So what is it about Christmas that makes everyone go nuts? The first thing anyone ever things about is the presents, which instantly get people thinking about the 'bargains' to be had around Christmas time right? Except that the truth is that the stores don’t actually have any bargains worth buying until AFTER Christmas. Boxing Day sales are possibly the best sales of the year, with the exception of America's Black Friday sales they have after Thanksgiving, at least I think its thanksgiving.
Here in Australia we dont really get a black Friday sale, infact here in Australia even our 'bargain' prices are ridiculous, we're paying around $100 for a game in Australia, despite the fact that our dollar is currently more or less even with the US Dollar, meaning we're almost paying twice as much for our games than people are paying in the states, or in the UK. Sale prices are a new game might bring them down to $69 if your lucky but that would be considered one hell of a good deal.
Personally I've reached a point where I point black refuse to buy games in Australia now, I am importing all my games from the UK (because US games wont work in Aussie Consoles). Unless there is a collectors edition that I feel I need then I refuse to be ripped off any further because quite frankly its not good enough.
Its an argument we've been having in Australia for over 10 years and Steam is doing the same thing to Aussie Customers as well. Each party blames the other but I know for a fact that its not the stores doing it because I know for a fact that they have very little profit margin in the products. I believe its the distributors making a huge profit at out expense and they've been doing it so long that there's nothing anyone is prepared to do about it. I'm not the only one importing of course its becoming a bigger and bigger market and ultimately is possibly starting to hurt the market. Buts a shame that this is the only way to get a fair price on something.
I have another gripe with the Australian Games market and that’s another long term argument, here in Australia we do not have an R18+ rating for games, and I'm sure that your first reaction is to ask why that's such a big deal right? Well its two fold, firstly its causing games intended for adults to be banned, censored and then re-released in a state barely playable, Left for Dead 2 is a good example of a good game that was complete garbage here in Australia. The bigger issues is that because games like GTA are getting through as MA15+ instead of 18+ you have parents allowing their 12 and 13 year old kids playing them which in turn makes the industry look worse.
We have a HUGE calling to introduce an R18+ rating to our games, to make it easier for parents to protect their kids and to allow adults to play the games they are entitled to play. Some politicians are reluctant because quite frankly they dont understand the problem (shock horror) but the biggest problem is the Australian Christian Lobby (and I am a Christian just for the record). They have done nothing but stand blindly against the call for reform since day one, their blind, ignorant and in my opinion unbiblical views have done nothing but hurt the cause for years, they constantly report mistrusts and change the facts to suit their own political agenda.
So in short, in my opinion the gaming industry in Australia is currently messed, and there doesn't seem to be much we can do to fix it.
