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It looks like new tax jurisdictions on digital goods are coming in to play in several countries, forcing Valve to raise Steam prices across the board in ten different countries. Most countries on the list will see Steam game prices rise by well over ten percent, while some others will get off a little easier with a smaller five to eight percent price hike.
Valve confirmed its plans to raise prices in an email sent to Steam partners today. Starting in March, seven countries will see prices rise on Steam. Switzerland and Japan will see prices jump by eight percent, South Korea will get a ten percent rise, New Zealand and India will see games become 15 percent more expensive. South Africa gets away with a 14 percent hike and finally, from March prices in Iceland will be 24 percent higher, which is the largest rise of the lot.
However, there are three other countries set to get price hikes on Steam throughout the following months. Firstly, in April, Steam prices will rise by 20 percent in Serbia. In May, prices will rise by 5 percent in Taiwan and in July, Australians will face a ten percent price bump.
The game price plus tax will be included on Steam store pages going forward, similarly to how VAT is treated in the EU. Valve hasn't commented publicly on these price rises just yet but we can expect some news soon given that these hikes are going to start rolling out in March.
KitGuru Says: It always sucks to see prices rise but unfortunately, it is something we have to deal with from time to time.
Luckily there are other stores out there that will not follow this. It will be a loss for Steam.
It’s not like they have a choice I assume. Unless they are going to cover the taxes for people. but that makes no sense.
Australia will get a 10% Bump ? we already pay a lot more as is…
but new Zealand pay again so stop complaining
Maybe it makes sense in countries that have 2000euro + monthly income here where we barely get 300euros we get highest tax income (Im from Serbia) it is insane….
well there is no common sense in pricing anyway, we have it a little better than you in Greece (550e) but prices (on everything not just games) are just like we live in Germany or something…
Or they could take a smaller % from sales.
You need to ditch the Euro so you can devalue your currency. Greece are never going to earn their way out of the financial hole they are in. The best you can otherwise hope for is Germany to continue to prop you up and ‘own’ you.
We will still own money in euros and we will not have easy access to new loans to refuel attempts for growth. There are ways to change things but…
I do believe we can stay IF our governments stop adding taxes over taxes and more taxes. All we need (we the people who work and produce and can make growth) is space to breath from taxes. We are asked to give more than 60% of our earnings on taxes and everything we buy with what money are left are super expensive because, guess what, more taxes 😀
All we need is to do reforms and cut spending of public sector, but I don’t see anyone doing this… All I see is keeping a huge and public sector who need to be paid from more and more taxes on us…
in short we are screwed 😀
you dont realise that the EU makes your government to add taxes after taxes. they are licking the germans’ boots. as long as you are in EU and you use euro, there will be no change for this. the only way would be to get back your money and rise the internal market. sure it will be more difficult to trade outside but they will be no word on what your internal prices will be and so ppl could live a better life…
The whole thing is so complicated that what you say is not exactly wrong, but it is not right either.
In a way you and the voters of our government doesn’t realize that EU is saying something like “you need to meet those numbers, how will you do this?” and our government just rise taxes to meed those numbers, instead of cut spending. We still spent more money than we make and instead of trying to cut spending they try to take more taxes, which have it’s limits and eventually will crash.
As for the prices if we live EU, I’m old enough to remember drachma, and to remember my father doing 3 jobs and my mother working too just to feed us without being able to afford many things.
Many things were cheap in retrospective because we compare with euro now, but with the average monthly payment in drachmas everything was still expensive back then.
As I said it is complicated.
well, yes its complicated but it seems you missed something. the EU didnt just say your govt to meet some numbers, they said them STRAIGHT AWAY to raise taxes. and when they said no way they could raise more they seized your airports. im not a greek but i like your country and your people and so i was closely watching for a while whats going on with you and this surely happened. the EU says that you greeks live too well compared to the amount you produce and they want to break you to be slaves like other east EU or balkan nations. they want you to work and produce more or be taxed more… this is not your govt, this is the EU. they do the same to my country…
You know I’m not sure, but sooner or later we will find out I guess. The next government promised tax cuts 😛
But why would they? I’d feel screwed if Steam takes a smaller cut in country X or Y than they do in my country, just because those countries have new taxes.
It’s a business, they make money, if you don’t like it, don’t buy there. That’s one of the basics of capitalism.
🙂 our govts are promising lots of stuff every 4 years. never any of those happened ever. until you will have a govt that can break the chains to europe and can stand up for you people.. nothing will change. no wonder east eu gets emptied, all of us are running to western countries or even further. for us nothing has happened in 27 years, we are just going down deeper and deeper……. when will your elections be next time? i might watch the results and “changes” again, not like if i would hope any positive outcome :/
depends when the current gov’t will gtfo 😛 maybe before summer, maybe later.
Hmm, yes, at 60%+ tax rate, who wants to put the effort into working?! In short, you indeed are quite right: screwed.