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STEAM | May 2017 - Praeying for Dino Crisis
- Thread starter MRORANGE
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Freeza Under The Shower
Member
Yeah, I'm actually really fine with those changes. I've never bothered to play the 'buy to inventory' game, and considering the loss of revenue on the developer end when people do, this is a sensible update. Also that shit was abused to hell and back anyway, so good riddance.
If you're going to use that "better deal than piracy" quote from Gabe, you should also realize that goes three ways after platform costs (Steam, retail, etc): publisher, consumer, developer. And even with a benign system, it's still going to be in that order.
Honestly what's shocking is that it took them this long to change it.
If you're going to use that "better deal than piracy" quote from Gabe, you should also realize that goes three ways after platform costs (Steam, retail, etc): publisher, consumer, developer. And even with a benign system, it's still going to be in that order.
Honestly what's shocking is that it took them this long to change it.
Kurt Russell
Member
This won't affect people in the US or rich European countries. It does screw up people who live in poorer South American nations, for instance. Did you know that most major publishers charge $70+ for new games in Colombia? Before this change, people who live there could buy games from Mexico, or even the US and pay a more reasonable sum.
Now they can't.
Living in a poor country that has to pay the same for games as the richest EU countries: this is complete utter bullshit imo
You won't be able to get the game as a gift at all.
No, if a game is not available in your country, then nobody will be able to gift it to you.
But I can still add the game in my library??? Fuck...I'm buying FFXIV Stormblood right about now. Guess no Fire Emblem this month.
No, you can't, because it cannot be gifted. You can only add the game to your library by buying a steam key instead.
The Dear Leader
Banned
For like 90% of gift transactions, these changes are much easier and better overall, but that other 10% has been made way harder and more inconvenient.
The whole point of adding the currencies for poorer countries was to make it easier for us to buy (most of us don't use credit cards, just debit) and to expand the market with cheaper prices, which was how Russia became one of the biggest markets for Steam.
Sadly, mostly all the big publishers, like Capcom, Activision, Bethesda and S-E ignored Valve's price guidelines and just crap out bullshit prices that make 0 sense for poorer countries, especially in these last three months.
How the price conversion should work according to Valve guidelines:
(All Koei Tecmo games, the only big publisher still using the recommended prices)
CoD: WWII prices, but basically the prices for all the big publishers for at least the last three months.
Makes 0 sense. It's bullshit and now even worse with these new gifting restrictions.
(Thanks lashman for the screenshots and the timeline of the new prices <3)
Sadly, mostly all the big publishers, like Capcom, Activision, Bethesda and S-E ignored Valve's price guidelines and just crap out bullshit prices that make 0 sense for poorer countries, especially in these last three months.
How the price conversion should work according to Valve guidelines:
(All Koei Tecmo games, the only big publisher still using the recommended prices)
CoD: WWII prices, but basically the prices for all the big publishers for at least the last three months.
Makes 0 sense. It's bullshit and now even worse with these new gifting restrictions.
(Thanks lashman for the screenshots and the timeline of the new prices <3)
thesaucetastic
Unconfirmed Member
Oh yeah, what will happen to steamgifts?
Man, this sucks ass. I was hoping it'd be 15% (although that still doesn't get rid of the fundamental problem).
Stallion Free
Cock Encumbered
I stopped doing the regional pricing abuse a while back and switched over to the wait for games to reach the price they are worth to you method. It works pretty great when you learn to have a little patience.
morningbus
Serious Sam is a wicked gahbidge series for chowdaheads.
To a person who must buy all the games, every game is worthless.
Stallion Free
Cock Encumbered
Excellent point. I'm glad Valve showed me the light with the delete the game from your account function.
99% of steamgifts are already bundled games, anyway.
Atraveller
Banned
Let me get this right, Steam no longer allows saving gifts to inventory because it couldn't track their values?
This new change is not completely bad for me, I like the ability of being able to gift outside of Taiwan and Hong Kong.
At least keys still work, for now. I don't want Japanese publishers who couldn't get their shit together be empowered.
This new change is not completely bad for me, I like the ability of being able to gift outside of Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Urghhh...thing is, FFXIV steam version doesn't isn't sold anywhere else. And using steam version of the game means you're stuck of having to use steam version of its expansions...forever.
DeliciousDoc
Member
What is going to happen to games like dont starve together and talisman who give you gift copies when you buy them?
how about 4 copies packs like tabletop simulator or co op packs? They are messing with game publishers too.
how about 4 copies packs like tabletop simulator or co op packs? They are messing with game publishers too.
texhnolyze
Banned
Yeah, if your region is locked out of FFXIV, playing the Steam version is a bad idea. And with this new gifting update, there'll be no way to upgrade your account with the upcoming expansion and only SE knows how many more to come. Maybe you should contact their support and ask for an account transfer or something like that. Non-Steam version is way cheaper anyway, whether its base game and expansions.
This gift change really screws over people who want Steam versions of games with other clients that don't offer Steam keys of their games, especially for those with higher pricing in their country. I'm not paying $80 CAD for a PC game, I'll wait for a sale those games for the platform. And yes I know it is linked to the value of currency.
I'll live though, I rarely buy stuff on release these days anyways.
I'll live though, I rarely buy stuff on release these days anyways.
longlivegaming
Member
I'd assume it works the same as before, but for future games the new restrictions will be applied.
