Messed up Regional Pricing for different regions (compared to Standard RP)

[MegaApple]

For the same $39.99 price tag :

Currency	$39.99 Standard Regional Pricing	Bloodstained Pricing	% increase
Russian Ruble	725₽	1499₽	(+106.76%)
Indian Rupee	₹899	₹2499	(+177.98%)
Chilean Peso	CLP$14900	CLP$34990	(+134.83%)
Colombian Peso	COL$54500	COL$189000	(+246.79%)
Peruvian Nuevo Sol	S/.69.00	S/.199.00	(+188.41%)
Indonesian Rupiah	Rp169999	Rp550000	(+223.53%)
Thai Baht	฿469.00	฿1250.00	(+166.52%)
Malaysian Ringgit	RM65.00	RM163.00	(+150.77%)
Taiwan Dollar	NT$568	NT$1268	(+123.24%)
South African Rand	R219.00	R629.00	(+187.21%)
Japanese Yen	¥4100	¥5480	(+33.66%)

505 Games have always followed standard regional pricing, and I've always appriciated that. But this surprising move was shocking and upsetting.

It's called regional pricing for a reason. It is supposed to match the purchasing power of the region's currency and provide a consistent pricing scheme against the given $-value.

Mega AAA publishers are constantly exploiting the RP for many non-US regions(India, Mexico, Indonesia, etc.) and we have been trying and protesting against it.
Situation has got so bad that in Indian region, we have more than 10 different regional pricings for the same $60, ranging anywhere from double to more triple to that of Steam's standard $60 regional price.

Since indie games and publishers like yourself had always followed regional pricing, we are very happy to support you.
But this move is as upsetting as what we have to face from these other publishers. We did NOT wanted this to happen.

I'm sorry but I can't support this until its price is corrected.

EDIT - Join their Discord and highlight this issue : https://discordapp.com/invite/bloodstained

[Shinryu]

Lava-Alien100님이 먼저 게시:

there are taxes that can go more then 100% for example Brazil in 2013:

"When a company brings a game to Brazil, it must pay on the value of the product: 20% on Import Tax, 1.65% on PIS, 7.6% on COFINS, IPI and 50% more 25% ICMS in case the product is from the State of São Paulo - each state has a value of ICMS.

With these rates, a product that costs BRL 100 will end up costing BRL 264 (164% of its value in taxes). According to the Federal Revenue Service, the series of taxes that are charged on imported goods aims to maintain a "healthy competition" between domestic and foreign products."

https://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/market-for-videogames-in-brazil


Im not defending the company but i think people do a bit more research and account for taxes and other factors that affect prices.

because The price of game that cost in Country X does not mean it will have the same Price on Country Y.

You can't really use Brazil as an example (this time) because they have their regional price right.

ICYMI: just a small table comparing Base US vs Brazil (because it was used as example) vs Peru (the country with the highest % increase). Source[steamdb.info]

Currency	Current Price	Converted Price	% increase
U.S. Dollar	$35.99 at -10%	Base Price	Base Price
Brazilian Real	R$ 67,94 at -10%	$17.53	-51.28%
Peruvian Nuevo Sol	S/.179.10 at -10%	$53.47	+48.59%

Besides your quoting clearly says: When a company brings a game to Brazil (this may apply to Dota/Overwatch/whoever has a local BR server for their service). And if you check different games on steamdb you can notice right away that in most cases Euro is the only currency above base US price. Or do you think its fair to charge that much to other countries except Brazil and Argentina? Still amazed at how Arg price was corrected in less than 24h but when you go to their Discord to ask about the other countries you just get straight ignored.

Hisoka Morow님이 먼저 게시:

On a side note, a friend of mine did ask a "representative" or something of the company on a discord server, and she dodged the question about my country's regional pricing fix. Either she had no answer, or they just don't care.

EDIT: I joined their Discord, saw the ignored questions, asked as well and got a reply Source[imgur.com]

We are aware of the pricing concerns. Despite the Argentina price being changed quickly, we have a process that needs to be followed internally before we can adjust any additional regional prices. It is being looked into, but I don't have a timeframe on if/when additional changes may happen.

[Liandri]

Lava-Alien100님이 먼저 게시:

Liandri님이 먼저 게시:

Did you see the OP? the difference is 100% and more. That's not how taxes work.

there are taxes that can go more then 100% for example Brazil in 2013:

"When a company brings a game to Brazil, it must pay on the value of the product: 20% on Import Tax, 1.65% on PIS, 7.6% on COFINS, IPI and 50% more 25% ICMS in case the product is from the State of São Paulo - each state has a value of ICMS.

