It is much more expensive in SA because if we compare the average yearly household income of SA to the US we get the following:
Average yearly household income for US is around $50 000 (R384 688)
For SA its around R120 000 ($15 597)
Thats shocking and having to pay similar prices to US is insane.
So you want to price goods according to the buying capacity of the population in the geographic location? What did you smoke today?Originally Posted by Dazzla
Prices of goods are not going to change according to geographic location ever but just saying its more expensive for us to afford paying such prices since we earn alot less.
The cost of making the product didn't change. So why should the company take a loss just because our small market can't "afford it" according to you? If you earn so much less you should re-evaluate your hobby.
And our earnings is as skewed as can be. You should take into account the Purchasing power parity. You should also re-investigate your household income stat.
Last edited by Verrayne; 23-03-2012 at 12:08 PM.
I did not say any of that. Games are expensive to purchase compared to what average people earn. It is an expensive hobby. If my stat is incorrect, what do you think the average household earns and with that in mind do you think games are an expensive purchase for the average household?
Last edited by Dazzla; 23-03-2012 at 12:32 PM.
The price of a game has nothing to do with what people earn, perhaps it should. If a game is produced in the US, they will price in USD, the fact that our currency is weaker is not their problem.
Yes it does not. It does however make it more expensive for us to purchase and our weaker currency is a contributing factor.
Maybe it was once cheaper to purchase games from the US and was because our currency was stronger back then.
Well you look at value for money games are pretty damn good. You go out for the night and you're not going to spend less than R300, yet one game can last you a few weeks, if it's multi-player maybe a few months.
I sometimes import PS3 games from the UK because they can be significantly cheaper compared to SA. For instance Binary Domain is roughly R340 in the UK while here it's R499.
Well in my personal experience games are still one of the cheapest forms of entertainment in the world. Unless you are a vegetable, then your entertainment is free.
In the US a movie ticket is $15 at a good theater, it will last one and a half hours.
A game $50. lasts up to when you get sick of it.
If you compare the US's movie to game price ratio and compare ours then our games are more expensive, and the America's movies are much more expensive. since you can get a Ster-Kinekor ticket for $3. Also I still have the receipt for some of my old games I bought Mortal Kombat Trilogy in a tiny Top CD in Menlyn over 10 years ago. The game cost R299, factoring in all the inflation and one of the most contributing factors the oil price. Pc games should now retail for about R490-R550.
Hell I remember paying R700 for Final Fantasy X in 2001. Final Fantasy XIII and XIII-2 launched at R500!
There was also this post Totalbiscuit did some weeks ago. A Super Mario game in the early 90's retailed for $75, most games have become cheaper as the time has passed.
In essence we still get it cheap.
Last edited by Verrayne; 23-03-2012 at 04:02 PM.
