Stop it: Fallout 76 tried to do this too

[Yencat]

It's illegal in the UK. You can't claim an item is on sale unless it has been sold at the original price at least once.

The OP didn't specify a country and I am not in the UK myself, but after having a quick look all I could find was something saying if you're offering something with a discount you have to compare it to the price it was the previous 28 consecutive days, and not the price it may have been 6 months ago. But it also added this, which seems most fitting in this case:

Introductory offer price

The offer must be limited in time and the product under promotion must be available after the promotion has ended at the same outlet but at the higher price. Remember that claiming an offer is limited when it is not is a criminal offence.

Edit: I've also received plenty of emails from gaming retailers over the years about discounted pre-orders for new games, so either they're all illegal and they're really bold about it or it's different for digital products / the introductory offer prices rules are in fact different.


But if anyone feels so inclined they should report it and see what happens, I guess.