I was looking over gamespot.com 's information about SC2 and it states that starcraft 2 has an official global release date for 27, July 2010 for $60 USD. This raises two points of interest. First of all im getting it early Australia is ahead of the USA's timezone by almost a full day. Secondly, why is it that Australian gaming retailers are allowed to sell the game for $98.00 (Ebgames.com.au) as apposed to the set $60 USD ($59.99 ebgames.com) from Blizzard. Given currency conversion with brings the game to $67.53AUD currently + a little extra in shipping, EB shouldn't be allowed to sell the game for anymore then $69.99 AUD.
The way I understand it is that the USD60 that Blizzard set is a Recommended Retail Price (and probably the price you'll be able to buy SC2 at via the Blizzard online store). Shops are free to increase their prices to whatever they want - competition and their marketing decisions will determine the final price tag. I could be wrong though.
Well I don't know much about Australia but they can do that. Theoretically they can sell the game for any price they want too. Their product, their price. You don't have to buy the game from them right? Also shipping, taxes, tariffs could be different because its in AUS
This has been occuring in most Australian Retailing for a while now and until recently I thought it was downright high way robbery (especially when retailers here force Publishers to increase steam game prices by 60% so they can compete). However retailers almost always get their products from a supplier at a set exchange rate (say 0.75c) since this reduces risk to the retailer incase of a currency collapse. If the AUD was to drop to 50c retailers wouldn't increase prices (well they didn't last time it occured) thus it can be said to be relatively fair. If you dislike it then order from overseas. Ultimately the gain/loss from currency fluctuations is passed on to the supplier/importer. Since the game industry in Australia is fairly retarded i assume JBH, EB etc all use some large bullying supplier (possibly of EB's making....i havn't researched it to an extensive degree...) If its not an Acti blizz (Err if you can wait you might be able to download SC2 from blizz :S) game buy it from a digital distributer and you'll get a 30-50% discount at least. And we never get games earlier, if anything we get them a day later because the release date is set 24 hours behind but the time difference isn't that great
So what. It's like 16-24 hours behind the US release of SC2 in Australia. That's assuming they mean a US 27th July and not a local 27th July. If it's local then we could get it earlier. But it's a pointless arguement. Just live your life for 24 hours and you'll never know the difference. And the price thing. Aussies always get screwed over in price. Games is not the only thing. Computers, cars, food, etc etc. Something you just have to live with if you live in Australia. Mind you in my opinion it's annoying but there are a lot is positives to living in Australia. A whole heap of them. The price thing is just one little bad thing. Annoying mind you but minor.
... Wait doesnt Blizzard offer electronic games now? Like you can just Download the game instead of physically buying the CD
I remember a developer commenting on this. I can't remember which way he said but someone interested in the answer should look it up.
well since little players know about SC2 here in the Philippines i hope they won`t increase the price T_T
That could be your best bet, waiting a couple of weeks maybe? Hey if the price isn't right it isn't right. Your overpaying quite a lot of dollars there
i wonder if they'll ever go on sale? valve has some pretty sweet deals on Steam every once in a while.
