I live in Canada but am on vacation to see my parents in the Netherlands at the moment. My Vita is waiting for me in Canada and I decided to go to MediaMarkt (BestBuy-ish store) to maybe get some games or some accessories. Was really just going to look more than anything.

Then I see the prices. Fifa Football costs 50 EUROS! It's 40 bucks in Canada! With the Vita being Region-Free I expected the prices to be around the same worldwide because it would be easier to then just have imports instead of going to the store.

I've lived in the Netherlands for 7 years prior to this one, I'm used to the higher prices (a game costing 50 euros here while it costs 50$ back in canada) but to see a difference of nearly 25 bucks (shipping would only cost around 10) is shocking. So anyone in Europe planning on mainly importing? I can see problems for people that don't speak French or English (both languages spoken in North America) but how about the people that are speaking in English or French. The Vita starter kit is cheaper in Europe but that's about it :/

Also with the availability of the PSN store, can't people just log in an American/Canadian PSN account and download the games cheaper? Just looks like European retailers are shooting themselves in the foot.

Well first of all are you including sales tax in that $40 price? Also, speaking from the UK, popular games like Fifa hardly ever go on the shelves for full retail price.

Do you mean the UK too as part of Europe? If so we don't use that silly Euro, game prices are pretty much the same here as in the US, actually, they're cheaper once you take tax into account. (well, there's some exceptions such as collector editions, they can sometimes be more expensive here)

A lot more economics go into determining prices than making the prices equivalent across regions. They probably charge more in Europe because they can. It's nothing new. Look at the cost of European Cars in the US vs Europe. It's a different of social class the price difference is so huge.

@Sooty said:

Do you mean the UK too as part of Europe? If so we don't use that silly Euro, game prices are pretty much the same here as in the US, actually, they're cheaper once you take tax into account. (well, there's some exceptions such as collector editions, they can sometimes be more expensive here)

That's why I import pretty much exclusively from the UK (I live in Germany). Euro prices are ridiculous all around which, in terms of gaming, makes importing from the US or UK almost always cheaper (unless there's a special deal or you're buying stuff used on eBay)

I live in the Netherlands and yep duder, it's been like that forever and only getting crazier.
 
Some games were put in store with 65 or even 70 instead of the regular 60.
I know a few good import sites so it doesn't impact me that much but it's shit overall, I agree.

Try being Danish

Well every single game in Portugal is 70 euros... The trick is to order from the UK

@Fallen189 said:

Try being Danish

Try being Swedish. Fuck our Taxes. $110 for a new 360 game, WOOOOOOO.

@TobbRobb said:

@Fallen189 said:

Try being Danish

Try being Swedish. Fuck our Taxes. $110 for a new 360 game, WOOOOOOO.

This.

It's effed up beyond belief.

Around $80 for new PS3 and 360 games here in Finland.

You win this one swedes, as the price is mostly $93 in Finland for the new games and prices drop pretty fast (with in first few weeks) to $66 range. Including taxes, that is.

When it comes to buying games and related paraphernalia in the U.K., I rarely walk into retail shops. I usually buy online as I get the best deals that way. The last game I bought from "bricks and mortar" retail was Skyrim and that was only because I had a gift card that I couldn't use online. Also, I usually go to http://www.find-game.co.uk/ to find the best prices.

One annoying trend I have seen in one or two shop sites though, is that they have PSP/PS VIta games and 3DS/DS games lumped together. I have visions of people mistakenly buying a 3DS game (in the DS category) thinking it's a game that works in their DS. This won't do.

@Rolyatkcinmai said:

A lot more economics go into determining prices than making the prices equivalent across regions. They probably charge more in Europe because they can. It's nothing new. Look at the cost of European Cars in the US vs Europe. It's a different of social class the price difference is so huge.

This is your answer right here, its also the reason games are $70 - 90 in Australia.

I have been exclusively importing console games since 2007. Saves close to 30% out of virtually any software purchase. Add to that indie bundles and Steam sales for PC gaming. also keep an eye on www.cheapassgamer.com for some crazy deals.

Yeah retail prices are prices here in the netherlands can be crazy compared to the US, so screw them.

Same problem in latin america.

@TobbRobb said:

@Fallen189 said:

Try being Danish

Try being Swedish. Fuck our Taxes. $110 for a new 360 game, WOOOOOOO.

