Green Man Gaming blames price hike for BL2 and XCOM on 2K Games
By Tim Colwill on December 28, 2012 at 1:55 pm
Recently, a number of our readers noted that the price for Borderlands 2 and XCOM: Enemy Unknown had been raised on Green Man Gaming, with a specific new ANZ price that was a good $20 higher than it used to be. Green Man have now addressed the issue in a short post on their blog, blaming the price rise on 2K Games.
“We have had a number of enquiries about price increases on Borderlands 2 and XCOM Enemy Unknown in Australia and New Zealand.”
“This was done at the request of the publisher based on local retailer feedback. We would rather not have had to do this but we really value the relationship with our publishing partner.”
The current price for the game means that it is actually cheaper at the moment to head down to a “local retailer” and purchase a boxed copy than to have a digital one delivered over the internet, which is indefensibly stupid. That said, Borderlands 2 is currently on sale for 50% off on GMG for the next 24 hours, which means you only pay $35 instead of the new $72.
Since we announced our partnership with Green Man Gaming earlier in the month with the intention of delivering best prices for Australian gamers, we must express our disappointment at 2K’s decision to enforce an unfair regional pricing model that gouges Australians for no reason — a regional pricing model that is currently under investigation by the Australian Government.
We’ve asked 2K Games for comment on the matter and will let you know if we hear anything back.
25% off Company of Heroes 2, Metro: Last Light and others at GMG
Why yes, I would like Company of Heroes 2 for $45 please.
Get XCOM: Enemy Unknown for free when ordering BioShock Infinite at Green Man
Four games for $52. Get in on that.
Buy BioShock Infinite, get free games: Green Man Gaming offers new bundle
I like free games! Who says I don't.
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Oh well, now one publisher has done it, others probably will, I guess I’ll move onto the next cd key seller where I can get things at US prices.
I was afraid of this. Alarm bells were ringing for me when Dark Souls on PC was pulled from GMG in AU.
Are local retailers *THAT* threatened by digital downloads??
Here’s an idea for publishers here in Aus – LOWER YOUR PRICES TO RETAILERS!
That way retailers can offer lower prices in shops. Why does a game have a wholesale price of around $75?? It should be much lower than that. It’s pure cash grab. 2k can expect lower sales now for their dici move, not that I care for their games to begin with.
I want to know which retailer has told 2k to increase the price.
So we can shame them publicly for collusion and price gouging.
Also GMG needs to grow a pair [like GoG] and tell 2K and anyone else who wants regional restrictions to fuck off.
I had already bought one or 2 games from them but i wont be buying any more while they play their part in the price fixing.
The floodgate has been opened
Problem is that local retailers are too used to their little game of monopoly and aren’t able to comprehend that people would drop them in a second for a price that makes sense. That’s when the likes of Hardly Normal and Dick (I sell crap) Smith yell from the rooftops about the digital world destroying their businesses…
Sounds like bullshit to me.
Steam have XCOM on the AU store for $34 atm with a $50 RRP, Borderlands 2 is close enough as well.
GMG have had regioned pricing/locked games for a while now, first saw it with NFS MW.
Time to look for a new place to shop.
^Agreed!
“We’ve asked 2K Games for comment on the matter and will let you know if we hear anything back.”
Don’t hold your breath.
I recall reading somewhere that game publishers were just ignoring the Gov enquiry into game prices as if it didn’t mean anything, which is probably true.
gamersgate was selling the 4 pack of borderlands 2 for ~$11 last night.
Grabbed me the Borderlands 2 season pass for $20, no complaints here.
Whilst I am definitely not defending Harveys or Dickies, you do realise that rents in Australia are ridiculous? Westfield, etc., should be looked at for colluding to make them so high…add to this that our minimum wages are higher than overseas, you can start to see why the charge what they do.
cookie248,
Nooooo. if you had used the Code on the site it was only $14! :(
Oh, one other thing…that 30% off code works with this Borderlands 2 special…can’t complain at getting it for $25.20
rickboy,
Yup, did it this morning for the game and season pass, good deal.
mearehear,
Absolutely…just did it then, saw your comment and grabbed the season pass…Cheers!
So why did they cave? This pretty much means no more GMG, the entire point is that its supposed to be cheaper.
FUCK THEM
Even if we were to not actively boycotting 2K, the prices they want make it impossible to buy all their games.. so they’re actually losing money rather than making it because they would make more if I bought 2 $50 than 1 $80 game, it’s a psychological thing.. that’s marketing 101..
They are, and all the other price gouges like Activision, morons.
^ This. My local westfield has driven an absurd number of businesses broke, as they like doubling everyones rent after the first contract betting on people not wanting to have to move with the associated costs with outfitting a new location – however most just cant afford it and fold.
With the games stores in the big shopping centres, theres only so low they can afford to go. Personally id rather they just fold or go completely online, but that wont happen and theyre too big a percentage of sales for the publisher to not be bullied around by them.
