When will Civ v ever get over itself on Steam?

Every so often over the years, i dust off my Steam account and check the price of Civ V.... Now, 3 years after its release, they still want USD $69.99 for the original game????

3 years in computer time.... that would be like saying a 1989 ford laser is worth USD $10,000 !!!

When will civ v ever get over itself on Steam???

mystikmind2005 said:

Every so often over the years, i dust off my Steam account and check the price of Civ V.... Now, 3 years after its release, they still want USD $69.99 for the original game????

3 years in computer time.... that would be like saying a 1989 ford laser is worth USD $10,000 !!!

When will civ v ever get over itself on Steam???

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I caught it on sale and paid like $15. Set an alert and get your timing right.

Not sure what you are reading, just checked and the original game is $29.95 on STEAM.

I have seen some specials, but never allowed in my region (Australia).

Here is a link to the current price Steam is showing me; http://store.steampowered.com/app/8930/?snr=1_7_15__13

mystikmind2005 said:

I have seen some specials, but never allowed in my region (Australia).

Here is a link to the current price Steam is showing me; http://store.steampowered.com/app/8930/?snr=1_7_15__13

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It's showing me $30 for the original and $50 for the Gold edition.

I bought mine for 9 bucks nov 2011 on amazon.

InsanelyApple said:

It's showing me $30 for the original and $50 for the Gold edition.

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On the same link? That makes me sick!

All the prices it shows me on that link in USD in order from top to bottom are as follows;

$69.99
$89.99
$20.00
$49.99
$5.99
$2.99
$9.99

mystikmind2005 said:

I have seen some specials, but never allowed in my region (Australia).

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Exactly, it has to do with Australia. Check this article out.

Hinterlander said:

I bought mine for 9 bucks nov 2011 on amazon.

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Since discovering digital downloads, i cannot stand disks.

I find that since i have a wider collection of digital download games on my computer, whenever i am deciding what game to play, it is so much easier to just click on the digital download game than to fart ass around with a disk.

Not only that, but when the digital downloads are really cheap, i will buy them even though i already have the original game on disk!!! ...(if i haven't already found a way to run the game without the stupid disk).

leif erikson said:

Exactly, it has to do with Australia. Check this article out.

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Thanks for the article, but it doesn't appear to apply to Steam? Besides, i have seen Civ v on disk at the shop in Australia for less than AUD $20.00, but i don't want the game on disk, i hate disks.

mystikmind2005 said:

Thanks for the article, but it doesn't appear to apply to Steam? Besides, i have seen Civ v on disk at the shop in Australia for less than AUD $20.00, but i don't want the game on disk, i hate disks.

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I believe that STEAM has to sell for the price that you would pay for a disk. Would have to dig a lot more to confirm that, but this has been an issue with software in Australia for as long as I can remember.

Gamespot has a longer explanation, but doesn't seem to cover STEAM?

leif erikson said:

I believe that STEAM has to sell for the price that you would pay for a disk. Would have to dig a lot more to confirm that, but this has been an issue with software in Australia for as long as I can remember.

Gamespot has a longer explanation, but doesn't seem to cover STEAM?

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Well personally i have never noticed any problem with buying games over the counter in Australia. The reason is that i always wait for the game to get a bit older and the prices always fall quite dramatically.

Right now i can buy Civ v in EB games for $38 dollars, link: https://ebgames.com.au/any/any?q=Sid%20Meier%27s%20Civilization%20V

Now tell me again why is it $69.99 on Steam?

Since I've moved here to Australia I've noticed the same thing; my brother back home would let me know about games on offer and when I check it's like 'Nope, not for you mate.'. To be honest, prices here are absurd. I'd recommend either waiting for a sale that's applicable or alternatively trying a keystore like greenmangaming or an alternative provider like gamersgate. I picked up V and G&K from GMG for cheaper than it was going anywhere else.

Veneke said:

Since I've moved here to Australia I've noticed the same thing; my brother back home would let me know about games on offer and when I check it's like 'Nope, not for you mate.'. To be honest, prices here are absurd. I'd recommend either waiting for a sale that's applicable or alternatively trying a keystore like greenmangaming or an alternative provider like gamersgate. I picked up V and G&K from GMG for cheaper than it was going anywhere else.

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Do you mean a digital download? Because Steam totally own the distribution rights for digital download of Civ v. I have tried buying it on other download sites and they all lead back to Steam..... hmmm actually now that i think of it, this totally answers my question!

Exclusivity is the opposite of competition and competition is what drives lower prices. Therefore If your exclusivity arrangements cannot totally defeat competition in markets such as the USA, perhaps it can in other regions such as Australia where the government consistently shows it has absolutely no idea what competition is or how it is supposed to work.

No. Greenmangaming supply Steam keys. You still download Civ 5 through Steam, the only difference is that you buy the activation code from GMG rather than from Steam.

I just looked at GMG there again and it looks like you can pick up the base edition of Civ 5 on GMG for 30 Australian dollars. I think they must be clamping down on that though because Civ G&K is now 50+ AUD with a note ANZ beside it. Curiously, the Gold version is 49.99 with no note...

Australia's problem has nothing to do with steam and everything to do with Australian legislation which is designed to protect retail stores. The government understands competition, it understands it a little too well really, because it realizes that by having this they protect jobs in Australia. Keystores used to get around this but they appear to be region-coding prices in some cases now. You can offset some of this though with codes, especially on GMG, which usually give anywhere from 20-30% off even new titles on a pretty regular basis.

Steam is exclusive in the sense that you have to download it from them but anybody can sell it to you, and generally speaking (outside of a Steam sale) and especially so in Australia, you'll get better prices elsewhere. You'll still need to download it through Steam but you can buy it from anywhere.

Veneke said:

Australia's problem has nothing to do with steam and everything to do with Australian legislation which is designed to protect retail stores. The government understands competition, it understands it a little too well really, because it realizes that by having this they protect jobs in Australia. Keystores used to get around this but they appear to be region-coding prices in some cases now. You can offset some of this though with codes, especially on GMG, which usually give anywhere from 20-30% off even new titles on a pretty regular basis.

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If the Australian government did something to show it understands competition, then either it was by accident or the individual responsible was tracked down and burnt at the stake!

If you buy the disc version, it'll install on Steam, and function the same as any steam game that you buy through the steam store.

Also, as an Australia, I bought the GotY edition for about $20 when it was on sale on Steam.

azzaman333 said:

If you buy the disc version, it'll install on Steam, and function the same as any steam game that you buy through the steam store.

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Sounds great, whats the catch, if any?

There is none, as far as I know.

Shouldn't be any. I bought the disc version for vanilla civ 5 and subsequent DLC and expansions through steam. No problems.