Hey Futuremark, € is not the same as $

FM_kingkatt · 10-26-2009, 10:09 PM

When new games go on sale on Steam one question that is always asked is how the prices are set and why it is that seemingly unfair exchange rates are used between the different currencies.

Deciding the right price for Shattered Horizon has been one of the most difficult parts of the project. We are a European developer and we decided the Euro price first. We feel that €19.95 is the right price for Shattered Horizon, a game that has been designed and developed exclusively for the PC with no compromises made for a console version.

You’ll also get dedicated servers and free content expansions after launch. On top of that, as we proved during the beta, you get a development team that listens and responds to its fans and customers.

You should also note that the Euro price on Steam includes VAT sales tax at 22% whereas in the US, sales tax is usually added to the displayed price, in this case $19.95, afterwards at the point of purchase depending on the State.

In a perfect world the game should cost more in the US and UK. But the world is not perfect, and Shattered Horizon is not the only game on Steam. Pricing Shattered Horizon at higher levels in those markets would make it more expensive than other games of a similar scope, and therefore people would be less likely to buy it.

If you live in Europe, not only are you are paying a fair price but you are doing more than anyone else to help us support Shattered Horizon with extra content, for free, after launch and for that, we thank you. In North America and the UK, gamers pay less but we as developers see less benefit too and will have to sell more copies to ensure free post-launch content for everyone.

You can see that in two of our three markets, gamers benefit and we as developers lose out. Would you really rather have it the other way round?

IeatNvidiots · 10-26-2009, 10:17 PM

Why not a fixed Euro price, + taxes?

Or are u saying it would be to expensive for USA?

JoseyWales · 10-26-2009, 10:27 PM

after whats been done to our country in the past year alot of us cant find work. i went 20 years without being unemployed.. this past year i couldn't find a job pushing a broom. i usually am a foreman or higher but i couldn't even find work as a carpenter. let alone management.. so it will go over well here in the states. everyone is feeling the pinch. thank God for the years of steady work or i would be in the hurt locker right now. but i have seen many good people loose everything... i'm thankful that i'm not one of them.. i have alot to loose..

nGAGE · 10-26-2009, 10:27 PM

The different states in the US have different TAX, whereas in European Union the same TAX applies for the most part. Also, I'm rather not fooled by a price and then get spanked by TAX during the transaction.

As European, I'm sure not happy about this endless € vs $ pricing debate, but let's face it. It's the retarded Europeans that voted for this crap. If it was up to me, we'd all still be back in the good old days where everybody had his own currency. We'd probably not feel as ripped off and possibly wouldn't have the crisis we're in either. Point, is; It's too late to complain about that. Flame as you will, but we did this to ourselves.

Bigster · 10-26-2009, 10:35 PM

nGage if we you/me still had our own currency "gulden" we would be off much worse with things going on right now.

But Americans should not complain about prices, everything is dirt cheap over there (last time i was there, still is)

FormulaRedline · 10-26-2009, 11:00 PM

Oh, hey there guys. Sorry, didn't see you.

I was too busy rollin' in all the dough I just saved by pre-ordering Shattered Horizon in the United States.

nGAGE · 10-26-2009, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigster

nGage if we you/me still had our own currency "gulden" we would be off much worse with things going on right now.

But Americans should not complain about prices, everything is dirt cheap over there (last time i was there, still is)

If the bloody European Union wouldn't exist, we wouldn't have to pay for the poor countries... So no. I disagree with that. Our problems would be local only.

Anyways, didn't wanna start a debate on that. Just got carried away when I though of the good old days where hard earned money was actually still worth something.

Red_Faust · 10-27-2009, 12:08 AM

Josey wales , its the same wave of unemployement in europe than in the usa... We live in the same world dont we ? ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nGAGE

If the bloody European Union wouldn't exist, we wouldn't have to pay for the poor countries... So no. I disagree with that. Our problems would be local only.

Anyways, didn't wanna start a debate on that. Just got carried away when I though of the good old days where hard earned money was actually still worth something.

Ngage thats your point of view. But other people are very happy about what european union made for them. And the money we earned is still woth something, the uniting of european money permit to face stronger to the mondialisation and hopefully to the crysis..

IeatNvidiots · 10-27-2009, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nGAGE

The different states in the US have different TAX, whereas in European Union the same TAX applies for the most part. Also, I'm rather not fooled by a price and then get spanked by TAX during the transaction.

As European, I'm sure not happy about this endless € vs $ pricing debate, but let's face it. It's the retarded Europeans that voted for this crap. If it was up to me, we'd all still be back in the good old days where everybody had his own currency. We'd probably not feel as ripped off and possibly wouldn't have the crisis we're in either. Point, is; It's too late to complain about that. Flame as you will, but we did this to ourselves.

Not true, we voted no at least in Holland but they did it anyway, its the wolf in the sheep clothes also known as Jan Pieter Balkenende, if i would have bin religious i would have called him the anti christ.

There where things that literally became 2.20371 times as expensive with the transition of our old(beloved) current to the Euro.

FM did a smart move not pricing it at 40 or 50, like some other mp only games tried and failed, should help getting the servers full from start.

nGAGE · 10-27-2009, 12:21 AM

@ IeatNvidiots
we voted our leaders. nuf said.

It's a pointless debate and I shouldn't have triggered it. I apologies, but for my final comment: the euro isn't worth a dime, and i'm not measuring it by currency value.