68 réponses à ce sujet

[lucky5hot]

UPDATE 29/03/2015 - Origin and EA/Bioware decided to make the DLC's evenly priced on all platforms.

 

Honestly people keep saying when you deal with EA support it turns out to be good and this case wasnt any different. I had been messaged by a community manager within 24 hours and the whole thing was resolved within 3 days. Tip of the hat for a good resolution. I'm hopeful that regardless of whatever debate we have on regional pricing in the future, there is at least fairness and parity across platforms of PC/Console.As a fan of the series who had my heart set on buying DLC so i could play out the game story a little more, there is now no obstacle getting in the way of me enjoying that.

 

ORIGINAL POST

 

I made a thread on reddit, I'm cross posting here as well. This practice needs to stop. I'm posting a full copy of the reddit thread here, you are welcome to discuss on reddit instead if you wish. http://www.reddit.co...ing_screwed_on/

 

Last time i made a thread about the price on the full game, there were plenty of people who lived in the states saying stuff like "get over it". Easy for you to say where everything is cheap. Its not the end of the world, but things were better in the past with bioware points. Please if you dont live in (AU), or have something constructive to say, keep your comments to yourself. Repost below:

 

 

So, initially i was once again dissapointed with AU game pricing way above the US. On PC, i noted that dragon age DLC is $25 to our US counterpart at $15.

However, I'm not only learning that we are paying more than currency conversion in AU ($6.25 more than currency conversion, an arbitrary markup of 24%), I'm now also learning that PC gamers are paying more xbone users.

Xbox One Dragon Age DLC is reasonably priced at $19.95 AUD. This is slightly above the conversion currency rate of $18.75, but you dont mind an extra 10% on the price to cover shifts in currency and to round to a neat price point.

However, PC Dragon Age DLC is priced inexplicably at $25.00 AUD for some reason. Citations below:

 

https://store.xbox.c...75-f78f6cd8f4c4

https://www.origin.c...-jaws-of-hakkon

 

I mean, what the ****. Again, we dislike but tollerate full boxed games being 20% more in AU, but we tollerate it because of the retail store-front channel problems they have, where they cant get proper shelf space unless they sign contracts to keep the digital channels like Origin.com/Xbox Store/PSN Store at the same price as the retail channels.

But with DLC, we expect a closer cut.

However, boxed game bullshit aside, and markup bullshit aside pricing more expensive on PC than it is XBONE is just ridiculous. Please stop!.

Origin.com just wants to arbitrarily charge our region $5 more because it can. I'm pretty sure this is adjustment for 'consumer price index' where it assumes because the average wage is more it should just arbitrarily charge us more. I'm sorry but this works for reducing the price for poor regions, but its entirely unheard of to increase the price for marginally wealthier regions. And the CPI certainly isnt at 24% above US anyway, due to Australia having most expensive cost of living in the world, offsetting wage differences.

I cant find a single thread on reddit or the dragon age forum about this either. How are PC gamers letting EA get away with this without at least telling them to **** themselves?

Any thoughts?

 

Also, a followup comment

 

 

Also, one further thought. I noticed that EA Access advertises a 10% discount off marked prices on certain games as a perk for the service. However, the marked price is BEFORE EA Access, therefore, you would be getting it for like $18 dollars, not $20.

Therefore, the price difference is entirely arbitrary and has nothing to do with EA Access. This is a valid consideration i thought i would answer in case it came up.

 

I'm interested in an explanation for this from EA/Bioware if they have one, although I would imagine such a shady practice would just be swept under the rug and never responded to by community managers.

 

EDIT/UPDATE*** I got messaged on reddit saying they were going to look into it. So +1 for response time in the same day. Thats not to say they will actually resolve it, I assume they will want to determine WHY it happened first, decide if they want to change it, and then they would have to consider how changing it would work such as existing purchases. However, I do appreciate responsiveness and empathy for why Aussies would find this frustrating. Look forward to more replies.

[Absafraginlootly]

Bloody hell, I knew we were being charged about $5 more than the currency conversion of the price, but its reasonably priced on xboxone? Its only PC players who are being screwed over? Having the increased price on digitally downloaded content is ridiculous enough with arbitrarily assigning a price gouge to only one platform. 

 

[lucky5hot]

Bloody hell, I knew we were being charged about $5 more than the currency conversion of the price, but its reasonably priced on xboxone? Its only PC players who are being screwed over? Having the increased price on digitally downloaded content is ridiculous enough with arbitrarily assigning a price gouge to only one platform. 

 

Finally, somebody who gets it. This is literally being downvoted on reddit for some reason. Its not about the $5 dollars as much as it is about fairness. 

 

We're used to being screwed on price, but PC being over-charged compared to xbox just defies reason and fairness.

 

I honestly feel like if enough Aussies just ask them to please stop we can put an end to this for the 3-5 DLC's we can expect for the lifetime of DA:I PC. More posts please Aussies.

 

Its worth mentioning that as somebody whos been a fan of bioware since Kotor, I've been buying DLC with Bioware points (I think) since DA:1. I just really dig their RPG style. So I've seen all the pricing. 

