Why are the Prices for Games in other countries (especially India) very inconsistent?

[Sonic2024]

EDIT: I already got the answer. So there isn't any need to continue posting. But if you just wanna read this thread then by all means, go ahead :)

Regional Pricing was introduced by Steam so that Game companies could price their game according to the cost of a country's living, so that it could be favourable to both the customers as well as the Game Devs. But the Prices have been VERY inconsistent, and sometimes much higher.

According to the World Bank's PPP Table, in India, you need Rs. 21.2 to buy the same $1 goods in US. (2021: I am using $ since that's favourable for comparison) Therefore, if you were to buy games, then you just have to multiply 21.2 with whatever the game price is. But that's not the case.

More than 90% of the Game companies don't follow this. They just choose a random price using normal conversion method or follow what other game companies are doing. If I were to afford a $40 game, then the price should be around Rs. 850. But nope. They charge like Bonkers. It's like Rs. 2000 or Rs. 2500.

The Normal Conversion is [$1 = Rs. 74 (As of 2021)] but its not accurate for pricing "Global" Goods. Sometimes they even charge higher than even the normal conversion. Monster Hunter World is only $30 and even after you use the normal conversion method, it comes to Rs. 2200. But in reality, it is Rs. 2500.

What's the problem with this very inconsistent pricing? I think many other countries face this too. The Devs don't even have to break their heads on how and what to price since the source for pricing is already available at the World Bank's site. Why can't they price accordingly? It just makes the point of regional pricing negligible.

Edit: For example, you could see the actual price of Fifa 22 for India and see the price suggested by Valve: https://steamdb.info/sub/531286/
Dark Souls 3: https://steamdb.info/sub/69024/
And many more companies do this. Only a few games like Witcher 3 don't do it.

[nullable]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Sonic2021:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Spawn of Totoro:

No, regional pricing is just pricing for a specific reason. There really is not greater meaning to it then that.

I already got the answer but that is simply not right. Regional Pricing, as the name says, is pricing a product according to a region's cost of living so that the price will be fair from the eyes of the people living in that country.

No, it's not. That's the story you're telling yourself because it's convenient. Regional pricing lets you price the game according to what will work in the region, and that may not have anything to do with the cost of living.

The way some countries are set up only the rich can afford to play PC games. Games aren't going to be priced under the assumption that someone making £341 a month is a valuable PC gaming customer, or that people on the bottom rung of their economy's ladder are the prime demographic for Steam.

[Sonic2024]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Snakub Plissken:

No, it's not. That's the story you're telling yourself because it's convenient. Regional pricing lets you price the game according to what will work in the region, and that may not have anything to do with the cost of living.

The way some countries are set up only the rich can afford to play PC games. Games aren't going to be priced under the assumption that someone making £341 a month is a valuable PC gaming customer, or that people on the bottom rung of their economy's ladder are the prime demographic for Steam.

"Steam's regional pricing means the cost of a game often varies from country to country, depending on the cost of living and other factors. It's still up to the publisher to set a price, but regional pricing is largely intended to make buying games fairer."

There. I copied the words. This is the general consensus about regional pricing and why it was even introduced in the first place. It's common knowledge that $60 would not mean the same in every part of the world. And since, $, which by itself has a very high value in the world, is used as the base price currency for this, many countries would see this as expensive.

Therefore with the help of regional pricing, every customer, let him be in any part of the world, won't feel alienated by such high prices and wound be able to be a part of this and become a normal and regular customer like no other with those fair prices. Plus, even steam themselves have "Suggested Prices" for the developers to price their games. This is the conversion method according to a country's cost of living I was talking about. (This table is for India.)

$9.99 = Rs. 349
$14.99 = Rs. 459
$19.99 = Rs. 529
$24.99 = Rs. 569
$29.99 = Rs. 699
$34.99 = Rs. 759
$39.99 = Rs. 899
$44.99 = Rs. 959
$49.99 = Rs. 1,099
$59.99 = Rs. 1,299

Mind that this data is given by Steam themselves and these are the prices suggested by them, since these prices are almost perfect and fair according to that region's standards of living. This system is based on the data from the PPP Table of World Bank and thus, it helps in providing a very good approximate price for every country by keeping $ as the base. But this isn't forced since the choice on whether to implement this is for the developers to decide.

I was pointing out that in India, the developers keep very unfair prices and are not even close to the prices suggested by steam. That was why I wanted the conversion method to be forced initially to keep things consistent and fair to every country. But there is a deeper, unfortunate and sadder reason as to why this isn't followed (at least in India), which is the topic answer. I wish this wasn't the case but nothing can be done.

[mohit9206]

I have a rule, I don't buy any game that costs more than 1000rs no matter how good it is

[Start_Running]

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Sonic2021:

Αναρτήθηκε αρχικά από Snakub Plissken:

No, it's not. That's the story you're telling yourself because it's convenient. Regional pricing lets you price the game according to what will work in the region, and that may not have anything to do with the cost of living.

The way some countries are set up only the rich can afford to play PC games. Games aren't going to be priced under the assumption that someone making £341 a month is a valuable PC gaming customer, or that people on the bottom rung of their economy's ladder are the prime demographic for Steam.

"Steam's regional pricing means the cost of a game often varies from country to country, depending on the cost of living and other factors. It's still up to the publisher to set a price, but regional pricing is largely intended to make buying games fairer."

There. I copied the words.

Annd apparently you did not read it.

"and other factors" can basically mean...anything.
"up to the publisher to sett the price" Means publishers set pruices. Valve has literally nothing to do with it.

This is the general consensus about regional pricing and why it was even introduced in the first place.

And gamers in general tend to be pretty ignorant of the finer points of businesses and pricing practices.

It's common knowledge that $60 would not mean the same in every part of the world. And since, $, which by itself has a very high value in the world, is used as the base price currency for this, many countries would see this as expensive.

And? If its too expensive. DOn'tt buy it. Punish the publishers for not pricing it correctly buy denying them your money.

Therefore with the help of regional pricing, every customer, let him be in any part of the world, won't feel alienated by such high prices and wound be able to be a part of this and become a normal and regular customer like no other with those fair prices.

There's a certain price point where the publisher does not consider your money worth the trouble. Remember the publisher has to pay their staff in a faiur wage for their labour in their local currency.

Luxuries are for people who can afford tthem.

Plus, even steam themselves have "Suggested Prices" for the developers to price their games. This is the conversion method according to a country's cost of living I was talking about. (This table is for India.)

You know whjat the joke is. Your currency is quite a bit stronger than mine.

I was pointing out that in India, the developers keep very unfair prices and are not even close to the prices suggested by steam.

Yeah because the publishers know that they'll have their customers in the US and UK, their high valyue customers, ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ about why they're giving Indians the better prices.

Look WHat yopu consider fair, and what the puibluishers consider fair are clearlyb two different tthings. ANd the kicker is.. neither of you are wrong. So buy what you can afford and ignore the rest. You don't need to buy $60 games. Anmd if you want to you canm simply save money towards it.