No Gaming Please - We're British

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No Gaming Please – We’re British

Submitted by Vikki Blake on August 17, 2009 – 2:42 pm9 Comments

arcade_xbox

It sucks to be a British gamer right now.

Firstly, we heard today that – slap-bang in the middle of a global recession – Microsoft want to raise the price of the XBox 360 Arcade from £129.99 to £159.99; a bizarre 23% hike. And just to rub salt in the wound – you know, cos the rise is itself not enough – the previous five-game XLBA bundle will be inexplicably missing. There are also rumours that some 360 accessories and peripherals will also see a price rise. Awesome.

Microsoft blame the poor pound-to-euro ratio but I don’t buy that and neither should you.

But that’s not all! Even more crappy news has hit the headlines today!

Then I read that the Guardian is reporting a leaked government memo which plans to crack down on retailers who save themselves – and their customers – tax by basing their operations within the Channel Islands. Treasury Minister Stephen Timms suggests that this “may be abusing [the] rules”. It’s hard to dispute, particularly as our politicians are so good at spotting fragrant rule abuse. /sarcasm

Why is this a problem? Online shopping revolutionised the media market in the UK. Historically shafted when it came to CD, game and DVD pricing, in some instances paying three times the price of the very same CD in the US, it was only because of the intense pressure from online retailers than British consumers were finally given a break. If Timms gets his way, it will mean that the companies many UK gamers and the prices we rely on – Play.com, Amazon, HMV etc. – are at risk.

No wonder game sales in the UK have dropped. Keep putting the effing prices up and we’re left with no choice.

Whether UK based or not, what do you think of Microsoft’s price hike?

I’m moving Stateside. It rains too damned much here anyway.

Tags: game sales, Microsoft, UK, XBOX 360, xbox arcade

http://www.aeropause.com mclazyj

Trust me, it isn't any better on this side of the pond. At least taxes in the UK go to worthwile things like socialized meds, schools and TV (oh, to pay for a license to watch TV). Over here we tax you less, give you more and then in twenty years, our currenty will be $5.00 to the Sterling Pound Note.

It is sucky that MS is rasing the price on the 360, but it is inline with why Sony has not been able to lower the price of the PS3. The dollar to yen conversion was killing them as it was already. For them to lower the price would have been lemon on the knife wound.
Vixx

Our schools suck and taxes don't cover TV. We have to pay additional costs on top of tax for the 'privilege' of watching television – MORE, if you want satellite/cable!

I'll give you the healthcare, though. Gotta be grateful for that one.
InfinityDevil

Ew why would you want a 360 anyway?
ashdcuk

Ignoring the flame-baiting, no-one's going to excuse a console price hike. The weak exchange-rate might make sense as a reason, but when the pound was strong did we see a reduced price for any consoles? Of course not.

As for the online-retail tax loop hole, it should be closed. Yes it's great to get cheaper things, but ultimately companies not paying tax is good for only one thing – the companies involved. Having worked in retail for a brick-and-mortar store that also had an offshore website (a la HMV) these kind of unfair advantages just hurt the stores, even when they're within the same company.

Also giving this loophole the credit for reducing prices is misleading. Websites have several inherent advantages that lead to reduced costs already, without the need for tax evasion. And historically, the reason for CD price reduction has far more to do with the rise of downloading.
Vixx

Now whilst I'm with you about the loophole in theory, the problem I have is how exploited we've always been with media prices. I remember paying £15 for a CD in 1990-something, going to the States on holiday, finding the same one that – even with the exchange rate at the time (and it wasn't when it was $2 for £1) – and finding it for half the price there. That's what's always bugged me. I will always happily buy legitimately for DVDs and games and CDs, but when I'm exploited just because of what side of the world I live on? That's just not fair. Tax and exchange rate aside, we've just been screwed over by the stores.

And you're damned right about not getting price cuts when the exchange rates are going the other way.
http://www.aeropause.com ShaneW

Sounds exactly like Canada – only the healthcare is to be grateful for
ashdcuk

I agree – thing is though, we generally pay more for just about everything. And publishers are only too happy to take advantage – I might be very happy with it, but the EA Rock Band pricing/release debacle in Europe is typical of publisher attitude. Similarly Modern Warfare 2's £54.99 suggested retail price. Stores will do what they can to discount from that, but if publishers are shafting them on the actual cost – not to mention getting up in arms about 'unauthorised' discounts and sales – they're stuck.
http://www.aeropause.com ShaneW

Sounds exactly like Canada – only the healthcare is to be grateful for
http://www.ashdcuk.com ashdcuk

I agree – thing is though, we generally pay more for just about everything. And publishers are only too happy to take advantage – I might be very happy with it, but the EA Rock Band pricing/release debacle in Europe is typical of publisher attitude. Similarly Modern Warfare 2's £54.99 suggested retail price. Stores will do what they can to discount from that, but if publishers are shafting them on the actual cost – not to mention getting up in arms about 'unauthorised' discounts and sales – they're stuck.