Steam vs Retail pricing...get with it steam(possible rant)

[FuryofFive]

I am noticing a silly trend where games on steam are significantly higher then there retail counterpart.
i noticed this on at least 2 titles.
all new,used prices are less.(cd-keys are iffy)
Resident evil 5 : 31 bux on amazon and 50 on steam (27 + 3.99 for shipping)
Batman AA : 30 bux on amazon, 50 on steam (free shipping with prime)
Bioshock 2 : 23 bux on amazon, 50 on steam (18.50 + 3.99 shipping)
Mass effect 2 : 30 on amazon, 50 on steam (free shipping with prime)
AVP(new one) :23 on amazon, 50 on steam (18.99 + 3.99 for shipping)

these are just a handful i found
Im a huge fan of steam, i try to purchase stuff through them over retail. in most situation's.
i can see if it was a 5 dollar difference, but were talking $20+. thats near 50% more. Is the Convenience worth the extra $$$?

regardless that there console ports. In some cases there are specials that would lower the cost of the console versions or used copies from local used shops.(we all know the name)

All im saying is, I would purchase more games throug steam if they we priced alittle better, considering these are all single player games.(most people do not play them online or online is not offered) Play through once and done

 

[smackababy]

So, Steam doesn't have the best prices? Who cares? If you don't like the price, don't pay it. Simply as that.


I wish people would stop bitching already.

 

[FuryofFive]

So, Steam doesn't have the best prices? Who cares? If you don't like the price, don't pay it. Simply as that.


I wish people would stop bitching already.

im not bitching yo. im saying that for the difference it becomes a rather costly decision. wow way to totally just not read a thing. i made some valid points and you bludgeon the entire thing down to "bitching"

and you missed the part about how i buy most of my games on steam

 

[Lonyo]

There seems to be a massive misconception that in the US Steam prices are normal prices, and nothing is particularly much cheaper.

Just looking myself I've found this not to be the case, and outside the US the price discrepancy is even worse.

The only time when buying from Steam is actually a good deal is when they are having a sale. You can pretty much always get games cheaper if you shop around elsewhere. But apparently people would rather bitch about paying EA $10 for getting multiplayer access on a bought-used game than about paying $20 more just to buy through Steam.

 

[FuryofFive]

I buy the games usually when there retail and steam counterpart are the same price, such as BC2 or L4D2

 

[JAG87]

I buy the games usually when there retail and steam counterpart are the same price, such as BC2 or L4D2

Or when they offer a nice package deal that gives you 5 games for the price of 1

I just recetly got dirt, dirt2, grid and toca for 18 bucks, you can't beat that.

 

[minmaster]

yea most of my steam purchases are during ridiculous sales when its much cheaper than retail stores.

especially the steam holiday sale... it's just crazy how much price is lower then.

 

[NoWhereM]

I think the sales are the reason they don't lower the regular price as fast as other retailers. It's easier to sell a game that's 50% or 70% off the regular price even when their regular price is higher than other retailers. It's the same concept as selling a game for $49.99 or $49.95, it just sounds like a better price.

 

[Golgatha]

So you believe Steam's prices are based on reality and market conditions? Also, ever used the "add non-steam" game option in Steam? Heck, sometimes you can register the serial number and download the Steam version anyway.

 

[Golgatha]

Or when they offer a nice package deal that gives you 5 games for the price of 1

I just recetly got dirt, dirt2, grid and toca for 18 bucks, you can't beat that.

Steam sales is the only place Steam shines IMO. At $20 or less, I don't care about resell rights nearly as much. At $10 or less, I don't care at all since it wouldn't be worth my time to resell them.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I only buy games from Steam when they're on sale.

 

[simonizor]

You know, they have to make a profit somehow. They can't possibly be profiting on selling games for $2.50, so they have to make it up somewhere else. If you don't like the price, buy it somewhere else, plain and simple. Who cares if you're this OMGHUEG steam fan? Get over it and get it though your skull that on reseller cannot possibly have the best prices on ever single thing.

 

[Lonyo]

You know, they have to make a profit somehow. They can't possibly be profiting on selling games for $2.50, so they have to make it up somewhere else. If you don't like the price, buy it somewhere else, plain and simple. Who cares if you're this OMGHUEG steam fan? Get over it and get it though your skull that on reseller cannot possibly have the best prices on ever single thing.

You would think that Steam would be able to offer better prices than retailers, since there are lowered costs.
If Amazon can manage to sell things for $30 and make money, then how come the same thing is $50 on Steam? Answer, they are making MORE money.
Digital distribution is usually seen as something which has reduced costs, except those reduced costs apparently don't mean reduced prices, just more profit.

Here's a nice quote:

This is the major problem with digital distribution. The consumer will lose any sense of power and control, while publishers will gain total domination with no accountability whatsoever. Having eliminated the used game market and binding its consumers to EULAs that refuse refunds or any sense of recompense should games be buggy or simply sub-standard, the industry will have carte blanché to act as it pleases, regardless of the harm it will cause to consumers.

The market will no longer determine price. The publishers will. And who's to say that when publishers attain full control of the gaming market, they won't raise prices even higher?

http://www.destructoid.com/fearing-the-future-of-digital-distribution-147627.phtml

Of course, this same article goes on to say Steam is reasonably priced (as this thread shows, it's not), so already there is an element that some people think regular pricing with a loss of value through various means is reasonable.
If you have noticed, there's a thread talking about Steam becoming the only way to get games. Personally I don't see that ever happening, but if such a thing were to occur, where would the choice be? Steam wouldn't have to offer the best price on anything because it would be offering the only price.

