Why is STEAM used as the "Digital Distribution" scapegoat?

I think publishers or whatever do pay for shelf space from what I've heard and it would only be logical, if someone is willing to pay to have something in a certain place why would you not do so.

They dont go to individual shops they make the deals with the higher ups and the top levels for this amount of money for this amount of space here. They especially would do this with heavily hyped games and such, there is no way, the retail company decides on its own impetous to stack whole shelves with some of these games.

I think the high prices in digital distribution, in part is to do with the publishers, they cannot allow the prices to get to low otherwise their profits will be severly curtailed it suits them that the retailers are saying this, but are they saying it, whom have you ever heard literally say it, we'll destroy our own profits just to spite you.
 
Calabi, the retail PC sector is not worth that much in comparison to the consoles.

The big high street shops could stop selling PC games completely and I dont think they would be too bothered.

More shop space to sell console stuff :)

So I think they could try to bluff to be honest.

I'd say the majority of PC game sales in this country are etailers and downloads. The retail PC channel is pretty small now I would think in comparison.
 
Gimpymoo said:
Calabi, the retail PC sector is not worth that much in comparison to the consoles.

The big high street shops could stop selling PC games completely and I dont think they would be too bothered.

More shop space to sell console stuff :)

So I think they could try to bluff to be honest.

I'd say the majority of PC game sales in this country are etailers and downloads. The retail PC channel is pretty small now I would think in comparison.
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I was mainly reffering to their, whole stock, most publishers dont just publish for the PC, but yeah your right, they probably could stop selling PC games and would not have a severe monetary impact.

But I dont think it will just dissapear to be replaced by fully digital downloads, people still like there boxed games.
 
Ooh, yes, Im with you.

Of course, it is not just the PC games it is the console games too from the same publisher which would get shoved to the back of the store in a sealed casket :)
 
BoozerDawg said:
Most people i find who winge heavily about Steam's pricing are those who have made it there own law that theyl never buy anything from anywhere other than Steam. Most people will just pick up the cheaper retail version or look elsewhere digitally.
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Why can large shops and other online shops heavily discount games yet steam can't. You trying to tell me steam doesn't have a large a customer base (and therefore more pull) than small UK e-tailors?

Sorry but I don't believe that.

Most new releases sell on Steam for 50-60€. Yet you can buy them from the UK for 30-35 quid.

I buy from Steam because of convience but only if the price is comparable to retailers. Or the game is by a small company and only available online.

It's been said several times on these forums and elsewhere even though Steam has the bandwidth costs it doesn't have any major transport costs they should with their clout be able to sell it for less than RRP.

One wonders why they don't?
 
Dude, seriously, read the thread. Half the thread has been about why Steam can't just decide to drop prices as and when they feel like it in the same way a retail chain can.
 
drunkenmaster said:
But publishers do the same in the real world of retail stores, they release games to only certain regions, and they choose different RRP's for different parts of the world.

THey choose a price in $, a price in £, a price in euro's and a price in yen, they DON'T pick a single price and just use exchange rates to ensure the same price everywhere else, thats the same deal with every item sold in the world.

I would assume because tax is calculated differently for sales in different places, not to mention money being worth more/less in different regions you can't and won't ever have the same pricing.

But thats recommended prices, thats up to them, thats got smeg all to do with what price the store then sells at.
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Isn't the digital distribution VAT in Europe at 15% I thought I read it somewhere.

Nothing, not exchange rates not taxation can explain the HUGE differences between UK and Eurozone pricing on Steam.

It's not like they actually have many (if any) staff in most countries.
 
Don;t the euro people pay more than us?

I'm sure i had some guy from the Netherlands (seriously how awesome a name is that) Saying that his uk mate bought the l4d 4 pack so they got it a few euroes cheaper than if they'd bought the euro 4 pack.


Don't we have more taxes?


*meh if this has already been answered.
 
Wait, other than like 3 people CLAIMING the prices are 100% set by the publisher, theres entirely no evidence of that at all.

Tax may or may not be similar to other european countries for downloads only(though sounds unlikely), but thats irrelevant, normal tax is certainly not, some we probably pay more than, some we pay less than. But since when the entire planet consisted of the UK and Europe I don't know.

But most importantly, they want pricing different for different regions based on the price the stores charge for retail copies IN THAT COUNTRY. import duties, tax most certainly change from country to country. Likewise, size of the stores/chains change from country to country, purple shirt brigade, and 2-3 of our chains, have a lot more purchasing power than a little town store in the middle of nowhere in Lithuania. So they get worse pricing on the actual game than a store in the UK which limits how much they can drop the price and still make a viable profit, likewise they have very little competition so less reason to charge less, so the prices are higher, so publishers will insist games sold to be downloaded by residents there, have to pay a different price.
 
drunkenmaster said:
Wait, other than like 3 people CLAIMING the prices are 100% set by the publisher, theres entirely no evidence of that at all.

Tax may or may not be similar to other european countries for downloads only(though sounds unlikely), but thats irrelevant, normal tax is certainly not, some we probably pay more than, some we pay less than. But since when the entire planet consisted of the UK and Europe I don't know.

But most importantly, they want pricing different for different regions based on the price the stores charge for retail copies IN THAT COUNTRY. import duties, tax most certainly change from country to country. Likewise, size of the stores/chains change from country to country, purple shirt brigade, and 2-3 of our chains, have a lot more purchasing power than a little town store in the middle of nowhere in Lithuania. So they get worse pricing on the actual game than a store in the UK which limits how much they can drop the price and still make a viable profit, likewise they have very little competition so less reason to charge less, so the prices are higher, so publishers will insist games sold to be downloaded by residents there, have to pay a different price.
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Well Steam have said it a number of times. Of course they could be lying because what would be the point of that, and those lies have been refuted/supported by the publishers with their/lack of words.

I doubt publishers would join a system if that system then said you must charge this, this and that. The publisher knows how much profit they need to make, it would be so much hassle for those who manage steam to decide all the prices for everything, when they can just let the publishers do it(also they wouldnt, get the cut of all the money only the percentage amount which was agreed upon at the start of the deal, so what would be the point of setting the whole price then). They have the taxes, VAT and that set, thats all they need to do.

I havent heard much complaining about euro prices recently so I think they may have normalized by now.
 
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drunkenmaster said:
Wait, other than like 3 people CLAIMING the prices are 100% set by the publisher, theres entirely no evidence of that at all.
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Stardock said:
'Over the last few months as more games have been launched on Impulse and as more users have joined the community here, we've seen a steady increase in the number of confused/angry threads regarding territorial sales restrictions and regional pricing set for some titles.

Instead of continuing to address each thread as it pops up, this thread is being created to consolidate the discussion.

Publishers and developers, when signing on with Impulse, specify what regions of the world their titles may be sold in. We always push for world-wide rights, but due to a variety of factors, this isn't always possible.

Publishers and developers also set regional pricing based on currencies and areas of the globe. Again, we always ask for non-regional pricing, but once more there are limitations on the publishers which often prevent this.

Impulse does not determine regional availability or price. This is something that is decided by the publisher/developer signing their titles on with Impulse. We are continually pushing for expanded sales regions with our partners, but those take time.'
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It's funny how flamboyant you are about condeming people who won't listen to reasonable argument regarding Valve controlling Steam prices, when you're guilty of exactly the same crime. This was posted on Page 1. And indeed, I've still yet to see your evidence of the contrary.
 
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