Steam HL2 options are expensive

[arcy]

When I first saw the news about the prices for steam hl2 being posted, I was pretty excited.

But did anyone notice it's a lot more expensive than most had anticipated?

I mean, $50 for the bronze package? Why do that when you can pay the same for a hard copy, box, etc?

I wonder if perhaps this was part of a deal between Valve and VUG, to help "limit" sales over steam. Ie, VUG lessened (or eliminated) the incentive to use steam over a hard copy, by not allowing them to sell it for any cheaper.

 

[Yombi]

because they probably have to keep in like with the R.R.P VUG set... The most inviting thing about steam at the mo is that you get CS:S straight away.

EDIT: Also to keep game retailers happy. I'd imagine they would get pissed off if steam was chepaer. They'd loos alot of business.

 

[poseyjmac]

premium price for a premium piece of software

 

[AMPED]

Are these prices american? If so what are the Candian prices?

 

[wonkers]

I have no idea but the pricing if Retarded. Anyone buying this game with their own money should BE PO'd. But there are a lot of kids using daddies money so all they see is CS:s RIGHT NOW!!!!!!

it's clever marketing but it's still sleazy to me.

 

[wonkers]

I only figured out what the silver package would cost because I want DODs. It comes to $86 Canadian including tax. For no hard anything why not just go to the store to buy it?

 

[Some_God]

I agree that the prices are higher than I've imagined. I would hope for at least $10 reduction in price... that way MORE people buy off of steam. Because of the prices I will buy my box somewhere cheaper.

Also I don't trust Steam yet... as Steam MIGHT be shut down because of that legal dispute between Valve and VUG. But thats just me thinking.

 

[KagePrototype]

I have no idea but the pricing if Retarded. Anyone buying this game with their own money should BE PO'd.

Why would I be pissed off?

 

[ShadowFox]

If the reviews are anything, then this is well worth the money.

 

[Xac493]

They're probably not alowed to undersell VUG by any significant amount

 

[Wicked Spider]

i agree prices through steam should be much more atractive.
also im not reluctant to give away my credit card number through steam

 

[obiwanquinobi]

Jesus ...how did I know that, now the pricing is out people would complain about it?

I can understand that some folks have little or no money and they have my sympathies. But come on!

The pricing seems fair to me - just around the same as what you would pay in the shops or a little less even!! Without the hassle of leaving your house and not to mention spending XXX£$ on a Taxi/Bus/Petrol for the car ...

 

[Mr. Redundant]

Why would I be pissed off?

well its all about value for money, some fanboys may pay in the hundreds for whatever game they pine for.. others might look at it as "well its an awesome game for sure... but why the hell do they have to **** me on price regardless?"

meh I work for the cash I have and I have enough to do what I want , Im still a bit dissapointed valve opted for the prices they did.

 

[mutt]

I only figured out what the silver package would cost because I want DODs. It comes to $86 Canadian including tax. For no hard anything why not just go to the store to buy it?

u dont get dod:s or hl:s with retail

 

[obiwanquinobi]

They're probably not alowed to undersell VUG by any significant amount

Probably spot on...but:

All this talk about Valve & Vivendi's court battle is clouding peoples view - Vivendi STILL get money paid to them if Valve sell a copy through Steam...Just the amount is a lot less!

 

[KagePrototype]

well its all about value for money, some fanboys may pay in the hundreds for whatever game they pine for.. others might look at it as "well its an awesome game for sure... but why the hell do they have to **** me on price regardless?"

meh I work for the cash I have and I have enough to do what I want , Im still a bit dissapointed valve opted for the prices they did.

Hmm, I see what you mean. But hey, £35 for HL2, CS:S, DOD:S, HL:S, and the rest of Valve's games, is pretty damn good in my book.

 

[qckbeam]

Valve is not allowed to sell the game cheaper over Steam due to contractual agreements with Vivendi. Same for selling the game early.

Think of it this way though. The bronze package is a few bucks below the shelf price (50 instead of 54), includes two complete games, and every penny of your money goes to the developers of the product, not 2/3 publisher, 1/3 Valve.

 

[Sinnsykt]

not expensive for me, im loaded!

 

[obiwanquinobi]

not expensive for me, im loaded!

Bully for you - now post something useful that might interest someone!

 

[Yombi]

Really people...if it was $10 - $20 cheaper, this could piss off VUG more. They would be loosing out of money since the price is cheaper on Steam. VUG could then use this in court saying that VALVe are trying to kill their business by making prices more attractive.

 

[wonkers]

yeah that's why I looked at the silver....read more carefully.

The prices are so high even though their are no prodcution or distribution costs. That's why I am angry. It's money grubbing. Then they pull in more kids with CS:s right away and what you have is a sleazy money grab.

I am not buying through steam but I feel like I should warn people about the problem here. If you don't see the problem with the prices then you don't care how much you're paying in the first place.

 

[Duracell]

Its a lot cheaper for my to buy from steam then it is to buy in the shops.

$89 for the gold version is quite acceptable.

 

[Biozeminade]

I paid $55 for Doom 3. I'm paying $60 for Half-Life 2, HL:S CS:S & DOD:S.

Way to go Valve.

 

[JohnnyBeverage]

The prices are fine. I'll buy from Steam. I wont jump right in tomorrow as i am not in it for CS:Source.

 

[AMPED]

What is the

"Valve's back catalog currently available on Steam"???

 

[Yombi]

yeah that's why I looked at the silver....read more carefully.

The prices are so high even though their are no prodcution or distribution costs. That's why I am angry. It's money grubbing. Then they pull in more kids with CS:s right away and what you have is a sleazy money grab.