With these rates, a product that costs BRL 100 will end up costing BRL 264 (164% of its value in taxes). According to the Federal Revenue Service, the series of taxes that are charged on imported goods aims to maintain a "healthy competition" between domestic and foreign products."

https://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/market-for-videogames-in-brazil


Im not defending the company but i think people do a bit more research and account for taxes and other factors that affect prices.

because The price of game that cost in Country X does not mean it will have the same Price on Country Y.

Seems there is still misunderstanding.

There are other games on Steam (X), and there is this game (Y). While the prices of these games are similar or same in some countries, in other countries the difference is huge
(e.g. Y > X * 200%).

See now? Or will you tell us how most games evade the taxes in certain countries?

[Lava Alien 1000]

Shinryu님이 먼저 게시:

Lava-Alien100님이 먼저 게시:

there are taxes that can go more then 100% for example Brazil in 2013:

"When a company brings a game to Brazil, it must pay on the value of the product: 20% on Import Tax, 1.65% on PIS, 7.6% on COFINS, IPI and 50% more 25% ICMS in case the product is from the State of São Paulo - each state has a value of ICMS.

With these rates, a product that costs BRL 100 will end up costing BRL 264 (164% of its value in taxes). According to the Federal Revenue Service, the series of taxes that are charged on imported goods aims to maintain a "healthy competition" between domestic and foreign products."

https://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/market-for-videogames-in-brazil


Im not defending the company but i think people do a bit more research and account for taxes and other factors that affect prices.

because The price of game that cost in Country X does not mean it will have the same Price on Country Y.

You can't really use Brazil as an example (this time) because they have their regional price right.

ICYMI: just a small table comparing Base US vs Brazil (because it was used as example) vs Peru (the country with the highest % increase). Source[steamdb.info]

Currency	Current Price	Converted Price	% increase
U.S. Dollar	$35.99 at -10%	Base Price	Base Price
Brazilian Real	R$ 67,94 at -10%	$17.53	-51.28%
Peruvian Nuevo Sol	S/.179.10 at -10%	$53.47	+48.59%

Besides your quoting clearly says: When a company brings a game to Brazil (this may apply to Dota/Overwatch/whoever has a local BR server for their service). And if you check different games on steamdb you can notice right away that in most cases Euro is the only currency above base US price. Or do you think its fair to charge that much to other countries except Brazil and Argentina? Still amazed at how Arg price was corrected in less than 24h but when you go to their Discord to ask about the other countries you just get straight ignored.

Hisoka Morow님이 먼저 게시:

On a side note, a friend of mine did ask a "representative" or something of the company on a discord server, and she dodged the question about my country's regional pricing fix. Either she had no answer, or they just don't care.

EDIT: I joined their Discord, saw the ignored questions, asked as well and got a reply Source[imgur.com]

We are aware of the pricing concerns. Despite the Argentina price being changed quickly, we have a process that needs to be followed internally before we can adjust any additional regional prices. It is being looked into, but I don't have a timeframe on if/when additional changes may happen.

Point taken.

but i used Brazil as Example due to Poster claimed that Taxes can't affect Prices to raise over 100% of its Original price of any Product. There is Also Digital Products taxes exists which really depends on the country if they imposed taxes. (god i hope it never passes)

[Rtj007]

I didn't play lot of console games I wanted to play as the price was $60 most of the time then and I had to get game copies from outside my country as my country lacked games I wanted were I lived, when most gamers here pirated ps2 games, I used ps2 without modding/chipping it, so my ps2 game collection was limited to around 20 original ps2 games, Travelling 120 kms I could either mod/chip ps2 or xbox 360 consoles but I didn't, my friend did it for xbox 360 and he was able to play lot of games, but I could only play around 10 till 2017 after which I was able to buy new 360 games at low price I was interested like Red Dead Redemption, Suda 51 games, GOW 2 &3, silent hill collection, downpour etc.
Piracy is high in my country and it's very easy to get pirated games openly, but very hard to get Original ones(physical copy), I was only able to buy 1 ps2 games from where I live, and 3 xbox 360 games before 2011 & none of wii games from my country as it was very hard to get wii games then.
So for a gamer who loves game like me in my country, publishers who price blindly are just telling me we don't want your support, you can go and pirate instead.
My 360 is still working and I have a good collection of steam games so it won't hurt me if I don't buy overpriced games, but moves like this by publishers just shoo away buying customers like me here and give pirates here reason to do more piracy, they not only pirate games here they try to make profit selling games here which is available more openly than original games.
I know for a fact if publishers price at US price or near that price majority here won't buy some might resort to piracy, some just won't care they will move on.
I doubt the publisher will get one buyer from my region at the current price.

