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Valve mailed about ZAR

TuismTuism
edited in General
And I guess pretty much everyone here got the same mail:
Dear Steam User,
Steam will soon be priced in South African Rand!
If your Steam wallet has any money in it on November 10th, 2015, your U.S. Dollar balance will be converted to Rand, at a conversion rate dictated by market value at the time of conversion.
I'm pretty much not expecting any material difference for us. Is there anything that might be?
Thanked by 2critic NickWiggill

Comments

  • ThatGuySAThatGuySA
    edited
    I just wonder in which region/section we will fall now, and if game prices will increase of decrease
  • bischonatorbischonator
    Prices should be lower.
    Valve suggests RRP and Rands were not a direct dollar match - but it is entirely up to the developer.
  • BoysanoBoysano
    Also just saw it on email,
    all in all I'm positive it is move in right direction. At least our area is being represented or serviced better.
  • ElyaradineElyaradine
    Yeah, I'm looking forward to paying a bit less. I've tended to buy games on Steam only when they're on special (or when they're simply not available locally on Takealot/BTGames) just because of how badly we get hammered on the R/$. I'm hoping software prices lower too (though I'm kind of doubting that one'll happen).
  • TheFuntasticTheFuntastic
    This is a great thing. It's based on the fact that various countries don't have the same purchasing power, and selling games with lower prices was a big reason steam grew massively in Russia. It seems they are now kicking this strategy into hyper drive by expanding it to several markets, including our own. This does however mean Valve will (probably) be paying vat on all sales (it's only my guess that they weren't before) - so the drop in price won't be as steep as it could be.
  • TuismTuism
    Thanks all for the lesson in currency and its effects :)
  • karl182karl182
    Ooh nice!
    Looks like the prices are pretty good!
    Example: The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Final Cut, currently $35.99 (converts to R511.25).
    We get it for R359.20
    Nice!
  • ThatGuySAThatGuySA
    I think we also "lost" a few games. I can't buy certain games on my wishlist, such as ARK: Survival Evolved, Gang Beasts, Divinity: Original Sin, Starbound. Most games that I can't buy are in early access so I don't know if that has something to do with it, but there are a few which is not in early access and I can't buy them.
  • ShadowBladeShadowBlade
    ThatGuySA said:
    I think we also "lost" a few games. I can't buy certain games on my wishlist, such as ARK: Survival Evolved, Gang Beasts, Divinity: Original Sin, Starbound. Most games that I can't buy are in early access so I don't know if that has something to do with it, but there are a few which is not in early access and I can't buy them.
    I see some are not able to be bought, but that could be some temporary issue. Lets hope..
    Regarding Divinity though, only the Enhanced version is available. I think they simply 'locked off' the old version: http://store.steampowered.com/app/373420
  • cliveclive
    It appears we're no longer able to purchase using paypal :( that really sucks.
  • kidultkidult
    @clive - Surely to pay via paypal now would be wastefull? The dollars you would pay would have to be converted to rands where you'l lose out due to the differances in buy and selling exchange rates.
  • ShadowBladeShadowBlade
    Hmm, I see this is probably as a result of the developers/publishers not updating their games to the new currencies..
  • cliveclive
    edited
    kidult said:
    @clive - Surely to pay via paypal now would be wastefull? The dollars you would pay would have to be converted to rands where you'l lose out due to the differances in buy and selling exchange rates.
    About 2 years ago I lost my entire steam account because my bank, after an xmas purchase, decided automatically this was "fraud" and automatically reverted my purchase. It took 8 months, and getting the bank to send a fax on an official letterhead to Valve, to unlock my steam account. With, at that stage, over 400 games on steam this was a massive blow since I lost *EVERYTHING* just before the holidays (and why I'd bought myself a few games to play) -- I was left with nothing. It was a long and difficult battle to get valve to believe that *I* didn't revert my purchase since their policy is to automatically ban any account which does this.

    Anyway, since that "burn" I've always gone through paypal.

    I'd rather waste some money through rand/dollar conversion than risk losing my entire steam account again.

    [EDIT] I've also changed banks since then ;)

  • ThatGuySAThatGuySA
    @kidult I do online surveys throughout the year and then usually around November/December I have enough money to payout. Most of the games on my steam account was bought with survey money ( so basically free games ). The surveys pay in USD and I truly thought that now since games are going to be cheaper I'm going to score big time in with this.
  • kidultkidult
    @clive - I feel you...busy fighting with banks too

    @ThatGuySA - Yeah I do realise in that way you could score.
  • NitrogenNitrogen
    edited
    ThatGuySA said:
    I think we also "lost" a few games. I can't buy certain games on my wishlist, such as ARK: Survival Evolved, Gang Beasts, Divinity: Original Sin, Starbound. Most games that I can't buy are in early access so I don't know if that has something to do with it, but there are a few which is not in early access and I can't buy them.
    Yeah the early access games werent available yesterday, but I got a notification today that ARK: Survival Evolved is on special, so I guess they fixed it.
  • criticcritic
    Yay, games are cheaper now, finally we get a break from our bad performing currency. :)
  • NickWiggillNickWiggill
    edited
    Found it amusing that proposed price of games on steam are pretty much the same as retail prices for games at e.g. Dion's (what is Dion's?, the youngsters ask) 25 years ago, i.e. about R350 per @karl182. *snort* a wonder what inflation and a weakening currency can do...
  • criticcritic
    edited
    Here are some of the AAA titles that were selling for $60 (R865) and their Rand prices.

    R799 - Fallout 4
    R599 - ANNO 2205
    R599 - Assassin's Creed Syndicate
    R589 - Mad Max
    R599 - XCOM 2

    Those are some substantial savings and it looks like AAA titles that are selling for $60 will settle around R600, it makes games a bit more affordable.
  • cliveclive
    I will admit to having mixed feelings about the weakening currency ... since steam income is still in dollars.
  • EvanGreenwoodEvanGreenwood
    I can't buy Samurai Gunn now :(
  • BoysanoBoysano
    When Broforce was on 40% special via Humble Bundle, I saw the retail Rand price on Steam was only like R50-R70 more than the $discounted price.
  • karl182karl182
    Oooh Bethesda Games are now Available! I was just in time yesterday to get Wolfenstein The New Order for R88 on the autumn sale. @EvanGreenwood I see Samurai Gunn is aslo available now! :)
  • ShadowBladeShadowBlade
    karl182 said:
    Oooh Bethesda Games are now Available! I was just in time yesterday to get Wolfenstein The New Order for R88 on the autumn sale. @EvanGreenwood I see Samurai Gunn is aslo available now! :)
    I emailed them last week. Maybe that did it :P Only noticed after the sale was over though. Doh!
  • karl182karl182
    @ShadowBlade haha nice, I also Emailed them twice since steam switched to Rand. Never under estimate the power of being slightly nagging... :)
    Luckily the Christmas sale is coming so you should have another chance at some sweet Bethesda deals! :)
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