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Basically, I get my rant on over game pricing, fairly regularly ... and my current focus will be the pricing of Mario Kart Wii. I will also be complaining over the issue of release dates ... you have been warned
Japan (in. sales tax) : 5,800 yen = £28.72 / $56.93 USD / $62.51 AUD / 36.39 Euros / $57.88 CAD
USA (ex. sales tax) : $49.99 USD = £25.23 / $54.89 AUD / 31.96 Euros / $50.82 CAD / 5,093 yen
UK (in. sales tax) : £34.99 = $69.31 USD / $76.14 AUD / 44.31 Euros / $70.46 CAD / 7,063 yen
Australia (in. sales tax) : $99.95 AUD = £45.93 / $91.02 USD / 58.17 Euros / $92.54 CAD / 9,273 yen
Canada (ex. sales tax) : $54.99 CAD = £27.28 / $54.04 USD / 34.55 Euros / $59.38 AUD / 5,505 yen
Germany (in. sales tax) : 49.99 Euros = £39.47 / $78.20 USD / $85.89 AUD / $79.59 CAD / 7,967 yen
[I chose Germany as my representative nation from Europe.]
[All prices shown are for the version which includes the wheel accessory.]
As is clearly visible, the disparity in pricing between nations is far too great ... despite what many might think, this is a cause for both piracy and importation ... both of which are not tolerated by games companies.
Either prices should fall in line, globally, or companies should have a greater tolerance for importation, at the very least.
This title is a good choice for use in comparisons, as it is released in Europe only one day after it's launch in Japan ... Multi-language support, across half the globe, in a day.
If this is possible ... and it evidentially is ... then why the normal disparity in release dates?
Games that are of the same language should have virtually identical release dates, don't you think?
If North America, for example, gets a game on a particular day, then why shouldn't other English speaking countries have that game on, or around, the same day?
The U.K., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong ... we should all get games in the same week, at least, as North America does.
Not only do we often have to wait an unreasonable amount of time to get a game, but there are times when we don't get the game at all, and we are forced to import ... or, in some cases, pirate ... if we wish to play a particular title.
The world is getting smaller, so shouldn't things be getting easier, and cheaper?
The rest of the world is penalized for not being North American or Japanese.
I apologize for the disjointed nature of this post ... I have been awake far too long, and have yet more hours ahead of me, before I can rest.
Thanks for reading this.
Side-Note : Not only does the U.S. have the lowest prices, but they also have less tax levied against them, when importing titles from other regions.
Japan (in. sales tax) : 5,800 yen = £28.72 / $56.93 USD / $62.51 AUD / 36.39 Euros / $57.88 CAD
USA (ex. sales tax) : $49.99 USD = £25.23 / $54.89 AUD / 31.96 Euros / $50.82 CAD / 5,093 yen
UK (in. sales tax) : £34.99 = $69.31 USD / $76.14 AUD / 44.31 Euros / $70.46 CAD / 7,063 yen
Australia (in. sales tax) : $99.95 AUD = £45.93 / $91.02 USD / 58.17 Euros / $92.54 CAD / 9,273 yen
Canada (ex. sales tax) : $54.99 CAD = £27.28 / $54.04 USD / 34.55 Euros / $59.38 AUD / 5,505 yen
Germany (in. sales tax) : 49.99 Euros = £39.47 / $78.20 USD / $85.89 AUD / $79.59 CAD / 7,967 yen
[I chose Germany as my representative nation from Europe.]
[All prices shown are for the version which includes the wheel accessory.]
As is clearly visible, the disparity in pricing between nations is far too great ... despite what many might think, this is a cause for both piracy and importation ... both of which are not tolerated by games companies.
Either prices should fall in line, globally, or companies should have a greater tolerance for importation, at the very least.
This title is a good choice for use in comparisons, as it is released in Europe only one day after it's launch in Japan ... Multi-language support, across half the globe, in a day.
If this is possible ... and it evidentially is ... then why the normal disparity in release dates?
Games that are of the same language should have virtually identical release dates, don't you think?
If North America, for example, gets a game on a particular day, then why shouldn't other English speaking countries have that game on, or around, the same day?
The U.K., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hong Kong ... we should all get games in the same week, at least, as North America does.
Not only do we often have to wait an unreasonable amount of time to get a game, but there are times when we don't get the game at all, and we are forced to import ... or, in some cases, pirate ... if we wish to play a particular title.
The world is getting smaller, so shouldn't things be getting easier, and cheaper?
The rest of the world is penalized for not being North American or Japanese.
I apologize for the disjointed nature of this post ... I have been awake far too long, and have yet more hours ahead of me, before I can rest.
Thanks for reading this.
Side-Note : Not only does the U.S. have the lowest prices, but they also have less tax levied against them, when importing titles from other regions.