[Sledgehammer]

Shinryu님이 먼저 게시:

EDIT: I joined their Discord, saw the ignored questions, asked as well and got a reply Source[imgur.com]

We are aware of the pricing concerns. Despite the Argentina price being changed quickly, we have a process that needs to be followed internally before we can adjust any additional regional prices. It is being looked into, but I don't have a timeframe on if/when additional changes may happen.

This is good to hear, thanks for asking them. If they actually fix regional prices I will pre-order the game on Steam even though I didn't plan to do so.

[Xaelath]

Sledgehammer님이 먼저 게시:

Shinryu님이 먼저 게시:

EDIT: I joined their Discord, saw the ignored questions, asked as well and got a reply Source[imgur.com]

This is good to hear, thanks for asking them. If they actually fix regional prices I will pre-order the game on Steam even though I didn't plan to do so.

They'll fix it.

In a year.
Quote me on this.

[♠ ♣ Jester ♥ ♦]

Xaelath님이 먼저 게시:

Sledgehammer님이 먼저 게시:

This is good to hear, thanks for asking them. If they actually fix regional prices I will pre-order the game on Steam even though I didn't plan to do so.

They'll fix it.

In a year.
Quote me on this.

Right back on ya. Not to be a pessimist, but they'll most likely do it after the game's been released. Although, who knows? perhaps they could do it before release.

[MegaApple]

Shinryu님이 먼저 게시:

EDIT: I joined their Discord, saw the ignored questions, asked as well and got a reply Source[imgur.com]

Great work! Thanks!
This is how we should be resolving the regional pricing issues that plague us non-US customers.

[Sledgehammer]

Xaelath님이 먼저 게시:

They'll fix it.

In a year.
Quote me on this.

At best. At worst they leave it like that or change just a very few regions, especially since they said "if additional may changes happen". This is the reason I said I would pre-order actually in case they do change it properly after all.

Hisoka Morow님이 먼저 게시:

perhaps they could do it before release.

They should do it before release though, at least if they really care about sales outside of USA and EU countries. Considering they mentioned that they want to make the game accessible to everyone it's in their interest to fix regional pricing before it's not too late.

[Xaelath]

Sledgehammer님이 먼저 게시:

Xaelath님이 먼저 게시:

They'll fix it.

In a year.
Quote me on this.

At best. At worst they leave it like that or change just a very few regions, especially since they said "if additional may changes happen". This is the reason I said I would pre-order actually in case they do change it properly after all.

Hisoka Morow님이 먼저 게시:

perhaps they could do it before release.

They should do it before release though, at least if they really care about sales outside of USA and EU countries. Considering they mentioned that they want to make the game accessible to everyone it's in their interest to fix regional pricing before it's not too late.

"Let's make it accessible to everyone"
- Screwed up regional pricing
- GoG somehow offered the cheaper version

What?

[Shinryu]

AFAIK they won't be able to change price once its released for at least 2-3 months, so... best case scenario they fix it days before release. Worst case scenario next year.

[MegaApple]

Shinryu님이 먼저 게시:

AFAIK they won't be able to change price once its released for at least 2-3 months, so... best case scenario they fix it days before release. Worst case scenario next year.

Yeah, this happened with Unruly Heroes for Indian regions. Still, drop them a reminder near the release date.

[Sledgehammer]

Xaelath님이 먼저 게시:

"Let's make it accessible to everyone"
- Screwed up regional pricing
- GoG somehow offered the cheaper version

What?

I wonder why they even said that. I mean, people who ♥♥♥♥♥ about standard price would ♥♥♥♥♥ about anything no matter what, but screwed regional pricing is a legit problem and makes this statement nothing but some usual PR words.

[Darkcloud]

To my latin american buddies, you can now buy it on nuuvem(official reseller on south america); the regional price is correct in the case of Colombia(58000 vs 170000 COP) maybe in your countries the price is localized too compared to the steam store .

[Rtj007]

darkcloud님이 먼저 게시:

To my latin american buddies, you can now buy it on nuuvem(official reseller on south america); the regional price is correct in the case of Colombia(58000 vs 170000 COP) maybe in your countries the price is localized too compared to the steam store .

At least some gamers get a good deal. I am planning to buy Destiny 2 Deluxe it's around $22 here, better than this overpriced mess.
Sinking city deluxe on Epic store $18 after current discount, can't buy it though due to lack of payment option, I was interested to play Control(Epic) by same publisher of Blood stained, I think if this game was Epic exclusive it would have got regional pricing right, as all epic games have regional pricing here but lack payment option.
I will buy this game on steam if they get the regional pricing right, Why would I pay more than what I paid for Hitman 2 Gold($29) on launch for this game.