Arma 3 heavily overpriced in Brazil - discourages new players

[wedieyounge 10]

Hey bros,

I would like to ask Bohemia's attention to discuss a very delicate matter: Arma's 3 price in Brazil.

It's just very wrong compared the price exercised by others companies and it's discouraging people to try the game.

The game is costing 135,99 BRL (Brazilian Real) - http://store.steampowered.com/app/107410/?cc=br

And the regular game price is 59.99 USD - http://store.steampowered.com/app/107410/?cc=us

Now, converting USD to BRL: 1 USD costs 2,28 BRL (this price is fluctuanting a lot lately. last week was 2,18)

If just convert from USD to BRL, then the price is about right, but that's not how it's working with other companies in general.

Lets compare some prices:

Call of Duty Ghosts (generally the most overpriced game in Brazil)

59.99 USD - http://store.steampowered.com/app/209160/?cc=us

109,99 BRL - http://store.steampowered.com/app/209160/?cc=br

Battlefield 4

59.99 USD - https://www.origin.com/en-us/store/buy/battlefield-4/pc-download/base-game/standard-edition-ANW.html

99,90 BRL - https://www.origin.com/pt-br/store/buy/battlefield-4/pc-download/base-game/standard-edition-ANW.html

Splinter Cell Blacklist

59.99 USD - http://store.steampowered.com/app/235600/?cc=us

99,99 USD - http://store.steampowered.com/app/235600/?cc=br

Assassin's Creed Black Flag

59.99 USD - http://store.steampowered.com/app/242050/?cc=us

99,99 BRL - http://store.steampowered.com/app/242050/?cc=br

So, you got the idea of the prices range in Brazil. Only Activion's go a little above that.

And if you ask me, a fair price for Arma 3 would be 99,99 BRL. A 35,99 BRL difference from the actual price, and it's a huge difference. You can buy an one year old game with that, like Ghost Recon Future Soldier.

I got my Arma 3 copy when it's in Alpha and paid like 67,99 BRL. Was the best deal I made, since later, when in Beta, the game price jumped to 99,99 BRL, which I thought would be the final price. And then to 135,99, which scare the hell of me.

If I hadn't bought the game while in Alpha or even in Beta, I wouldn't have bought now.

And I'm loving this game. It's amazing. Even in it's currently state.

I've been playing Arma 2 with 15th MEU, and everyone has the same opinion on Arma 3. And also from people I know from EVE Online, mostly 'merican's.

The game is truly an unique experience.

Bohemia, please, show some love to brazilian players and make a price correction!

Thanks in advance!

Edited November 6, 2013 by wedieyounge

[Tacti-Cool 10]

Good luck. Im not sure if bohemia has THAT much influence on the price in other countries, it may be a steam issue

[antoineflemming 14]

Not BIS's problem. It's Brazil's decision and their problem. Something to do with taxes or something. I've heard the PS3 or PS4 is also overpriced there. I think the country overtaxes foreign products.

[ProfTournesol 956]

The fault is on Brazilian tax side : 120% tax on video games (games are considered as gambling).

[Bee8190 10]

Sorry to see this price hiking and unfortunately that's just how it is, just like when PC hardware RRP is say $300 in US - it is also Eur300 in EU :(

And I believe you won't be able to buy it off of steam in different region as that would violate their / steam policy. Not sure how it'd work if one were to gift said game though?

[wedieyounge 10]

That's a negative. It's no taxes, otherwise all other games I just cited would be priced like Arma 3.

The taxes on PC GAMES and CONSOLES and CONSOLE GAMES in Brazil are different. Consoles yes are considered as gambling (BS and everybody knows it, just politics and s*). But PC Games are not. They're considered software.

And regarding the price of the PS4, the story the media told about taxes is another BS. WITH taxes, the PS4 would still cost half the price SONY GAVE <- Yes, that was SONY price, not taxes. Otherwise the XBOX ONE would cost as much as PS4, and it's costing half.

BUT consoles and taxes and PS4 are another story.

And don't believe the media.

Arma 3 is developed AND published by BI. And yes, they have control on the price of their game. I just don't think they're aware of the conversion from USD to BRL and HOW other companies handle it to us brazilians. And IF it's a Steam issue, BI still can fix that.

[mistyronin 1181]

I know that is a bit offtopic, but is it true that the PS4 costs $1,850 in Brazil?

That's not 120%, it's almost four times!

[da12thMonkey 1943]

Is there a quoted price in BRL on https://store.bistudio.com/ ?

I know that currently BIS' store only accepts payment through paypal, so refers credit/debit card sales to Steam anyway - but if there is a BRL price on there it should indicate whether Steam are "overcharging" compared to other outlets.

[wedieyounge 10]

I know that is a bit offtopic, but is it true that the PS4 costs $1,850 in Brazil?

That's not 120%, it's almost four times!

It's true, but the taxes story is BS. It's something economists call "Profit Brazil". Some say Sony only had 10k units of PS4 to sell in Brazil on its release.

Is there a quoted price in BRL on https://store.bistudio.com/ ?

I know that currently BIS' store only accepts payment through paypal, so refers credit/debit card sales to Steam anyway - but if there is a BRL price on there it should indicate whether Steam are "overcharging" compared to other outlets.

Didn't find a BRL price.

[Smurf 12]

I PM'ed Dwarden about that right after the release (didn't pay much attention before it anyway, had mine in Alpha) but got no response.

It's not about we getting it cheaper (would be the case if the price was standard) or taxes but about regional pricing. This is why some years ago everybody was buying in Steam Russia or India and getting games WAY cheaper, Valve then added a region block and started to ban accounts after it.