I think that Ubisoft also has similar prices. Could be wrong, though. The inconsistency is really annoying.
Also, how do we know those are the recommended prices? Did Valve make a post about that?
texhnolyze
Banned
Ubisoft is somewhat random. Some games are cheaper ($40) than others ($50) at launch.
But at least they're still giving regional pricing, not giving full $60 like some other publishers.
Rickenslacker
Banned
I would buy some games and store them in my inventory so that I could look and pick through which game I wanted to play and use them then, instead of having them immediately in my library and easily forgotten about. Guess I can't do that anymore.
longlivegaming
Member
If the game isn't available to purchase in your region, then that's correct.
What kind of bs is this.
texhnolyze
Banned
They died doing what they loved.
So, no doubt these gift changes have been in the works for a bit, but interesting things to note...
Nier: Automata late Asia release may have something to do with this - people being gifted the game before it's out in the country will have affected sales (however slightly), and may be a reason why the price was adjusted so high when it eventually came out.
TenCent buying exclusivity for Rocket League in China - as the game is no longer available in the Chinese Steam store, Chinese users can't circumvent the exclusivity deal by possibly being gifted it.
Nier: Automata late Asia release may have something to do with this - people being gifted the game before it's out in the country will have affected sales (however slightly), and may be a reason why the price was adjusted so high when it eventually came out.
TenCent buying exclusivity for Rocket League in China - as the game is no longer available in the Chinese Steam store, Chinese users can't circumvent the exclusivity deal by possibly being gifted it.
bobnowhere
Member
Damn, I kept meaning to get someone to buy me a copy of Singularity when it went on sale, too late now.
At least Humble isn't locked down for now.
So I am basically 100% locked from twin blocked games now.
Before it wasn't bad as I can just PayPal money to my friends or mother and they would just gift me.
Bah
Yeah bring out the Lynch mob. Also bring fire too.
Taiwan gets region blocked and for most part regional pricing is like five bucks cheaper than the states.
So basically don't get the cheaper benefit.
Do get lucky every now and then. I got DS3 deluxe for around 30 before they raised the price months later.
Before it wasn't bad as I can just PayPal money to my friends or mother and they would just gift me.
Bah
Yeah bring out the Lynch mob. Also bring fire too.
Taiwan gets region blocked and for most part regional pricing is like five bucks cheaper than the states.
So basically don't get the cheaper benefit.
Do get lucky every now and then. I got DS3 deluxe for around 30 before they raised the price months later.
jshackles
Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Nope
So, if they make it really difficult to gift games to people outside of your country... Wouldn't people not buy stuff from the Steam store anymore, and instead go to the sites I mentioned before?
Nope.
At this point, I almost wonder if they'll start finding a way to stick it to key resellers. Perhaps bring back the oauth registering of keys? *shrug*
MulderYuffie
Member
Did my part today!
Can't wait to jump in right after finishing SC (currently in process of doing)
Can't wait to jump in right after finishing SC (currently in process of doing)
jshackles
Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Probably so. Either way, the publishers (not Valve) essentially control the cost of the game whether it's on Steam or off-site. This change certainly makes gifting easier via Steam keys than via Steam gifts purchased directly on Steam, but I think Valve knows it's also pretty awkward to legitimately gift someone a code. They're banking on the convenience factor here.
One time I gave my son a Steam key (Civ 5, years ago when it first came out) for his birthday. I was able to buy the game cheaper through another site like Amazon but of course it came with a Steam key. I ended up giving him a greeting card with the code written inside to make it less awkward and slightly more socially acceptable.
So, there's some things to remember here
1) Technically, Gifting is just supposed to be among actual friends. Now, friends in the age of the internet is different to what it used to be before the internet. But, I think generally, Gifting was meant to be more of a "It's my wife's birthday - I'll buy her a game on Steam" kind of thing.
2) People being Gifted (or Gifting) games on Steam large-scale are either trying to get slightly cheaper prices or Steamgifts.com users. Neither group is your "average" Steam user, and the first group is one that will generally bargain-hunt anyways. They're already looking at Humble or Gamesplanet of CDKeys, or GMG, so it's not going to make much difference for people looking at the cheapest option. Quite often non-Steam stores have better prices than the Steam store, due to vouchers or preorder deals.
Terminology point-of-order:
Key Sellers are official distribution points (like Gamesplanet). They and publishers would benefit from OAuth, I think?
Key Resellers are unofficial distribution point (like CDKeys, or G2A). They would not benefit from OAuth.
CDKeys swipe their keys from retail boxes, and they could be affected by some clampdown, and it would be kind-of sad, but not altogether unexpected or disastrous.
G2A really ought to be killed.
OAuth was really handy, I thought, so to me it'd be good?
The worry would be more that publishers and developers start using region-locking on keys a lot more, and that, say, a Humble US key wouldn't be activatable on a UK account. But I don't think that's something to particularly worry about, because as I say above, the number of people who use Gifting and non-Steam stores to get cheaper prices (rather than legitimately buying a key for the country they live in) is relatively low, I think.
The first is impossible? The second crossed my mind, but with TenCent's moneyhatting push in China (and a theoretical push into the West at some point in the future), Valve will not want to make Steam less attractive to publishers/developers.
I think being able to download and update games is still enticing enough for Publishers.
Managed to buy FFXIV Stormblood. Guess DLC has some leeway. /sigh of relief
Leafhopper
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