a return on their risk, in which case: Why are you not paying them for their work?

          Vast majority of people making games are on a Salary. They’re not getting any more or less return from you buying a game.

    • Gladaed@feddit.orgEnglish
      2 days

      Just pirate. That’s the actionable way to solve your issues. Or buy from a key seller who abuses brasilians.

    • Katana314@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2 days

      (For direct answer, see other replies)

      In terms of fixing issues like this, I had an idea for a technology but wanted to see if others view it as privacy-violating.

      So, you have an encrypted data packet. Optionally, that packet could contain an unencrypted signal outside of the encrypted portion, eg a header or similar, that signals it as: X-Domestic-Origin=true.

      The idea would be: When a client device sends this header, it gets forwarded along lots of interchange points, but the legal rule would be that an interchange cannot include that header if the message is crossing national boundaries. So, the receiver of the signal can partially infer that the sender is likely a human within the same country.

      Realistically, it would be easy to attach anyway - but since it’s unencrypted, it might become easy to trace back at least to the spot where it crossed the border, even if it would be difficult to fully track its origin. Law enforcement could fine the interchange spots choosing to forward the header, even if they can’t track down bad actors.

      VPNs, similarly, would be asked not to include the header when forwarding traffic, but it would come down to their business preference and enforcement.

      This could also, for instance, help structure social media in a way that prevents people being fooled by international astroturfers. A while back Twitter accidentally exposed how many MAGA accounts originated in Russia, and this could expose them without requiring detailed identity information on individuals.

      It would need extra attention on misuse, as many would prefer not to send this signal even when they are in the same country; it would just be one way of a site asking for the least-necessary information for things like buying a game key.

      • alakey@piefed.socialEnglish
        2 days

        It’s not an issue that needs to be fixed by us. It’s not impossible to price digital goods differently in different countries, but companies would rather close up shop than let you buy a product cheaper than in your region. At the end of the day - the lowest they can price it is how much it realistically costs and the rest is extra fees for living in more developed countries, but they are greedy and don’t care about consumers one bit.

        Also the digital segregation you are describing is already rolling out anyway with ID verification, that won’t solve the problems you think it will however.

        • Katana314@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2 days

          I assumed all of this was known, but seeing how simply you view the issue, perhaps not.

          It is impossible to do that currently, though, isn’t it? You set 8 prices for 8 countries individually, based on how reasonably each country’s residents can pay through their cost of living. Then, residents of 7 of those countries use VPNs to just pay the price of the country with the lowest pricing.

          Then, the publisher sees this is happening, and stops selling to the lowest-income country, or feels forced to inflate price there to account for price chasing. Everyone loses.

          This is largely why publishers decide to ignore outcries from international customers pointing out ridiculousness of international prices.

          I’m not going to speak towards a world that attempts to enforce digital ID verification, as I’d be a starch opponent to that my whole life, and I’ll only stop when ordinary citizens become pro-ID, which I have never seen one of. I still believe it’s possible to suggest technologies that provide partial forms of identity as needed without denying freedom of digital anonymity.

          • Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
            2 days

            Steam pre-empts that by tracking payment methods and using all known connection locations to try and prevent VPN hopping (If you are using a VPN to Argentina, you better have a card from an Argentine bank and hope your VPN never drops).

            Places like the Eurozone simply are screwed because of the legal circumstances. If people are using payment methods other than cryptocurrency (which is not accepted on steam), it is relatively easy to find their location and charge appropriately.

            As for the partial form of identity thing, it is hard to create a system that would not be subject to abuse. I believe that Valve’s current telemetry practices are not unreasonable given the lack of restraint for the user. The only expectation is that attempting financial shenanigans will have consequences, and shall be traced from that data. That’s fine.