Australian GoD pricing revealed

360 News | Microsoft's Games on Demand service has a strange pricing structure.

While the it doesn't go live in Australia until 12 August, prices for titles on the Xbox 360's Games on Demand service have started to appear on the Xbox Live Marketplace for those fortunate enough to be previewing the new dashboard upgrade.

For whatever reason, prices are not uniform across the world with, unfortunately, Australian and New Zealand customers paying a hefty premium on several games. If the current prices on the Marketplace are anything to go by, here's what we can expect to be paying if we want to use the service on Wednesday.

Viva Piñata - 1800 MSP / AUD $29.95 (1600 MSP for US)
BioShock - 3000 MSP / AUD $49.95 (2400 MSP for US)
Call of Duty 2 - 3000 MSP / AUD $49.95 (2400 MSP for US, 4400 MSP for NZ)
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - 3000 MSP / AUD $49.95 (2400 MSP for US)
Mass Effect - 6000 MSP / AUD $99.95 (1500 MSP for US)

So far, prices for the other Games on Demand available on 12 August - Kameo: Elements of Power, Prey, Perfect Dark Zero, Table Tennis and Viva Piñata 2: Trouble in Paradise - have yet to surface.

Keep in mind that these prices aren't official as of yet, and could change before the service goes live. For a current list of pricing for all games across the globe, head to NeoGAF.

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43 Comments

JD-Ferel

2 years ago

I think this is more so it reflects the actual prices.
50-60US$ = 100-120AU$ price difference for games. Sad thing is even now with certain region free games it's much cheaper to import them from the US or Play-Asia. If anything I think being able to DL should make them cheaper; not the same price.

mantra79

2 years ago

Gee wizz what bargains they are.

bernzsta

2 years ago

Even though the pricing of older game such as Viva Pinata are lower than most - I suppose to put them in par with other Xbox Original games and some Arcade titles in terms of pricing - it is still unjustified when you can easily pick the game up between $5-10.

I am unsure of what else to think if the pricing of an older game is that price - it will be a staggering amount of points for newer games!

Jellyfish

2 years ago

Forget that! Not only do with have suffer gratification handicaps in terms of ISP throughput, we have more expensive games. I implore people not to buy the games since it'll only encourage more of this foolishness from publishers.

DrTim

2 years ago

Ahahaha. **** fail. I got ME from steam for $19.99. Why would anyone in their right mind pay (all but) full price for a game they can get waay cheaper elsewhere. I'm sure at retail it would be in bargain bins as well, even on the 360.

dloiscute

2 years ago

$99.95 for Mass Effect......

Shadow Wave

2 years ago

Wow, this service is going to bomb hard

rankodour

2 years ago

No incentive to use this service whatsoever.

I can just see them extending the Xbox Live deals of the week to these games which may make the prices less of a rip off though.

G3ck0

2 years ago

I saw these games on the marketplace and all I could think was, "Woah, those are expensive". I don't see many people using this service when games are probably half the price in the shops.

BattleElf

2 years ago

I swear I saw Assassins Creed on the marketplace last night for $109 but I just checked and it's gone now.

Some of these prices are absolutely ridiculous and doesn't give me much hope at all for the PSP Go.

legend166

2 years ago

Incredibly bad prices.

Kaiden

2 years ago

those are the exclusive prices for being gold.
silver members pay double! so in their eyes, you're actually saving lots...

Mr Waffle

2 years ago

Almost thought I was a Nintendo customer for a second, considering how royally we get screwed by those prices. Can't exactly blame these prices on "distribution costs because we're an island nation", can you!?

genxevo

2 years ago

i hate the future...

Qbert

2 years ago

At least if you buy a game for $100, you can re-sell it down the track and make a lot of the money back. I can't believe that they will be charging more when there is no case/manual/disc, no shipping involved, no need to pay staff in stores etc. etc. Add on that no re-sale value.

Who in their right mind whould use this service?

Tetsuwan

2 years ago

Agreed with the pricing, it's ridiculous.

What's stopping us from grabbing them from US Xboxlive using a points card?

I like to think these are placeholders. MS isn't that stupid and they haven't done this kind of thing for Arcade titles (different prices for different regions) so why start now?

Inaudible CHaos

2 years ago

Well I guess that throws the whole "distribution costs" excuse out the window. Wonder what the excuse will be now? Considering this on top of the issues with Aus internet, if they're thinking this will be a success they're in for a rude surprise. Mass Effect is especially ridiculous;

Mass Effect
US: $19.99 - 1600MSP
CAD: $29.99 - 2000MSP
UK: Â£19.99 - 2400MSP
EURO: â‚¬29.99 - 2400MSP
NWY: 299NOK - 2400 MSP
SWDN: 349 SEK - 2400MSP
DNMK: 299dkr - 2400SMP
SWIS: 49CHF / 32â‚¬ - 2800 MSP
AU: $99.95 - 6000MSP
NZ: $99.95 - 6000MSP
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=370491

I just really want to hear them try and justify that.

Mr Waffle

2 years ago

Qbert wrote

At least if you buy a game for $100, you can re-sell it down the track and make a lot of the money back.

The funny thing is, digital distribution could be the silver bullet to kill the resale market. Cheap games that you can't get rid of later, it's win-win for customers AND publishers, because it means everyone gets a copy of the game, and the publisher gets money for every single one. But of course, that's in magical fairy land where publisher greed isn't accounted for...

sobriquet835

2 years ago

We can expect more of this in the future. Clearly gaming companies are moving towards a framework whereby all game distribution will be by digital download. For consoles this monopolises the market, and if you want to buy a certain game, you HAVE to pay full price for it, since there's no competition.

How can they think 6000 MS points is fair for ME? Ridiculous.

Slashee the Cow

2 years ago

I'm sorry, but when did Australia being ripped off for games become news?

G3ck0

2 years ago

I didn't realise the US prices were so much cheaper than the AU prices. Even if the games were half price they wouldn't be worth it really. It needs to be cheaper than retail.

barrett

2 years ago

You can add this service to the MS's ever growing fail list as well.

matrix-cat

2 years ago

Ninety nine dollars for Mass Effect? So, by not having to burn a disc, print a manual and cover art and buy a box, Microsoft is telling us they're saving... negative $60? And Australians are just going to jump at the chance to download 10GB of game and wipe out their month's quota in one go.

benspyda

2 years ago

Awesome, I'm going to go buy mass effect right away. Thxs MS!!

Seriously I'm confused.

Thank god for steam with its mostly the same prices for both AU and US. They know how to do online distribution!!

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