Right now BI is just hurting themselves with this, no other game is priced like that.

[wedieyounge 10]

Hate to do this, but *BUMP*

[Leon86 13]

135 brl is about $60 right? Game is priced the same everywhere, why should brazil be different?

[wedieyounge 10]

135 brl is about $60 right? Game is priced the same everywhere, why should brazil be different?

Then why BF 4 costs 99 BRL and CoD Ghosts 109 if they both are $60? Why should Arma 3 be different?

I already have my Steam copy of Arma 3, like I said. The game's price can be high as they want to. The game just won't sell as they should and as Smurf said, BI is just hurting themselves.

To every friend that I say "Hey, you should totally buy this game. It's awesome." I hear the same answer "Yeah, it costs a little too much. I'd rather save for BF4 or something else until the price lowers."

Just felt like informing BI about that. It's not fair with brazilians nor with the game.

[lev 21]

What exactly is the problem?

https://www.google.com/search?q=60+usd+to+brl&oq=60+usd+to+brl&aqs=chrome..69i57.2488j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#es_sm=93&espv=210&q=59.99+usd+to+brl

Seems like you already got a discount since $59.99 usd is equal to $138.68 brl.

You are asking BIS to sell their $60 product at $42. This is like saying, yeah you know Arma 3 sold well at $60 but if they discounted it, it would sell even better! So by pricing at $60 they are just hurting themselves. You can apply this argument to just about any product at any price.

You are getting a fair deal so it is not overpriced at all and the only thing discouraging players are their lack of willingness to pay.

[wedieyounge 10]

What exactly is the problem?

https://www.google.com/search?q=60+usd+to+brl&oq=60+usd+to+brl&aqs=chrome..69i57.2488j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#es_sm=93&espv=210&q=59.99+usd+to+brl

Seems like you already got a discount since $59.99 usd is equal to $138.68 brl.

You are asking BIS to sell their $60 product at $42. This is like saying, yeah you know Arma 3 sold well at $60 but if they discounted it, it would sell even better! So by pricing at $60 they are just hurting themselves. You can apply this argument to just about any product at any price.

You are getting a fair deal so it is not overpriced at all and the only thing discouraging players are their lack of willingness to pay.

Then why steam has a regional price in BRL and we don't simply pay in USD? =)

You see, there's a market difference in paying 60 USD and 99 BRL for a 60 USD game.

Just wanted to INFORM how other companies prices their games in Brazil and just MAYBE BI could do something about to keep up with our market and maybe sell more Arma 3 than they're selling atm here.

Thank you for understanding that.

---------- Post added at 21:45 ---------- Previous post was at 21:30 ----------

One more thing.

Arma 2 Combine Ops prices:

24,99 USD - http://store.steampowered.com/sub/4638/?cc=us

49.99 BRL - http://store.steampowered.com/sub/4638/?cc=br

25 USD would be about 58 BRL

BI is doing right there.

[wedieyounge 10]

Bump.

No official answer so far.

Sad panda.

[chiefboatsret 14]

No answer because nobody sees it as a problem, except for you of course. Also bumping is frowned upon here.

[Stealth23 10]

No answer because nobody sees it as a problem, except for you of course. Also bumping is frowned upon here.

It is a problem because it is such an oddity in the Brazilian market, which means there are less people playing it.

[Kaxii 11]

Yeah its brazils problem, and I highly doubt that it is even worth Bis bothering to try and do something when probably not many will buy it there, if you have a problem emigrate.

[Smurf 12]

No answer because nobody sees it as a problem, except for you of course. Also bumping is frowned upon here.

I do see it as a problem too, but I have my copy granted already. A problem for nobody else because we do have few brazilians here on the forum but on homeland people are willing to go for those sites that sell keys, even knowing that may lose it later just because they're half of the (irreal) Steam Br price = http://www.kinguin.pt/category/2578/arma-3-steam-key/

On a quick search, only game priced in the same way is this, but it has a shitload of DLCs included: http://store.steampowered.com/sub/26483/?snr=1_4_4__104_5

Next is Ghosts at R$109 but people buy that anyway, anywhere in the world. Anything else that isn't somekind of special edition is cheaper.

BIS have the figures and if they're happy with it, oh well....

Yeah its brazils problem, and I highly doubt that it is even worth Bis bothering to try and do something when probably not many will buy it there, if you have a problem emigrate.

I shouldn't even answer to this idiocracy but it is so big I have to: Fuck you. Really.

Infraction taken and well received.

[roshnak 41]

Pretty sure he was being sarcastic.

[anc 0]

No answer because nobody sees it as a problem, except for you of course. Also bumping is frowned upon here.

Not true at all.

There are a lot of brazillian customers that didn't buy it yet because of the price and they do complaing about it in the brazilian forums.

If they knew about this topic or other way to express their opinion they would be doing so.

Still i guess it wouldn't make a difference since BIS games have the same price everywhere.

Best regards

[GReeves 10]

Yeah, one of our good members is having problems with our upcoming switch to ARMA3 because of the price. However, like others have said, I don't think this is a BIS issue.

[swiftn7 1]

Mmh,

I must confess that I just don't get it. The Steam pricing is odd in general, not only Arma-related. What about buying directly from BIStore? Digital Deluxe Edition on X-Mas sale for 37,49EUR / 119,76BRL / 51,38USD.

[jake_krieger 10]

Use a proxy to buy a steam key from another country and then activate it on your own.

Or send the money to some friend who lives out of brazil and let him gift it to you.