I am not buying through steam but I feel like I should warn people about the problem here. If you don't see the problem with the prices then you don't care how much you're paying in the first place.

Don't forget they have to pay for all that bandwidth, extra servers, people to maintain the srver in the first couple of weeks (more often than usual).

 

[NightSinister]

Good for New Zealand, Silver works out at about $85.00NZD and Gold at about $125.00NZD, retail in shop is $109.00 Standard and $149.00 Collectors Editions.

 

[Yombi]

What is the

"Valve's back catalog currently available on Steam"???

Means you get all the ganes VALVe have made. HL1, CSCZ blah blah blah

EDIT:

Good for New Zealand, Silver works out at about $85.00NZD and Gold at about $125.00NZD, retail in shop is $109.00 Standard and $149.00 Collectors Editions.

Yup works our great for us not paying that much more. Only 20 more. Just wonder what happens with shipping :|

 

[bam23]

If you guys think of it, the hardcopies are more expensive. I mean, think, the CE is $80. For $10 extra in the Gold package, you get everything the CE has to offer except a gigantic shirt AND everything currently available over steam, posters, stickers, shirts, a hat, the freaking HL2 soundtrack on CD, and DOD:S.

Yes, I got a pre-order for CE.

Yes, I will try to switch to the Gold package. Heck, maybe even Silver, since that gives you more than the CE does for $20 less.

 

[AMPED]

Means you get all the games VALVe have made. HL1, CSCZ blah blah blah

oh ok cool
does that also mean I get Blue Shift?

 

[KagePrototype]

oh ok cool
does that also mean I get Blue Shift?

That's not available over Steam yet.

 

[DavE0r]

Expensive?? Expensive??? try living in the UK, games are £39.99 each! unless you get them online or something! Sometimes they pop down to £29.99 for PC gams, but that is becoming a rerety. This is god-damn cheap, well for me anyways.

£39.99 = $71.15........expensiv huh??

 

[AMPED]

Gold - $89.95 US - $113.35 CAD
Sliver - $59.95 US - $75.54 CAD

Difference between GOLD to SILVER is: 37.81 CAD

includes
-Half-Life 2*
-Counter-Strike: Source
-Half-Life 1: Source*
-Day of Defeat: Source
-Valve's back catalog currently available on Steam

So 37.81 extra, for all this stuff

-Complete Strategy Guide from Prima Games
-3 different Half-Life 2 posters
-Half-Life 2 hat
-Half-Life 2 postcard
-Half-Life 2 stickers
-Half-Life 2 Soundtrack CD
-Chance to win a trip to Valve!
(1 trip offered for every 5000 Gold packages purchased).

 

[Some_God]

Gold - $89.95 US - $113.35 CAD
Sliver - $59.95 US - $75.54 CAD

Difference between GOLD to SILVER is: 37.81 CAD

includes
-Half-Life 2*
-Counter-Strike: Source
-Half-Life 1: Source*
-Day of Defeat: Source
-Valve's back catalog currently available on Steam

So 37.81 extra, for all this stuff

-Complete Strategy Guide from Prima Games
-3 different Half-Life 2 posters
-Half-Life 2 hat
-Half-Life 2 postcard
-Half-Life 2 stickers
-Half-Life 2 Soundtrack CD
-Chance to win a trip to Valve!
(1 trip offered for every 5000 Gold packages purchased).

Haha... I can tell what package you want to get.

 

[AMPED]

lol I really did make it look like that opps I stll haven't decided

 

[PvtRyan]

Prices for me are fine.

Retail I pay 50 euro for a game. That would equal the bronze package in terms of what you get.

Silver I pay 49 euro ($59,95) and get a hell of a lot more, AND be able to play one of them tomorrow.

Besides, if the news is correct, HL2 will require a DVD player, and my current supply of those is zero.

 

[ailevation]

:| I've made up my mind, I am going to get it from retail store, Collectors Edition, might be a retarded buy, but oh well. I want it and I am able to get it so. As of DoD: Source, I dunno know what I am going to do, buy it separate from retail? Because from what we know so far, it isn't coming with CE... unless it is?

 

[blahblahblah]

Valve is not allowed to sell the game cheaper over Steam due to contractual agreements with Vivendi. Same for selling the game early.

Think of it this way though. The bronze package is a few bucks below the shelf price (50 instead of 54), includes two complete games, and every penny of your money goes to the developers of the product, not 2/3 publisher, 1/3 Valve.

Again I repeat, selling over the internet is cheaper. Vivendi/Valve internally is being charged the physical price of HL2 (the cost that is sold to stores). That price must be fixed, however, the costs of running Steam is much lower than running a brick and mortar store. Therefore buying HL2 over Steam should be cheaper and accordingly the savings should be passed onto the consumer. However, Valve and Vivendi is not doing this and collecting extra profit.

Outrageous in my opinion. This isn't a contractual problem, its price fixing.

 

[PvtRyan]

Outrageous in my opinion. This isn't a contractual problem, its price fixing.

May be, but it's ALSO a contractual problem, because Valve would be able to sell HL2 for $35 and still make two times more money per copy than with retail, and they'll sell more too. I could understand if VUG isn't too thrilled about that.

 

[bam23]

:| I've made up my mind, I am going to get it from retail store, Collectors Edition, might be a retarded buy, but oh well. I want it and I am able to get it so. As of DoD: Source, I dunno know what I am going to do, buy it separate from retail? Because from what we know so far, it isn't coming with CE... unless it is?

It SHOULD. I am getting this serious bad feeling in my gut about the decision I just made. I KNOW DOD:Source is worth more than $10 extra.

:bonce: This whole VUG vs. Valve thing isn't very healthy.