Forums > Off Topic > Original games, as seen in the third world
Slug Camargo (583) on 7/20/2006 4:29 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
I already said I play mostly pirated games because it's impossible to get originals down here. I do hunt down and grab any original I can; most of the times they're pretty old titles I already beaten a couple of times at least, but in any case I just think it's the right thing to do. It's a moral matter, if you will.
So, I was pretty excited as I stumbled upon this "Gamestop" store (Not sure it's related to "the" Gamestop) at a shopping center last weekend. They only had a handful of PS2 games on display, but they were all originals, and they promised they could bring down any PC game I asked them to; so I sent a list of must-have's I had my eye on for quite a while, and this is their response:
Oni for W95/98/Me ---> U$S 60 Oni for XP ---> U$S 110 Prince of Persia: Warrior Within ---> U$S 80 Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones ---> U$S 100 pack with both Prince of Persia ---> U$S 150 Psychonauts ---> U$S 70 Rogue Trooper ---> U$S 100 Silent Hill 2 ---> U$S 80 Soul Reaver 2 ---> U$S 90 The Suffering ---> U$S 120 The Suffering: Ties That Bind ---> U$S 80
Those are american dollars up there, in case you're wondering.
Are these people in their right mind? I mean, I don't know much about prices worldwide, but one f'ing hundred dollars for a game like Oni which -regardless of its status as my all-time favourite action game- was an underdog even when it was released about 6 years ago seems like a goddamned lot of money to me.
Am I just a cheap prick, or are these people trying to rob me blind?
Corn Popper (69027) on 7/20/2006 5:17 AM · Permalink · Report
yeah those prices are pretty out there but there is this thing called supply and demand.... you demand it they supply it... for a price
Matt Neuteboom (976) on 7/20/2006 6:13 AM · Permalink · Report
They are robbing you blind. Here, the starting game price is usually $50-$60, and degenerates until it gets into the bargain bin for $5. Here in America you could get the whole bundle of those for US$150 total, more or less. What they are asking for is way too much. Totally not worth it.
If anything, one of us should ship you original games in return for a money wire. The first "Suffering" game is like $10 here. Most of these games are cheap here, much cheaper than they are offering you.
In any case, do not buy these gmes from them. The money you spend on one of them could easily go to something better, especially if cheaper pirated games are avaialble.
I cant beleive there is so much demand for orignal games that people will buy them for that price.
chirinea (47495) on 7/20/2006 6:19 AM · Permalink · Report
Doctor, I'm wondering if it wouldn't be easier to import from Brazil. I mean, I can buy "Prince of Persia: Warrior Within" for about U$ 15,00 (budget version) here. Well, I don't know how much you should pay for import fees, but maybe someone could ship a game for you as a "gift".
Unicorn Lynx (181775) on 7/20/2006 6:59 AM · Permalink · Report
They are robbing you, pure and simple.
If there is any way you could set up an eBay account (I can imagine it might be tricky in Uruguay), you'll be able to buy original games online for much, much cheaper prices.
In China, you can buy some original PC games (Chinese covers and manuals, but sometimes with English speech) for 8-9 US$ each. However, they have very few games, mostly only super-mainstream stuff like Half-Life 2, or online RPGs such as World of Warcraft.
Slug Camargo (583) on 7/21/2006 12:17 AM · Permalink · Report
That's what I suspected :P Thanks guys.
Well, if any of you is willing to be my international gaming dealer, that would be terrrrrrrrrrrific. Although I could only pay you via Western Union or some such thing, which I never used and therefore don't know how trustworthy it really is.
[Q --start Matt Neuteboom wrote--] I cant beleive there is so much demand for orignal games that people will buy them for that price. [/Q --end Matt Neuteboom wrote--] I don't think there's that much demand, actually, more like there are no other places where to buy originals, so they can come up with whatever prices they want. That said, I still find it hard to believe they can have such a business running, I mean, who pays those prices?
It's probably a screen, and they have a clandestine casino in the back or something :P
[Q --start Unicorn Lynx wrote--]If there is any way you could set up an eBay account (I can imagine it might be tricky in Uruguay), you'll be able to buy original games online for much, much cheaper prices. [/Q --end Unicorn Lynx wrote--] I did create an eBay account, but my problem is, if and when I find a seller that's willing to ship games all the way down here, they only take credit cards, which I don't currently have, nor the slightest possibility to have one in the near future. And PayPal, of course, but I need a credit card to have that too :\
Ben K (23952) on 7/21/2006 12:52 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Well, if those were Australian prices, they'd be pretty accurate, actually. An average console game here goes for about $80-$90. EA Xbox 360 games are priced at approximately $120, DS games are $70 for a Nintendo title, $80 for a 3rd party title. Platinum sellers (and the like) are usually priced about $50. There are some games that are much cheaper (the PC version of X Men III at launch was $30, compared to the others at about $90), but that's usually how the prices go.
