Rubbish! All it shows is that HW is expensive in outback Australia away from the eastern seaaboard where 90% of the population lives.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
http://s4.postimage.org/9e5n64t67/map.jpg
B = Brisbane, S = Sydney, M = Melbourne, H = Hobart, A = Adelaide. Most of the 90% I mentionted above live at S, M, B in that order of size.

Strange .. Hardware prices are uniform across the USA if you order online.


HW is expensive in Australia and PC games are ridiculously overpriced compared to in the USA.

Look at the map, see the distance Adelaide is from Sydney? Distance == transport costs == higher prices especially since Australia iis only home to around 30 million of us (not money people to spread costs over).

Now bring up Google Earth and look at the distance Australia is from any other continent/region (like Europe, China, North America) Where anything we don't make locally has to come from.

Thank-you for agreeing that your HW prices are high compared to the USA.

You gave a lot of excuses why. However, you have not touched on why PC games and platform games are so expensive. It cannot be "shipping" as an excuse as your digital D/Ls are priced higher also.

It is the same as all media. If it is in a physical box it has to be shipped from elsewhere in the world. Jet Fuel isn't free. If it is digital it has to be sent down a wire, it costs lots of money to lay that wire and lots of money to power it. And there is only a relative handful of people to pay for all this. I'd imagine you could comfortably fit Australia's population inside New York City.

How much do you Australian PC gamers pay for new MSRP games at release?

We generally pay up to $60 for brand new AAA PC titles.

It varies from title to title, from store to store also with ebgames being the most expensive at release. As for myself, I almost never purchase a game right at release. I don't have that mentality that says you have to play it while its new otherwise you are missing out. I'm a goat, not a sheep. I'm quite content to wait and save.

It looks like you pay nearly TWICE what we do - at release or bargain bin:
http://www.ebgames.com.au/
http://www.gamecafe.com.au/PC/prices.aspx

They are SO expensive you can even rent digital D/Ls of PC games in Australia
http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/01/you-ca ... -internet/


So your country is SO small population-wise - and SO remote - that you pay nearly double for PC games

If you ***have*** to have them right now, yes I guess we do. Many people use "alternative" digital downloads and "evaluate" games until the price drops (i don't). Mind you most things in Australia (including games) are cheap compared to what New Zealanders pay. Plus we earn fair wages at work and live a pretty relaxed lifestyle without being crammed together (unless you choose otherwise). Swings and roundabouts. It all evens out, depends on your priorities in life.

OK .. i got an admission


And . . . i'd love to visit Australia