Microsoft Responds to Inconsistent Games on Demand Pricing

Featured 24 Comments 22 Votes 575 Views 11/08/2009 Back to News

We were none to pleased last week when the pricing for Microsoft's Games on Demand download service were announced for Australia. For unknown reasons the prices - in Microsoft Points - changed dramatically in each region. We struggled to contemplate why a game costs USD $20 in the US, and AUD $99 here (especially when it sits on local shelves at AUD $40).

Xbox Australia responded today saying: "No one retailer has the lowest pricing for every product, and our program is about giving people 24 x 7 convenience and selection when shopping for Xbox 360 games.

We’re incredibly excited about what Games on Demand means for digital distribution, and will continue to evaluate and evolve the service to meet market and consumer demands.

That doesn't really explain why we're forced to pay 6000 Microsoft Points for Mass Effect when our buddies in the US pay just 1600 Points now does it?

Source

News Article by: Ben 64219Kudos 11/08/2009

Alternatively, connect with Facebook.

Microsoft Responds to Inconsistent Games on Demand Pricing Comments

Kudos: 5,442

Armige

What a load of ****.

11/08/2009

Melbourne, Victoria

Kudos: 13,525

Kerosanak

Boycott! Haha.

11/08/2009

I'm already kind of a big deal in New Vegas

Kudos: 1,701

wookamere

Bureaucracy...
Simple, don't bother buying any of their crap. Sooner or later they will see what's wrong with their system.

11/08/2009

Brisbane

Kudos: 216

JNM90

the idea is there but this is **** poor execution

11/08/2009

NSW

Kudos: 6,498

jorgan92

I honestly believe they went on EB's pricing for the Australian prices.

11/08/2009

melbourne, victoria

Kudos: 5,289

ducati_748

i'm with you kero

BOYCOTT

11/08/2009

Brisbane, Queensland

Kudos: 311

Jarsta007

Can't ya think of anything else jack****

11/08/2009

To your left...

Kudos: 1,015

Weapon

jorgan92 said: I honestly believe they went on EB's pricing for the Australian prices.

no.. they referred to eb's prices after you trade in 6 games

11/08/2009

Sydney, NSW

Kudos: 509

Xivion

Already boycotted after I realised it was 400 points for a decent freaking costume or prop, and no MC or ODST armour. Also a bit dissapointed since not one of my 6.7k(pathetic I know) Gamerscore worth of achievements did not include one piece, considering I've almost got 4/5ths worth of the Halo 3 achievements.

11/08/2009

Brisbane, Queensland

Kudos: 492

F4allout3

Kerosanak said: Boycott! Haha.

Boycott games on demand in general or just mass effect?
I don't think you'll need to try to hard to convince people to boycott mass effect at $100 lol

11/08/2009

melbourne, victoria

Kudos: 509

Xivion

Kameo is $30 I can pick that up in "EB GAMES" for $15, is that saying something?

11/08/2009

Brisbane, Queensland

Kudos: 13,955

Loupek

vote with your wallets guys...

11/08/2009

Canberra, ACT

Kudos: 327

AUS-Hawker

"No one retailer has the lowest pricing for every product" And how is it any different in the US?! M$ is full of sh!t!!!

11/08/2009

Melbourne

Kudos: 30,777

Mirage

Haha no need to boycott, if you paid $100 for a game you can get physically cheaper than you must be as daft like iddqd when he is drunk and posts at 3am.

It's stupid anyways that's like me paying $50 for a novel digitally over $10 for it in paper and all, not to mention it's portable and the costs of leaving a computer on to read the damn thing

11/08/2009

Toki said: Kman saw a 8 year old girl alone in the street, 15min later..Kman is in the police station, no he did not get rewarded for saving her etc he ended up in jail

Kudos: 7,719

vblade

No one retailer has the lowest pricing for every product

Don't most retailers price match each other anyway? Which would mean any one retailer would have the cheapest price on any product.
Well i'm still hoping that i can get Mass Effect and a couple other things from the US marketplace.

11/08/2009

Townsville, QLD

Kudos: 1,781

goks

Maybe M$ if we live too far away from retailer to buy it.
beside it just M$ Public beta test for digital distribution since no Competition for digital distribution mean FULL RRP

11/08/2009

melbourne, victoria

Kudos: 23,157

Rashy

I think what has happened is that the Aus retailers have banded together (or possibly just one of the bigger ones) and put pressure on MS to not be price competetive. MS have backed down.

Maybe backed down is too strong a term for it in this region as they still need retailers here to be successful in this market. In the US they don't need them as much as there are so many more retailers and internet plans are generally structured differently re: downloads.

If one (or more) local retailers stopped fully supporting MS it would do a great deal of damage to them. They (MS) have no interest in getting these guys offside at this point.

11/08/2009

Sydney

Kudos: 509

Xivion

Where is the 'price match with Big W for instant $30 off the price'?

12/08/2009

Brisbane, Queensland

Kudos: 21,073

Elraro

I for one won't be using the system unless retailers shut down and "Games on Demand" becomes mandatory. Even then I'll still struggle to justify using the system. The reason I like to pick up a physical copy of the game is if I, in time, get bored or finish the game I can re-sell it and claim back some of its value or even trade them in towards a new game.

12/08/2009

Sydney

Kudos: 1,773

acid

The Australian Version of live : "Less features, Higher prices"

Buy games from overseas online stores and save hundreds of dollars over the course of a year.

Tell your friends.

Avoid Dlc of all types its only a short term rental and will not be transferable to the next xbox/ps3

12/08/2009

every where

Kudos: 205

Setesh666

They will find the flaw in their system when they sell **** all games on demand in aus. i wasnt really looking foward to it anyway.

12/08/2009

Wollongong, nsw

Kudos: 4,939

Nubcake

Kerosanak said: Boycott! Haha.

12/08/2009

Death Star

Kudos: 7,032

link2312

Kerosanak said: Boycott! Haha.

thats the plan lol i already hate services like this because it eats up my 12gb a month download limit but adding overpriced games just makes the whole thing so much shittier!!

13/08/2009

Melbourne, Victoria

Kudos: 17,836

Rainbow7

There's no need to call for a boycott on this; people will easily see that M$ is offering absolutely no value for money, and will not buy those games. (Except for the really, really stupid people, who deserve to lose their money.)

15/08/2009

MMGN: Heavily sanitised, for your safety.