Store European Currency Beta Available

[AciD]

We have started a beta to test localized currency in Pound Sterling and Euros on Steam. To join the beta, click here.
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You will need to use this link each time you wish to purchase in localized currency during the beta. Your having opted into the beta is only saved for the duration of your browser session. Pound Sterling is available only in the United Kingdom; Euros are available only in Europe.
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You won't be able to actually purchase if you manually set the store to a country/currency other than that in which you actually live.

Pretty awesome Europe eh?[br]
You should post all problems or questions here.

 

[Operational]

Pound Sterling is available only in the United Kingdom; Euros are available only in Europe.

Awww and I was hoping to chose the currency that gave me the best exchange rate.

 

[Kyorisu]

You won't be able to actually purchase if you manually set the store to a country/currency other than that in which you actually live.

Pfft geotagging never stopped anyone. What's to stop a VPN and a Credit Card?

 

[mortiz-Redux]

Awww and I was hoping to chose the currency that gave me the best exchange rate.

I don't think it'll matter, I still think you'll be paying the dollar price except STEAM will automatically convert it into your currency.

 

[Hugh_Jazz]

I don't think it'll matter, I still think you'll be paying the dollar price except STEAM will automatically convert it into your currency.

No, that wouldn't work at all, since if you're buying something in your own currency there are no taxes included, which would make games on Steam way cheaper for Europeans.

Example: Far Cry 2 is 55$, which is about 41 euro. Pretty nice price, right? Without VAT, it would be, but after VAT the price in USD is about 61$, which puts it at just above 50 euro.

If you use the Euro version of the Steam store, the game costs 49,99 euro.

What really interests me is the GBP prices. I've seen some pretty strange pricematches from USD to GBP, so I hope the Brits don't get burned by this.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

I'm just hoping this means developers and publishers like Ubisoft will expand their consumer base

 

[Druckles]

Oh great... After all that and Left 4 Dead's now less than ?30.

 

[Dimuscul]

... I don't like that change ...

GTA IV costs 49.99$ or 49.99€
Football manager is 29.99$ or 34.99€
L4D is 49.99$ or 49.99€

Emmm .... yes, ok, one is without VAT ... it still cost more with this change of currency

One of the causes I bought on steam is because it was cheaper than retail, but costing the same or more, it doesn't make much sense ...

 

[nurizeko]

We have started a beta to test localized currency in Pound Sterling and Euros on Steam. To join the beta, click here.
[br]
You will need to use this link each time you wish to purchase in localized currency during the beta. Your having opted into the beta is only saved for the duration of your browser session. Pound Sterling is available only in the United Kingdom; Euros are available only in Europe.
[br]
You won't be able to actually purchase if you manually set the store to a country/currency other than that in which you actually live.

Pretty awesome Europe eh?[br]
You should post all problems or questions here.

Not really, half the fun of Steam is I get my games off of it for dirt cheap because Dollar is so worthless.

 

[Druckles]

Not really, half the fun of Steam is I get my games off of it for dirt cheap because Dollar is so worthless.

Have you checked your conversion rates recently...?

 

[Paulaner]

Have you checked your conversion rates recently...?

Yes, in recent times, games on Steam are very expensive compared to retail. I actually saved some money getting L4D in a store, and I have the box too. Insane.

 

[Druckles]

Yes, in recent times, games on Steam are very expensive compared to retail. I actually saved some money getting L4D in a store, and I have the box too. Insane.

Exactly.

 

[Dimuscul]

In actual times, games in digital shops are a joke ... take Prince of persia, on the official page, they redirect you to a link where the game costs 60€ ...

But you can order the special edition on play.com for 35€ .... so, digital distributors are a bit off

 

[SpiderPig]

A few games are cheaper in ? now. I hope this gets carried over to Steam.

 

[mr.fua]

In steam: GTA4, L4D, Far Cry 2, Fallout 3 all for 49,99 euros.

In amazon uk:
GTA 4 24.46 pounds = 27 euros
Fallout 3 26.99 pounds = 30 euros
Left 4 Dead 26.42 pounds= 30 euros
Far Cry 2 17.61 pounds = 20 euros
Ok, if you order through amazon you have to pay shipping costs, around 5 euros per game. But it is still way cheaper.

I am happy, a couple years ago it took 6 months or more for a game to lower it's price, but now, just a month and you can find new games very cheap.

Valve should take notice of this... right now I'm not planning in buying anything from steam. I love steam but right now it is a joke.

 

[Paulaner]

right now I'm not planning in buying anything from steam. I love steam but right now it is a joke.

^ This

 

[Laivasse]

I echo the above two sentiments. Steam has gone from showing up boxed prices as a joke, to having joke prices of its own.

It's not just the change in exchange rate either. I remember I got Episode 1 off of Steam for $23 when it was still 20 quid in the few stores near me that still stocked it - it was $2 to 1 pound then too. As time's gone on, more and more stupid regionally-based price hikes have crept in. The most recent example I can think of was GTA4's pre-order, which appeared as $50 for me in Ireland ($60-ish including tax) when it appeared as $40 in the UK. Buying from Steam is a nonsense in that kind of circumstance, especially when a boxed copy was cheaper than either option. Footbal Manager 09 was ridiculous as well.

 

[Paulaner]

Buying from Steam is a nonsense in that kind of circumstance, especially when a boxed copy was cheaper than either option.

And the nonsense becomes insanity when L4D, a *Valve* game, is cheaper in stores than through Steam. You get the box, you save money and you register it on Steam. Pure madness.

 

[Reflex]

I posted this a couple of days ago on steam section beat you to it

 

[Operational]

You should feel special.

 

[nurizeko]

So steam is more expensive now ey?, I would know this if I had went allll the way into town just to browse the games in GAME, but I didn't because I foolishly assumed Valve weren't ****s.








But they are.

 

[Kadayi]

Valve aren't necessarily to blame for overpricing. ATM here in the UK there is a rather aggressive pricing war since October going on between online and offline retailers such as Play, Amazon, Tescos etc since before November who all seem to be releasing games cheaper than each other, at a price point far lower than the traditional US value AAA games normally retail at, which is what Steam releases generally are released in relation to. If anything I'd say that the whole point of this Euro/Pound beta is to put into place the means to ultimately compete in this arena. Split pricing will firstly tackle the issue of VAT on top of the $ price, and secondly it should mean that the day to day global shift in Dollar/Pound/Euro prices has less of an impact. It's a beta, it's clearly going to be messy at first, but ultimately it should be beneficial in the long term for British/European Steam Users.

 

[nurizeko]

Also, if its a Valve game, chances are we'd buy it regardless of the specific cost, as long as it wasn't priced like a Kyoto prostitute.

 

[Reflex]

You should feel special.

I Do.

 

[Paulaner]

Valve aren't necessarily to blame for overpricing.

Well, we should stop being so forgiving with Valve about Steam flaws. It's a system by Valve, so I would expect Valve to stay in line with retail prices. The weekly bargains are awesome, but the prices of regular games are often ridiculous. There are reasons why digital distribution platforms are always a step under retail. One of them is overpricing. Customers are not fool: when they can have a nice box and a printed manual for a (much) lower price, the choice is obvious.

 

[Eejit]

Hmm? I haven't seen those games cheaper on the highstreet, only on Amazon/Play.
Steam still seems to be slightly cheaper than most stores.

 

[Paulaner]

Hmm? I haven't seen those games cheaper on the highstreet, only on Amazon/Play.
Steam still seems to be slightly cheaper than most stores.

I think it's a european phenomenon. In Italy, games in stores are often much cheaper than Steam.