Well at least you have cheap cars (compared to Denmark) ;)

@alternate: With taxes it rises to 45 bucks but still way cheaper :/

And yeah seeing the answers I understand it's pretty much the main continent with the exception of the UK but can't retailers change those prices knowing that gamers can now import their games for way cheaper? Just seem stupid to keep high prices and pretty much remove some type of demographic.

@TobbRobb said:

@Fallen189 said:

Try being Danish

Try being Swedish. Fuck our Taxes. $110 for a new 360 game, WOOOOOOO.

Try being Norwegian, it is completely fucked in every way.

It's called Europe's bad economy state.

@kpaadet: I wouldn't know about the cars. I'll just take your word on that. ^^

@Simplexity said:

@TobbRobb said:

@Fallen189 said:

Try being Danish

Try being Swedish. Fuck our Taxes. $110 for a new 360 game, WOOOOOOO.

Try being Norwegian, it is completely fucked in every way.

I've been in Norway once, it really is bad when a swede thinks shit is way too expensive....

I think Norway and Japan might be the most expensive countries to live in.

Wow, hearing about those Scandinavian prices actually kills all my (little) anger toward the prices in Germany. If I buy from amazon I can get most new games for 55 € when they're brand new, around 50 € after a months and slowly but surely even cheaper after time - as it is across the globe, I suppose. Never thought them to be too extreme, actually.

50 euros? That's a significant jump over North America prices.

Blame Greece, I guess?

@nohthink said:

It's called Europe's bad economy state.

ehhhh.. hm? the economy is bad, lets RAISE the prices! no. it's not because of the CURRENT state of our economy (which is ok or good except for greece, spain and italy. the us economy is worse then europes), it's because of the state it has been in from 2000-2008 (which was a good one. people were getting used to pay 69€ for a new xbox game). but this also varies from country to country. as you can see: sweden has much higher taxes on entertainment products than other countries. germany has, like sweden, a high living-standard so publisher can charge the germans more (including 19% VAT, which sucks). on the other hand you have countries like great britain where people don't buy in the quantities like germany etc. especially movies and cds. they also have lower taxes, which makes the games and dvds there for non britains super cheep in comparison. (i only order my games and dvds from england. you could get rayman there for 22€ 1 month after its release.price in germany?49€+ .. and it still is) but those are all small factors. the system is much more complex.

Principle of supply and demand is the simple answer.

@Neurotic said:

Blame Greece, I guess?

Ireland too :(

It's €50 - €60 here for a new PS3 or 360 game.

@mortal_sb said:

@nohthink said:

It's called Europe's bad economy state.

the us economy is worse then europes)

Hmm.. i'm not sure that's true, the US economy is in recovery with improving GDP and import/export, increasing jobs etc. I wouldn't say its "worse". Where are you from if you don't mind me asking, I like these varying views, they're interesting :-)

The humorous thing is that where we pay 50 euro, a place like Russia only has to pay 16-18 euro because retailers have to compete with the high piracy rates.

@TobbRobb said:

@Fallen189 said:

Try being Danish

Try being Swedish. Fuck our Taxes. $110 for a new 360 game, WOOOOOOO.

Yup. My Ps3 cost $900 Launch day

@LethalKi11ler said:

@alternate: With taxes it rises to 45 bucks but still way cheaper :/

And yeah seeing the answers I understand it's pretty much the main continent with the exception of the UK but can't retailers change those prices knowing that gamers can now import their games for way cheaper? Just seem stupid to keep high prices and pretty much remove some type of demographic.

I guess they could but I think the number of people that actually import is pretty low so no need to compete with that. I guess the exchange rate doesn't help. Yen vs Euro is worse than Yen vs $ or CA$.

@nohthink said:

It's called Europe's bad economy state.

Nah, prices have always been higher, through boom or bust.

@c0kemusheen said:

@mortal_sb said:

@nohthink said:

It's called Europe's bad economy state.

the us economy is worse then europes)

Hmm.. i'm not sure that's true, the US economy is in recovery with improving GDP and import/export, increasing jobs etc. I wouldn't say its "worse". Where are you from if you don't mind me asking, I like these varying views, they're interesting :-)

i'm from germany (we're cool right now :D) and i'm not really up to date when it comes to the us economy i have to say. but there where some pretty bad times a couple of months ago if i can remember correctly. (like a trillion dollars debt, the rejection of the new health care system and so on) europe is doing ok right now. greece is still a big problem and i'm not sure if europe should shoulder greece weights. puts europe as a whole in a bad place.

were at $66 for full console games now in the uk dosnt seem bad but the average price for new games has gone up about £10 since September ($15)