Square Enix statement

[Tsutsudae]

^ ^ just another Brit full of passive aggression towards the whole Heavensward pricing matter :/ who knows, maybe i'll get it maybe I won't...

All i want at this point is for an explanation from Square Enix as to how this conclusion was reached and how it was decided that it was fair to do this to the UK fanbase :/

[Remus]

You won't get one. Simple. Just don't buy the physical collector's edition.

[Risvertasashi]

At the risk of getting flamed, I'll try to explain.

See, it's not just about plugging numbers into google or whatever your favorite currency converter is. It's about purchasing power of the individual.

The USD is a lot weaker than the Euro right now, and this sucks for Americans travelling abroad, but is nice for Europeans travelling to the States or similar. But Gaming isn't about travelling/tourism.

In terms of purchasing power, the values are a lot closer. Roughly the same demographics can afford a $60 game as a €60 game, or in this case, $130 and €130.

That is why the games industry prices are the way they are. This is also why some movies are dirt cheap in certain countries (the target demographics there could not afford our prices), but they instituted region locking to prevent wealthier nations from taking advantage of it.

I am not saying I agree nor disagree with these practices, but that's why it is this way.

[Melchar]

Good explanation River, but I wouldn't say the USD is very weak compared to the Euro right now.

[TessaJalloh]

In terms of purchasing power, the values are a lot closer. Roughly the same demographics can afford a $60 game as a €60 game, or in this case, $130 and €130.

This would be wonderfully valid. IF Square Enix was letting us buy for the Euro price.

They aren't.

That's where the problem comes in. the British £ is MUCH stronger than the Euro. But we don't get paid as many pounds as people get paid in Euros. our purchasing power per individual is drastically lower with these elevated prices.

[MeiUshu]

y.

you explained it far better then I did, most people dont understand this, at all. For some of them it might even be the first time that they realize the discrepancies it exists between countries when it comes to goods and prices.

I wish I would pay 50 % less those like you and me know, the system works as intended. Even if I do believe there is a slight exageration in the price set for Brits.

Mei

[aerolol]

The USD is a lot weaker than the Euro right now, [...]

Wrong.

The US Dollar has never been so close to Euro as it is now, and it's RISING.
http://www.oanda.com/currency/historical-rates/
set the graph plot for like 5 years...

and you should see something like this:





See that the dollar value has reached its peak compared to euro on the last 2 months, and it's still rising even more.
It's very likely that 1 Euro will be worth less than 1 Dollar on the next months.


The historic average is 1 USD = 0.75 EUR (roughly, as seen on the 5 year graph)
Right now 1 USD = 0.95 EUR

So my friend, that statement of yours is wrong.

[DarkmoonVael]

At the risk of getting flamed, I'll try to explain.

See, it's not just about plugging numbers into google or whatever your favorite currency converter is. It's about purchasing power of the individual.

The USD is a lot weaker than the Euro right now, and this sucks for Americans travelling abroad, but is nice for Europeans travelling to the States or similar. But Gaming isn't about travelling/tourism.

In terms of purchasing power, the values are a lot closer. Roughly the same demographics can afford a $60 game as a €60 game, or in this case, $130 and €130.

That is why the games industry prices are the way they are. This is also why some movies are dirt cheap in certain countries (the target demographics there could not afford our prices), but they instituted region locking to prevent wealthier nations from taking advantage of it.

I am not saying I agree nor disagree with these practices, but that's why it is this way.

The UK does not use the Euro, it used the Pound Sterling. $192 (approx) is how much the CE costs in the UK. The Euro and Dollar cost are about on par, with the Euro cost being slightly more by a margin. As for purchasing power, the purchasing power of these following Euro Zone countries is higher than the UK: Germany, Netherlands, Austria and Norway.

[Reynhart]

The USD is a lot weaker than the Euro right now, and this sucks for Americans travelling abroad, but is nice for Europeans travelling to the States or similar. But Gaming isn't about travelling/tourism.

In terms of purchasing power, the values are a lot closer. Roughly the same demographics can afford a $60 game as a €60 game, or in this case, $130 and €130.

Another one confusing Euro and Pounds, it seems...
£130 is nowhere "close" to €130 or $130

[NinjaTaru72]

Good explanation River, but I wouldn't say the USD is very weak compared to the Euro right now.

Not very weak, but 1 euro is, today, worth 1.08 usd now. Which roughly translates to somewhere around 140.4 they are paying compared to us at 130. Not including tax