A somewhat troubling new...feature of Steam has emerged via some astute NeoGaffers. For those who don't know, Metal Gear Rising Revengeance is now available for pre-order, on sale no less, on Steam. And other places, but, y'know, Steam. This is good news to most people (can't honestly fathom why, but I always was something of a contrarian) but is tempered with something less appealing. Something we honestly would never have expected to see coming from Steam.
Name Steam Sub 36077
Name (Store) METAL GEAR RISING: REVENGEANCE
AllowCrossRegionTradingAndGifting No
So far as we can see, Revengeance is the only game to have this flag to yes at the present time. But it sets a worrying precedent. One of Steam's greatest strengths is allowing access to games at the cheapest possible price. I myself have had many an occasion where I have asked an American buddy to pick up a game that's cheaper over there, or I do the same for them. It's a bit of a whiny entitlement kind of deal, sure, and I can understand the principal, from a business perspective, that game developers want to get as much money as possible. I get that. But as a consumer, I like having the option of pinching the pennies when I can..
So make of this what you will folks.
Posted 22-12-2013, 13:44
There's no import tax on gifts under a certain value, approximately £100 I believe. Having a friend buy a game from the US Store is no different, legally speaking, than buying a game on Ebay from an American reseller
Posted 21-12-2013, 22:01
Asking a friend in the US of A to buy game X for much cheaper than it would cost in EU, wouldnt that mean tax evasion?
Posted 21-12-2013, 12:04
SR4 and L4D2 have nothing to do with region restriction "just cuz" though. It's because your screwed up country (like Germany) have decided the international version is too violent/sexual/has too many ponies or whatever else.
Posted 20-12-2013, 23:52
@Fr33Lanc3r: That's for legal reasons though. This is just...I don't know what this is. Why does it really matter if you ask someone in another country to buy the game for you, so you save money. They're still being paid either way
Posted 20-12-2013, 23:51
It's not a big deal for this one game, it's the fact this exists at all
Posted 20-12-2013, 23:48
To be fair, there was already a form of this for us Aussies....I can't go and buy the American/British versions of Saints Row 4, for instance...or Left for Dead 2....
Posted 20-12-2013, 23:46
I don't see it as a big problem yet though it definitely can evolve to one. On the other hand to do a sale on a pre-order I think will net them a lot of sales!
Posted 20-12-2013, 23:14
It's just a dumb move no matter how you look at it. Far from protecting their investment, they're going to hurt it significantly. Even aside from the inevitable backlash, what if I have a friend in Croatia, and he really wants the game, and I was going to get it for his birthday? Oh, nope, can't do that, can't trade internationally.
-1 sale
Posted 20-12-2013, 22:40
Bad step, but it is perhaps something that was holding many publishers back from Steam... hmm... I'd prefer not to have this restriction and just not have the publisher on Steam at all to be honest.
Once it starts with one, it easily can continue with more!
Posted 20-12-2013, 22:08
This will not end well