 

In the past, the Bioware points, (or the console currency version equivalent), were marginally more expensive, but not to the same extent. So you would be paying slightly higher than currency conversion for bioware points but it wouldnt end up being the same markup that we have here. As much as I hate points systems for payment, it made it harder for EA to screw Aussie PC gamers because the pricing was never arbitrary like it is here, so honestly we had it better in the old system.

[Morroian]

This is pathetic from EA, right now I wish the BW points system would come back.

[xkg]

This is standard "practice" for EA dealing with you Aussies. If you go to other EA games forum you will find it is nothing new.

For starter, from top of my head, I can give you one example from the latest DLC for The Sims 4

 

http://forums.thesim...e-update-really

[katling73]

Why am I not surprised?

I'm cynical enough to say that there's no point expecting Bioware to do anything. They probably get a fair percentage of that money. When was the last time you saw anybody from Bioware on the forums?

Of course the best way to send a message would be to simply not buy the DLC at that price. But it's probably too little too late now.

[Morroian]

I hope people at Bioware are reading this and can pass this on to EA but I will refuse to buy any DLC while its at this price. Its sheer price gouging. Its not Bioware's fault but they are tainted by association.

[Jawzzus]

Why am I not surprised?

I'm cynical enough to say that there's no point expecting Bioware to do anything. They probably get a fair percentage of that money. When was the last time you saw anybody from Bioware on the forums?

Of course the best way to send a message would be to simply not buy the DLC at that price. But it's probably too little too late now.

 

With how toxic everyone is to BioWare devs, I wouldn't come here if I was one of them either

[katling73]

Though now that I think about it, this thread might have been better placed in the feedback section. It is feedback after all.

[Eelectrica]

Now I feel even more stupid for buying it. Unfortunately idiots like me who went ahead and bought it anyway knowing the price was overinflated just encourages them, and shows they can get away with it.

Sorry guys I messed up. I'll put my hand up and admit when I'm wrong and I was wrong to buy it at that price.

[Dio Demon]

What.

The.

Actual.

****?

 

If it was $5 more on Xbox understandable since it's sadly the norm, but it being a higher price on one platform? An explanation would be very nice.

[Banxey]

I was willing to cop the price increase because of the hours I spent playing the game, but knowing they charged us extra just for being on PC is a slap in the face. It was bad enough when we had to fight to get the bonus DLC items with our Inquisitor's Editions. But it seems now we're paying for them anyway.

[ElofValant]

This is standard "practice" for EA dealing with you Aussies. If you go to other EA games forum you will find it is nothing new.

For starter, from top of my head, I can give you one example from the latest DLC for The Sims 4

 

http://forums.thesim...e-update-really

 

I'm used to big publisher's wacking me with the 'Aussie Tax'... so I shop around (GMG, GOG, GG, etc). However, for me this is the first time I've seen EA pull this level of BS where the price gouging is higher on PC than other platforms. - since I never bought Sims 4, nor did I look at pricing or follow it's forums, I wasn't aware of the differences in pricing betwen different platforms.

 

If this is now the EA 'norm'... I'm going to be buying less EA games, and then only on heavy discounted sales... if I buy them at all. Yes I know I'm only 1 person so they won't really care, but it's all I can do (and with there being a lot of other good games that are decently priced... not gonna miss EA games that much).

[Dio Demon]

I'm used to big publisher's wacking me with the 'Aussie Tax'... so I shop around (GMG, GOG, GG, etc). However, for me this is the first time I've seen EA pull this level of BS where the price gouging is higher on PC than other platforms. - since I never bought Sims 4, nor did I look at pricing or follow it's forums, I wasn't aware of the differences in pricing betwen different platforms.

 

If this is now the EA 'norm'... I'm going to be buying less EA games, and then only on heavy discounted sales... if I buy them at all. Yes I know I'm only 1 person so they won't really care, but it's all I can do (and with there being a lot of other good games that are decently priced... not gonna miss EA games that much).

To be fair price schemes like this is a good reason why people pirate. If people feel screwed then they're more likely to pirate or not buy it at all.

 

Not saying I'm condoning pirating, I'm just saying EA isn't exactly helping.

[katling73]

To be fair price schemes like this is a good reason why people pirate. If people feel screwed then they're more likely to pirate or not buy it at all.

Not saying I'm condoning pirating, I'm just saying EA isn't exactly helping.

Yeah, and these companies that engage in this sort of price gouging are usually the first ones to start complaining about piracy without ever once acknowledging their part in encouraging said piracy in the first place with their completely unfair price gouging. It's a vicious circle.

Or, you know, a not so vicious circle since if they didn't price gouge in the first place there wouldn't be a problem with piracy.

[Kantr]

This is pathetic from EA, right now I wish the BW points system would come back.

Trouble with Bioware points was that the selected pricing did not always balance out at 1600 points.

[Dio Demon]

Yeah, and these companies that engage in this sort of price gouging are usually the first ones to start complaining about piracy without ever once acknowledging their part in encouraging said piracy in the first place with their completely unfair price gouging. It's a vicious circle.

Or, you know, a not so vicious circle since if they didn't price gouge in the first place there wouldn't be a problem with piracy.