 

[simonizor]

You would think that Steam would be able to offer better prices than retailers, since there are lowered costs.
If Amazon can manage to sell things for $30 and make money, then how come the same thing is $50 on Steam? Answer, they are making MORE money.
Digital distribution is usually seen as something which has reduced costs, except those reduced costs apparently don't mean reduced prices, just more profit.

Did you read what I posted at all? Yes, you are paying for the convenience of being able to simply download it instead of having to go get it or waiting for it to ship, but that's not all. They are making up for the lost profits on games that they sell for ridiculously low prices. You honestly can't expect them to sell everything at a loss, and then have no where to make up those profits. If you've got a problem with it, do the American thing and exercise your right to purchase from what-ever-the-fuck place you want to purchase from. No one here cares whether you think their prices are fair or not. It's well known that most prices from steam are not the best prices, unless they are on sale.

That article that you quoted is pure horse shit. The consumer only loses control when they become a mindless drone who believes that they have to buy everything from one place just because they are madly in love with it. News flash, buddy. We're living in a capitalistic society in which there are many competitors that you can chose from. If you're not satisfied with the prices from one of those, show them that you're not and purchase from someone else.

 

[KaOTiK]

Steam doesn't set the prices, I have no clue why people think they do. It is the publishers that do so.

 

[2dt Drifter]

You need to realize too that the steam delivery system puts in the game in your lap in a few hours.. you don't have to leave your chair to go purchase a game or wait a few days for it to be shipped. At some rate it's a cost of convenience.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Steam doesn't set the prices, I have no clue why people think they do. It is the publishers that do so.

Exactly.

Valve would love to be able to corner the market on Batman:AA by selling it at $25 every day.

It cost them nothing to develop so keeping $10/sale instead of $20 and tripling sales would be fine with them.

Publishers can't do that, because then Amazon, Walmart, GameStop, etc. would scream and threaten to stop carrying all titles from the publisher.

 

[Liet]

Steam doesn't set the prices, I have no clue why people think they do. It is the publishers that do so.

Quoted for importance.

 

[Arglebargle]

Exactly.

Valve would love to be able to corner the market on Batman:AA by selling it at $25 every day.

It cost them nothing to develop so keeping $10/sale instead of $20 and tripling sales would be fine with them.

Publishers can't do that, because then Amazon, Walmart, GameStop, etc. would scream and threaten to stop carrying all titles from the publisher.

Yeah. The publishers would have serious issues with other sales channels if they gave one avenue too much of a sweetheart deal, deserved or not. That's why Steam's prices are similar to the retail box prices most of the time.

In the retail channel you get sales on things due to storage space issues, depreciation of stock, etc. Steam's sales are driven by a different model.

 

[Skurge]

Well here its kind of all over the place. left4dead is cheaper on steam, BC2 is more expensive, MW2 is cheaper, Dirt2 is cheaper, just cause2 is more expensive.

The differences are usually less than $5, so for me it depends on how big the game download is. if its around 6-7GB ill get the steam version. more than that ill get the retail version.

 

[digitaldurandal]

Steam doesn't set the prices, I have no clue why people think they do. It is the publishers that do so.

I am so glad someone else pointed this out.

They have a specific contract with the vendors. When you find games in the bargain bin at other stores, they are losing money on the product and clearing inventory. Steam only had digital inventory therefor they do not have a bargain bin although I have heard that if licenses are not selling they will add a product to a sale.

 

[shortylickens]

I generally find Steam to be somewhat cheaper than walmart.
My issue isnt with their prices, its with their bullshit. The whole idea behind Steam is to make games easier to get and play. With all the GFWL and YuPlay and sorry fucking Gamespy requirements, JUST TO PLAY A LOT OF TITLES OFFLINE, its becoming a piss poor investment to purchase Steam games.
Fuck Valve, they arent getting any more money from me. I dont care how awesome the deal is, if I cant play the god damn game its a rip off.

 

[simonizor]

I generally find Steam to be somewhat cheaper than walmart.
My issue isnt with their prices, its with their bullshit. The whole idea behind Steam is to make games easier to get and play. With all the GFWL and YuPlay and sorry fucking Gamespy requirements, JUST TO PLAY A LOT OF TITLES OFFLINE, its becoming a piss poor investment to purchase Steam games.
Fuck Valve, they arent getting any more money from me. I dont care how awesome the deal is, if I cant play the god damn game its a rip off.

What the hell are you talking about? Have you ever thought that GFWL and YuPlay are things ADDED BY THE DEVELOPERS AND PUBLISHERS and NOT BY STEAM? Steam doesn't add any of those things. If valve had it their way, everyone would use their DRM and their servers for online multiplayer.

Have fun not giving Valve any more of your money because you'll find the same crap (GFWL, YuPlay, Gamespy, etc) without Steam.

 

[zerocool84]

lol @ someone complaining about Steam prices when they have deals all the time. I don't remember the last time I paid full price for a game at all.

 

[stag3]

only time i buy steam games is during those sale things
their normal prices are almost always higher than buying it anywhere else
which is odd since they dont have to print a box/manual or press cd/dvd's
i guess they have to pay for bandwidth tho?