So to cut a long story short, we should be breaking out the pitchforks for Frank Lowy and John Saunders for giving us the monster than is Westfield – the cause of all our woes
Borderlands 2 is still $20 at game lane.
http://www.game-lane.com.au/pc-mac-digital-products/4314-borderlands-2-official-retail-cd-key-for-steam-code-only-pc.html
gamecubejedi,
If you read down the page though it is a RU one needing a vpn activation. I’d rather spend $4 more at just get it normally through Green Man
Another thing I forgot to add…landlords are allowed to see how much a shop is making, so if a shop is doing well, they can see it and charge them more. It’s criminal
Shopping at westfield marion is an absolute joke there’s to much walking to be done in the place and the car parks are bloody atrocious especially with women driving 4×4′s and suv’s.Collonades Noarlunga is no different to.
Westfield = bloatware.
Westfield will soon find themselves without shops then … it has a flow on effect.
I do like the way GMG are currently handling the situation with a sale price on Xcom. For example: sale 50%off plus the 30%off coupon which brings Xcom down to a very good price of $25.20.
submariner,
…Whereas it should $17.50. I can only obviously speak for myself at the moment, but I’m not in the business of quantifying or trying to justify certain price hikes over others. In my eyes, Price gouging is Price gouging is Price gouging; I don’t think to myself – “Well I’m only unfairly and unethically being discriminately targeted against for no reason to the tune of X amount of dollars – so it’s ok as a whole!”
There’s no doubting $25 is one of the better price’s it been, (think it was cheapest at Amazon if you had a 2K publisher voucher on Christmas day – but admittedly that’s alot of “if’s”).. however part of me feels that this is precisely what 2K Australia and possibly by extension GmG itself are looking for.
“Oh these Australians are still buying at those increased prices on that site compared to other regions, We should have done this much sooner, let’s raise Bioshock Infinite pre-order to $100 while we’re at it!”
(^ as a side note I’m somewhat surprised at Biochock Infinite’s price remaining the same…so far)
Only purchase from CJS-CDKEYS, end of story, there is NO alternative, get it through your thick heads.
In the recent GMG survey, I had put the number 1 reason for using Green Man Gaming was that they do not discriminate against Australians. I guess that is gone now, as someone who was pre ordering all my games from GMG I will have to look elsewhere as I am sure others will too.
GMG’s very clever way of using coupons will find ways around this.
CJS is one of the worst online shopping experiences I have ever had, I will only use them if there price is significantly cheaper then elsewhere.
Alternatively I have had nothing but good experiences at Green Man Gaming, a positive experience is worth a few extra dollars to me.
Ageed. It takes two to tango. While 2k are likely caving in to demands from EBGames, GMG are a guilty party in this too for not standing up to them.
I mean the whole pitch to buy at GMG over Steam was they do not take part in this regional banditry. Now they are. So…why should we give them the time of day? They obviously don’t have our backs.
They should just put a little banner or purple text on the page that states that the publisher has adjusted the price for your region. At least they would be being transparent about the whole thing
For those claiming that GMG should’ve stood up to 2K, it’s not that simple.
If GMG did attemp to stand up to 2K and refuse to increase the price, 2K would’ve most likely just packed up their ball and gone home – taking all their titles off GMG in the process (at least for AU).
Essentially, we lose either way.
Ive used ozgameshop a few times and so far so good, new games about $40-$50 and you get the hard copy (for box collectors).
Most games came within 14days too.
Its spreading. Skyrim was taken off GMG today it seems.
Just went to buy spec ops the line, with the 75% special. Unfortunately only the ‘rest of the world’ edition is having a sale. Still 105% for the ‘ANZ’ version.
Wrong, they can use grey market codes like every other online retailer who doesn’t jack up the price for Australia.
Why do you think hardly normals online shop sells codes they buy from the Uk distributor?
^ Derp, when is this site going to get an edit function… this is the second time my comment has been absorbed into the quote for some reason recently…. ^
Either way, they lose. We’ll always find it cheaper somewhere
else and then GMG and 2K Games would lose money.
That’d be preferable, then at least I can still tell people if they can find a game on the store, it’s the same price for us as other regions. Now I have to add the proviso, of check if that particular title has had its price raised or not.
tidypuppet,
GMG has been doing regional stuff for a while now. 99% (maybe 100%) of EA games are not available outside of NA and now the price of 2K Games are increasing.
You forgot the removal of Dark Souls from the AU store.
Glad I bought XCOM off Green Man Gaming a couple of months ago. Though I think I’ll have to act on Bioshock Infinity before they do the same there.
Though, again with these price gauging, why does the industry want to hurt legitimate consumers at a time when piracy is rampant?
More appropriate to say …
“No …. It’s Spreading …….”
Cue ominous music ….
Evil overlord maniacal cackle ….. Optional