Steam payment HUGE price increase!

[Edduard]

A basic salary in Brazil is around 280 USD, how much is in a rich country?

[DoppelShifter]

A basic salary in Brazil is around 280 USD, how much is in a rich country?

In the US, it's 7.25 USD per hour (multiplying a 40h workweek by 4 weeks, we have 1160 USD).

And if a quick Google and Wikipedia search are to be believed, it's a almost 1400 EUR in the UK and almost 1500 EUR in Germany.

That kind of disparity is one of the reasons why games like WoW and Warframe (and a good chunk of the Steam library) have different prices per region, so they can charge an optimal amount that will get them good profits and still fit the pockets of the average player of that country (which increases the player base, and thus the number of active subscriptions, and thus the total revenue).

Matter of comparison, the very same 15USD subscription for World of Warcraft costs, in Brazil, 23,90BRL (by Blizzard's own updated price table). Square is charging over double that with the updated prices for Brazil, and it might be even worse for the Russian players.

[Duolks]

Matter of comparison, the very same 15USD subscription for World of Warcraft costs, in Brazil, 23,90BRL (by Blizzard's own updated price table). Square is charging over double that with the updated prices for Brazil, and it might be even worse for the Russian players.

And we have a server with 20 ping not 320.

[Zarabeth]

A basic salary in Brazil is around 280 USD, how much is in a rich country?

Is this 280 a week? Because at the minimum wage in the USA, people bring home less than that after taxes. Quite a bit less.
I'm disabled after working for many many years and I get about 120 USD less than you in a month. Just because some of us live in "rich countries" doesn't mean that we are all rich. Also almost 2/3 of my monthly income go to my rent electricity and heat/cooling.
What Squeenix just pulled on you guys is wrong, but comparing yourselves to "rich countries" has nothing to do with your problem.

[Princess_Momoka]

I think I am being a bit thick
Let me just clarify. The new price now falls in line with the price in other countriesbut that is a huge problem because the average disposable income in Brazil is much lower?

But that is how exchange rates work isn't it? They look at a countries average income, levels of unemployment, cost of living, GDP and many many other economic factors and say OK my 1 USD is the relative value of your 3.15 BRL.

So while I appreciate that an anoucement would have been courteous if not required by the ToS I must be missing something if this has suddenly become totally unaffordable when the relative value in real terms is now the same as in every other country

That is not how things work. First it depends how much currency the country has in circulation. After that it depends on the county's ability to buy and sell things (thus making a demand for the currency) Say the USA government decides to print 1 duotrigintillion (yes I looked it up) USD, you really think the USD currency exchange rates would still be favorable? So no you can't base it on exchange rates alone.

[Princess_Momoka]

That is not how things work. First it depends how much currency the country has in circulation. After that it depends on the county's ability to buy and sell things (thus making a demand for the currency) Say the USA government decides to print 1 duotrigintillion (yes I looked it up) USD, you really think the USD currency exchange rates would still be favorable? So no you can't base it on exchange rates alone.

Meh thought I quote myself since it is last post on the page.
http://www.economist.com/content/big-mac-index
I went to look at this rq and in January it said Brazil was slightly overvalued in the exchange rate and now it is significantly undervalued. This means they went paying a bit less then what SE could ask for, to overpaying by a significant amount, if we base it on PPP. Thus I can definitely see why this thread was made, assuming if SE is going by exchange rates alone and keep adjusting the cost based off it.

Russia since July 2014 though, wow >< Basically the dollar exchange rate got really favorable for the USD in the last 3-4 years or so vs everywhere.

[EriShvakh]

Russia since July 2014 though, wow >< Basically the dollar exchange rate got really favorable for them in the last 3-4 years or so vs everywhere.

It's the other way around. It got extremely unfavourable. We went from 30rub to 55rub per dollar, while salaries remained the same. So everything got 2 times more expensive.

[Princess_Momoka]

It's the other way around. It got extremely unfavourable. We went from 30rub to 55rub per dollar, while salaries remained the same. So everything got 2 times more expensive.

talking about the point of view of the USD, i know that.

[Ckrownz]

So... any news about the price increased ?
I can afford to pay, but my friends not, what is a MMORPG without people that you care ?

[Zeonsilt]

I should also note that the price change applies to Mogstation itself in general, not only subscription.

I.e. Brazil players got a +70-80%~ increase and Russian players got +300% (lol, wut? it's first time i see something like this) increase in pricing of Mogstation items. (aka glams, emotes, dye's, etcwhatever)
p.s. I'd say with +300% increase forget about anything from it, it's outrageous at this point.