General Discussion

Funcom has done this in the past with Anarchy Online also.

It's in their business model, to charge the same for EU and US.

In Anarchy Online the first major uproar was when they said, that it's the same + VAT. And that you can't subscribe as an American, cause they will check for the nationality on your bankcard.

I think it will be the same with Age of Conan, plus that they check for your IP to which server to connect. Someone suggested buying the game in the US, paying in dollars and playing in Europe. He would be screwed, cause he won't be able to connect, and would still pay monthly with EU prices.

I'm a Hungarian. I have Forints (that is a currency that sucks big time). So even if I pay in dollars or in Euro I will get exchange rates. Plus we have to pay 20% VAT.

So it would be perfect for me to have AoC shipped to an american pal, who posts it me. But FC would still charge me the EU price.

I think that everyone forgets several key factors in all of this:

a) Markets change. The exchange rate today may not be the expected rate in 2-3 years. Would you rather have rates significantly change in a few years? (where people would still complain)

b) Cost of business may different between countries involved. In this instance running equipment in the US is probibally cheaper overall than running equipment in Europe for localized servers. So, price extended to the relevent customers is proportional to the CoB. Not to mention operating taxes for the company are not the same in different countries.

c) Competition is more importaint in some markets than others, again the US has more games and entertainment to compete with than other markets (except maybe East Asia). So more competitive pricing is needed. Price competition may not be as neccessary in some countries.

Originally posted by Tyrpak

Funcom has done this in the past with Anarchy Online also.

It's in their business model, to charge the same for EU and US.

In Anarchy Online the first major uproar was when they said, that it's the same + VAT. And that you can't subscribe as an American, cause they will check for the nationality on your bankcard.

I think it will be the same with Age of Conan, plus that they check for your IP to which server to connect. Someone suggested buying the game in the US, paying in dollars and playing in Europe. He would be screwed, cause he won't be able to connect, and would still pay monthly with EU prices.

I'm a Hungarian. I have Forints (that is a currency that sucks big time). So even if I pay in dollars or in Euro I will get exchange rates. Plus we have to pay 20% VAT.

So it would be perfect for me to have AoC shipped to an american pal, who posts it me. But FC would still charge me the EU price.

Anyway i'm not planning to play AoC atm since i dont like the theme...but if ill start playing it im sure ill find a way to pay in $,maybe you will be able to buy the us version and play on the EU servers...that would be even better...that if it wont be a "babilon" on the general chat:))

Originally posted by mege

I think that everyone forgets several key factors in all of this:

a) Markets change. The exchange rate today may not be the expected rate in 2-3 years. Would you rather have rates significantly change in a few years? (where people would still complain)

b) Cost of business may different between countries involved. In this instance running equipment in the US is probibally cheaper overall than running equipment in Europe for localized servers. So, price extended to the relevent customers is proportional to the CoB. Not to mention operating taxes for the company are not the same in different countries.

c) Competition is more importaint in some markets than others, again the US has more games and entertainment to compete with than other markets (except maybe East Asia). So more competitive pricing is needed. Price competition may not be as neccessary in some countries.

Bubble economies do NOT exist anymore, it is a myth.  As long as a company acts like a global corporation it should set its pricing to effect its global interests.  People that perpetuate this myth need to be taken to the cleaners on a regular basis.

When a company does most of its development, production, and maintenance mainly from one county or location (say Norway) to justify it buy charging a different price for 20k subscribers from Italy because the costs for its servers in a tiny little building maintained by 3 janitors and tech support is done by a company in India, is allowing that myth to be perpetuated even further.

At least Funcom is not as belligerent as other MMO's and the charging for MMO's monthly subscription fees.  Probably the most disgusting is how Blizzard "leased" WoW to The9 which allowed access to all the coding and then BOOM gold farmers and hackers galore.

I find it odd that the US price "never" changes...

The dollar is strong: 14.99

The dollar is weak: 14.99

Shouldnt the ones with the weak currency have their payrate go up, so that the end value is the same?

Instead they charge more for those paying the strong currency and keep the weak currency at the same. Meaning that they earn less from the US customers and rip the wallet out of non US customers...

Let me end this all right now ARE dollar is weak because we have to baby sit the rest of the world so who cares if you pay more for something then we do...start fighting your battles and you might get some respect1 you shuold be praising America for your countries still being around and thanking us your freedom in some countries.

Originally posted by zelpher

Let me end this all right now ARE dollar is weak because we have to baby sit the rest of the world so who cares if you pay more for something then we do...start fighting your battles and you might get some respect

Oh no... Here comes the "we saved you from the nazis! Be grateful for it for the rest of your existance!" speeches...

Sorry but these socalled battles you fought for us... were you there? no? Oh, I'm so sorry, cuz I was there, and got the scars to prove it, and so has many french, polish, english, irish, danes, finns, germans and even swedes.

You havent earned my respect, your GI's have.. That does not mean that I should accept that I should pay quite alot more for a game that my own countrymen made, just so you can get it for cheap...

so i should pay 30.00 dollars a month to play a game good luck ever getting anyone to do that!!! Every game since eq has been 15 a month...why would it even change some more...but this is based on how people look at money period. Not about what the exchange rate is 15 is 15 to me and i woudnt pay a penny more a month to play an mmo...Funcom knows that, not sure why you can't firgure it out?  But yeah we did save you from the nazis aswell

Originally posted by Trygun

In other MMORPG you also pay TAX, the difference is that in AGE OF CONAN is as we are paying TAXES 2 times.

The price that in other games include TAXES in Age of Conan is without TAXES.

other games: 12.99 with taxes.

Age of Conan: 12.99 without taxes / 14.94 with taxes.

And to the USA is the same price. WHY???

They think we are foolish.

Originally posted by DragonOak

 

Originally posted by mege

I think that everyone forgets several key factors in all of this:

a) Markets change. The exchange rate today may not be the expected rate in 2-3 years. Would you rather have rates significantly change in a few years? (where people would still complain)</