There will always be piracy. It'd probably be a good step to stopping it.

 

Sadly this is all going to come down on the developer's head, they just make them game. They don't have anything to do with the pricing.

[Omnigore]

I paid NZ$25 as well (almost at parity with the AUD 8-O) and I have major buyer's remorse (haven't even played it yet) given that the base game is only twice that in many NZ stores...

 

We'll send them the message next time...

[Panda]

I heard that it's 14,90€ in Origin so 16,40 dollars here in Finland for PC. Not too much over US price, though it would be nice that people wouldn't need to pay more than US players. I don't know what's it on XBONE.

[Firky]

Ew. I saw it was $25 on Origin, rolled my eyes at the Straya tax, but didn't compare platforms.

This is a new level of annoying. It's the same content, regardless of platform.

I mean, you could maybe argue a price difference if it cost more to develop on a platform? Could you? I haven't thought about it. Or would that just undermine an ideal of equitable access? Regardless, that's not what this is.

[Farangbaa]

Awful.

Australia is an awful country to be a gamer in. Looking at a list of banned games in Australia, you guys should be glad you can play the game at all.

[lucky5hot]

Thanks for replying and showing your support guys. There is also a thread on reddit with over 15 replies too in just one evening. 

 

Just goes to show, EA have cost themselves significant brand equity and trust over something as little as $5 dollars per DLC. This is not the same issue as some other threads where people are wondering about the value of a 5-10 hour DLC in general, this is purely PC gamers being annoyed in being screwed over compared to Xbone gamers.

 

Honestly bioware, if you find out about this, just fix it up so we can get back to enjoying your products without buying them with significant buyers remorse afterwards with the feeling of being screwed over.

Even worse, I've counted a handful of people here and on reddit literally boycotting the product for the time being over this issue in several discussion areas. Over a $5 dollar gouge...!!! In what world is this a sane PR move.

[lucky5hot]

Why am I not surprised?

I'm cynical enough to say that there's no point expecting Bioware to do anything. They probably get a fair percentage of that money. When was the last time you saw anybody from Bioware on the forums?

Of course the best way to send a message would be to simply not buy the DLC at that price. But it's probably too little too late now.

 

 

With how toxic everyone is to BioWare devs, I wouldn't come here if I was one of them either

 

I'm as much of a bioware fanboy as the next guy, Playing everything starting from Kotor to Jade Empire, I even played SWTOR for way too long. I've bought almost every piece of DLC for every game Bioware have ever sold with the exception of a 2-3 Dragon Age one's that were really poorly reviewed. So I'm not a hater...

 

However, I gotta disagree Jawzzus. This guy wasnt being unreasonable. There is toxic behavior that we as a community should condemn, such as know-all's telling the dev's why their game sucks while making 100 erroneous statements in the process.... and on the other end of the spectrum there is white knighting. What you did is a lot closer to white knighting than he was to being toxic.

 

He made a rhetoric about complaints in this forum not being responded to much by bioware. This is an objectively true statement, cynical as it is. In fairness, I think if you really have a problem, you should use another more formal channel like EA's livechat/ticket support rather than Bioware's community forum, but his comment was fair.

 

This issue we have is not exactly saving people from cancer or the game being broken and unplayable. We are talking about $5 dollars per sale that is making us currently feel ill towards Bioware and its publisher. This is the right forum for this discussion, and making an assertion that it will probably result in nothing, or telling people to vote with their wallets, are in my opinion both fair points.

 

I honestly feel like your comment was directed at the whole community and not this guy. Are you sure you are not projecting other (actual), toxic comments you have read and then responding to this guy without actually reading what he said? What specific problem do you actually have with what he said anyway? 

[Absafraginlootly]

This is standard "practice" for EA dealing with you Aussies. If you go to other EA games forum you will find it is nothing new.

For starter, from top of my head, I can give you one example from the latest DLC for The Sims 4

 

http://forums.thesim...e-update-really

 

This is precisely why I didn't buy that dlc and why I'm even angrier about this than I would've been if it were a solitary event.

[exboomer]

Finally, somebody who gets it. This is literally being downvoted on reddit for some reason. Its not about the $5 dollars as much as it is about fairness. 

 

We're used to being screwed on price, but PC being over-charged compared to xbox just defies reason and fairness.

 

I honestly feel like if enough Aussies just ask them to please stop we can put an end to this for the 3-5 DLC's we can expect for the lifetime of DA:I PC. More posts please Aussies.

 

Its worth mentioning that as somebody whos been a fan of bioware since Kotor, I've been buying DLC with Bioware points (I think) since DA:1. I just really dig their RPG style. So I've seen all the pricing. 

 

In the past, the Bioware points, (or the console currency version equivalent), were marginally more expensive, but not to the same extent. So you would be paying slightly higher than currency conversion for bioware points but it wouldnt end up being the same markup that we have here. As much as I hate points systems for payment, it made it harder for EA to screw Aussie PC gamers because the pricing was never arbitrary like it is here, so honestly we had it better in the old system.

At least you are able to play it. Us PS4 gamers have to wait until God know when before we get it...just sayin.