Tag Archives: game prices

Steam: find out how much your getting ripped off

redalertripoffsteamWhile searching for info about steams rip-off pricing i found this script that you can use to show just how much Steam is ripping you off.  It turns out that steam is pricing some/all games at the rate of 1€ = 1$.

In late 2008 Valve’s Steam online games store implemented a new regional pricing system. Prices had formerly been the same across all regions, and USD was the only currency accepted for payments. After the change, prices were presented in USD, GBP or EUR depending on the user’s geographical region. Steam employed an exchange rate of 1€ = 1$ when setting the new European prices, which compared to the formed USD-only sytem made prices go up by more than 40% in Europe. Many games were now significantly more expensive on Steam than in European retail stores. Wasn’t the whole point of using download stores like Steam that they should be cheaper and more convenient to use?

What does this script do?

This script is meant as a shopping tool for European customers to help avoid being cheated by Steam’s new European prices. It is installed as a user script in the Firefox or Opera web browsers. When visiting Steam’s webshop, prices will be displayed in all three currencies (USD, GBP and EUR), you can also see the percent difference from the North American price. This will enable you to make an informed decision on whether or not the Steam price is acceptable.

Source and Get the script here:

Valves Steam Game Prices – A Rip off or Buyer Beware?

My Previous post singing the praises of steam may have been a little early. I was looking around the play.com website at game prices and my jaw dropped on the huge price difference between buying the game via play.com and getting a physical copy of the game in your hand and buying it via steam and getting a download version.

As i write this post im kinda discusted at the pricing on Steam it seems greed has taken hold over Games Publishers. Two examples of this price difference are the games;

Age of Conan:

Stalker – Clear Sky:

Thats quite a difference really on average its €12 more expensive on steam. Of course this not be Valves doing, Valve has to make a profit too so who knows the overhead of selling games via Steam. I cant quite understand this, Digital Downloads are suppose to at least be in line with the retail price and certainly not mroe expensive due to the fact that you dont get a Physical copy of the game

(Prices Correct as of 6-oct-2008)