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JimG (Banned) 30 Jul @ 5:23pm
Steam pricing
I have noticed a weird trend in Steams pricing. Why is it that games which are well over 2 years old are still being sold as if they are brand new. For example, Spiderman Remastered is over 3 years old and is till £50. This would NEVER happen in a physical store as people just wouldnt buy it. Why do Valve think its acceptable for a digital purchase? Am I missing something?
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Showing 1-15 of 95 comments
Ben Lubar 30 Jul @ 5:26pm 
Valve doesn't force prices or sales. Game developers set their own prices.
#1
JimG (Banned) 30 Jul @ 5:27pm 
Originally posted by Ben Lubar:
Valve doesn't force prices or sales. Game developers set their own prices.

Yeah thats not true. If that were the case they would never be allowed to have sales because developers were losing money.
#2
Sciencemile 30 Jul @ 5:30pm 
Huh you think Steam forces sales and sets prices for game devs? I don’t think that’s a claim you can argue from inference alone; if that’s really going that surely you could find a developer somewhere complaining to show as evidence.
Last edited by Sciencemile; 30 Jul @ 5:30pm
#3
Boblin the Goblin 30 Jul @ 5:32pm 
Originally posted by JimG:
Originally posted by Ben Lubar:
Valve doesn't force prices or sales. Game developers set their own prices.

Yeah thats not true. If that were the case they would never be allowed to have sales because developers were losing money.
Which developers chose to opt in for.

https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/discounts
#4
boxythecat 30 Jul @ 5:32pm 
AAA devs new to Steam not on board with the competitive pricing indie devs have done for years on PC.
#5
JimG (Banned) 30 Jul @ 5:33pm 
Originally posted by Sciencemile:
Huh you think Steam forces sales and sets prices for game devs? I don’t think that’s a claim you can argue from inference alone; if that’s really going that surely you could find a developer somewhere complaining to show as evidence.

YES! What do you think the Summer sale is? Do you honestly think Steam contacts EVERY single dev and asks their permission to put a game on sale? I cant call you the word I REALLY want to call you right now but I think you might be able to guess which word I'm thinking of. Do yourself a favour and stop talking nonsense.
#6
Haruspex 30 Jul @ 5:35pm 
Games are worth what people are willing to pay, and the developers/publishers set the prices.

If people are still buying Spiderman for £50, why would they want to decrease the price? If those sales slow down, they'll drop the price to help perk those numbers back up.

Originally posted by JimG:
YES! What do you think the Summer sale is? Do you honestly think Steam contacts EVERY single dev and asks their permission to put a game on sale? I cant call you the word I REALLY want to call you right now but I think you might be able to guess which word I'm thinking of. Do yourself a favour and stop talking nonsense.
Valve lets developers/publishers know about sales months in advance and puts the option out there for them to opt-in if they choose. Of course they don't call them one by one. Why would they?
Last edited by Haruspex; 30 Jul @ 5:38pm
#7
JimG (Banned) 30 Jul @ 5:35pm 
Originally posted by Boblin the Goblin:
Originally posted by JimG:

Yeah thats not true. If that were the case they would never be allowed to have sales because developers were losing money.
Which developers chose to opt in for.

https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/discounts

This doesnt mean Steam are not allowed to lower the price! This is my whole point. Learn to read.
#8
superblake_ 30 Jul @ 5:35pm 
Originally posted by JimG:
Originally posted by Ben Lubar:
Valve doesn't force prices or sales. Game developers set their own prices.

Yeah thats not true. If that were the case they would never be allowed to have sales because developers were losing money.
The game is on sale regardless of a sale of decreased price or normal price because what is what selling your product is.
Last edited by superblake_; 30 Jul @ 5:38pm
#9
Ben Lubar 30 Jul @ 5:38pm 
Originally posted by JimG:
Originally posted by Sciencemile:
Huh you think Steam forces sales and sets prices for game devs? I don’t think that’s a claim you can argue from inference alone; if that’s really going that surely you could find a developer somewhere complaining to show as evidence.

YES! What do you think the Summer sale is? Do you honestly think Steam contacts EVERY single dev and asks their permission to put a game on sale?

As a game developer myself: yes, they literally do that.
#10
Boblin the Goblin 30 Jul @ 5:38pm 
Originally posted by JimG:
Originally posted by Boblin the Goblin:
Which developers chose to opt in for.

https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/discounts

This doesnt mean Steam are not allowed to lower the price! This is my whole point. Learn to read.
It means they don't lower the price, the devs do.

They literally post when the sales will happen with a link to how to submit your games to the sale.

https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/marketing/upcoming_events
#11
Kiryn 30 Jul @ 5:38pm 
Because there's another sale every month or two, why bother lowering the price in between them?
#12
JimG (Banned) 30 Jul @ 5:38pm 
Originally posted by Haruspex:
Games are worth what people are willing to pay, and the developers/publishers set the prices.

If people are still buying Spiderman for £50, why would they want to decrease the price? If those sales slow down, they'll drop the price to help perk those numbers back up.

My point is as I have already stated, No brick and mortar store would sell a 3 yr old game at full price. They would just end up with a pile of stock they couldnt sell (yes before your autism kicks in I know were discussing digital) My point is this is sheer greed. Would you buy a 3 yr old digital game at full price? I dont think you would.
#13
Haruspex 30 Jul @ 5:42pm 
Originally posted by JimG:
Originally posted by Haruspex:
Games are worth what people are willing to pay, and the developers/publishers set the prices.

If people are still buying Spiderman for £50, why would they want to decrease the price? If those sales slow down, they'll drop the price to help perk those numbers back up.

My point is as I have already stated, No brick and mortar store would sell a 3 yr old game at full price. They would just end up with a pile of stock they couldnt sell (yes before your autism kicks in I know were discussing digital) My point is this is sheer greed. Would you buy a 3 yr old digital game at full price? I dont think you would.
Brick and mortar stores have a thing called shelf space they must contend with. Limited shelf space. Limited room to display new products. They're more likely to put older items on clearance to make room for newer items.

Steam has no such problem.

It's not greed. It's capitalism. The price is what the market is willing to bear. Game developers are not running a charity, and they're not going to drop the price out of the goodness of their hearts.
Last edited by Haruspex; 30 Jul @ 5:43pm
#14
Boblin the Goblin 30 Jul @ 5:42pm 
Originally posted by JimG:
Originally posted by Haruspex:
Games are worth what people are willing to pay, and the developers/publishers set the prices.

If people are still buying Spiderman for £50, why would they want to decrease the price? If those sales slow down, they'll drop the price to help perk those numbers back up.

My point is as I have already stated, No brick and mortar store would sell a 3 yr old game at full price. They would just end up with a pile of stock they couldnt sell (yes before your autism kicks in I know were discussing digital) My point is this is sheer greed. Would you buy a 3 yr old digital game at full price? I dont think you would.
You answered your own question. It's digital. There's no storage problems, degrading issues, stockpiling problems.

Also, since Steam doesn't buy games in bulk like a physical store buying products, there's literally no reason to adjust the price forcibly. There's no risk of a loss if the games don't sale on Valve's end.
#15
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Date Posted: 30 Jul @ 5:23pm
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