This week Microsoft SA announced that Xbox Live will be coming to South Africa on November 10. The announcement received mixed feedback, with the biggest complaint being that Gold subscriptions and MS Points are more expensive on local Live than US Xbox Live.
We managed to get in touch with local Xbox 360 product and marketing manager Yvette van Rooyen. She gave the following explanation for the higher local Xbox Live pricing:
“The pricing is higher than UK or US pricing because it is not as easy as a direct conversion from ZAR to $ or pounds. We have very high import duties and taxes in SA and then over and above that the channel margins are in most cases higher than countries in Europe.”
“If you look at Europe – the population is dense and countries small so it is easy and economical to supply the whole country easily.”
It is still unclear exactly how physical distribution costs factor into a digital product like Xbox Live, and we have requested further explanation from Microsoft.
In the meantime, Van Rooyen announced a few special launch deals for local Xbox Live users in a bid to ease the pain.
South African Xbox Live launch specials
1. All 12 months subscriptions will get an additional 2 months free (at launch).
2. If you buy any Call of Duty game or bundle, you will be able to purchase a 14 month subscription (12months + 2months) at R399 (R200 off).
3. If you buy any Xbox console, you will be able to purchase a 14 month subscription (12months + 2months) at R399 (R200 off).
Xbox Live is set to launch in SA on November 10. South African’ s will be able to transfer already existing UK or US Xbox Live accounts onto the local Live network.
More on Xbox Live South Africa
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