The most expensive games that I remember buying were Conker's Bad Fur Day (N64) for $120, and Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (GBA) at launch for $110.
Good times!
Also, if you're after some original games, DVD Crave is an Australian online store that ships internationally. They have some pretty good prices and specials, I buy from them quite a bit. All prices are listed in AU, so US price would probably be cheaper. Do you require PAL or NTSC games, or do you have a converter of some kind?
Unicorn Lynx (181775) on 7/22/2006 4:07 AM · Permalink · Report
This method is only possible if the owner of the PayPal account lives in United States, UK, Germany, or a couple of other countries. Uruguay is most certainly not included.
Ace of Sevens (4479) on 7/24/2006 8:53 AM · Permalink · Report
Can't you order online? To my knowledge all the major shipping companies have service to Uruguay and while postage would be high, there's no way it would be that bad.
James allgood on 7/27/2006 2:56 AM · Permalink · Report
Hey. By any chance would you have the original manual for warcraft:orcs and humans
Slug Camargo (583) on 7/28/2006 3:38 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Ben Kosmina wrote--]Certainly, it's right underneath my book on the ethics of software piracy.
[/Q --end Ben Kosmina wrote--]
Oh, I always wanted to read that book! Could you seed it? ;P
On a semi-unrelated note, I like when Ben makes these kind of posts because his avatar enhances them with an Oscar Wilde-esque quality. It's almost as if you could see the guy sneer when he talks.
He should have his pinky finger raised for a better effect, though.
Zovni (10504) on 7/29/2006 5:59 PM · Permalink · Report
Una solucion barata es que algun dia te caigas de visita a buenos aires y listo. El problema es conseguir juegos viejos, pero en general todo lo nuevo esta alrededor de 100 pesos = 30-40 US$. Fijate tambien que probablemente haya cadenas grandes como Compumundo que manden directamente a Uruguay.
nullnullnull (1463) on 7/29/2006 7:19 PM · Permalink · Report
Uruguay is very much a closed economy. Huge taxes on imports. So basically everything is either smuggled, crazy expense or ripped off.
James allgood on 7/31/2006 3:40 AM · Permalink · Report
is at possible for you to e-mail me the instruction manual for warcraft:orcs and humans? i need it to play the game.
James allgood on 8/1/2006 3:10 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
i'm new to the web and not sure how to do it
Riamus (8480) on 8/2/2006 9:30 PM · Permalink · Report
If you want the original manual, you'll need to contact Blizzard, as mentioned. To do so, go to http://www.Blizzard.com/ and use the Support menu at the top.
James allgood on 8/3/2006 4:27 AM · Permalink · Report
thanks a lot
Gonchi (3590) on 8/4/2006 2:47 PM · Permalink · Report
I've seen some of those stores. Was it the one in Punta Carretas or the one in Portones? Not that it really makes a difference, I was just curious.
Tecsys' stores were clearing out their original PC games a few months ago, they put them all in a bargain bin and priced them U$S 5 to U$S 9. There wasn't much to choose from though, boxes of Daikatana and Thief 2 pretty much dominated the bin, with the odd old game like Descent 2 and Wargasm making up the numbers. Some Mosca stores also have a few PC games, I've been tempted to purchase Q.A.D. for U$S 2 just to contribute the cover art.
If you eventually decide to order online, be careful if your order exceeds U$S 50, as you might be charged an extra %60 of the total cost (including shipping) in customs.
An alternative to online ordering and eBay is signing up for a trading website, like GameTZ or TradeGamesNow... shipping costs can get a little steep though.
Menk Sirotto on 8/15/2006 9:03 AM · Permalink · Report
Hot DAMN those are some crazy prices. Right thing to do be damned if that is the only option.
Dae (7182) on 8/17/2006 8:19 PM · Permalink · Report
Mostly, games here in Finland are sold for around from 40€ to 65€ (which I find very expensive for a new game) when they are released. It's weird how say, after three years, the game still holds the price around 50 euros, some games go straight to a 5€ to 10€ bargain bin only after one month of the release. I wish I knew who geniuses are behind all this.
Then the used games, after publishers started putting games in DVD cases, it seems like all of the used games prices raised from the old 10€ to as high as 30€. They don't even sell any of the games published in the good old cardboard boxes, people have to hunt them down from an online auction where they usually try to rip you off with prices as high as 100€ for a game, claiming that it's "rare".
I wish I could go back in time to buy the games I want, not because of the prices, but because at least they were available back then.