Steam's Prices could rise in the UK

[WYP]

Recent Government plans to close tax loopholes could soon be affecting us gamers, especially us PC gamers on Steam.

The plans of the Government, as announced last week by Chancellor George Osborn at budget 2013, will make games and other entertainment products be taxed according to the laws which they are bought in, rather than sold in.

Companies for years now have skirted around tax by claiming that the purchase takes place in another country, which in the case of UK Steam users is Luxemburg, or Valve S.A.R.L, which allowed Valve to pay from 3-15% VAT on games sold. So when these plans are enacted Valve will have to pay 20% tax on every UK purchase, which could make Steam prices price rise.

These plans will generate £300m pounds for the Government and should help equal the playing field for high street based games and other digital media sales. While as a PC gamer I am saddened by the possibility of a price increase, we must remember that these funds will help reduce the governments debt while hopefully preventing cuts to the NHS, Police and other Tax-funded services.

What do you guys think of this? Are you glad that Valve and others will no longer be able to dodge tax, or saddened by a likely price hike for games?

Please post your thoughts and feelings below.

Source - theguardian

 

[remember300]

its sad that we will end up paying more for less now then.

I hope that they take consideration of the fact disk copying and manufacturing of the game onto disk is part of the cost for games out there already, otherwise it seems a little harsh.

But im still all up for tax if the money is spent wisely....

 

[Wraith]

So that would mean this also effects eBay, Paypal, Play.com and Amazon..... they all use Luxemburg S.A.R.L accounts.

 

[Snortan]

Looks like cdkey websites will get a rise in their income, there will be absolutely no reason not to go to them.

 

[Mathius]

Steam is already more expensive to buy games as it is (not including the seasonal sales that they usually have).... I dont remember the last time I bought a game via steam,

As long as we dont pay a stupid amount more then fair enough......anything to get out of this recession that we're in......

 

[SeekaX]

Steam is already more expensive to buy games as it is (not including the seasonal sales that they usually have).... I dont remember the last time I bought a game via steam,

As long as we dont pay a stupid amount more then fair enough......anything to get out of this recession that we're in......

steam has sales all year. there is always a weekly or daily sale.
i buy stuff 75% off all the time, no idea how much this will affect me in germany though.

 

[WYP]

steam has sales all year. there is always a weekly or daily sale.
i buy stuff 75% off all the time, no idea how much this will affect me in germany though.

Unless Germany create a similar law it won't, this applies to just the UK.

I do imagine other countries will act in a similar way though, provided a similar tax loophole exists in that nation. Countries have a right to take the tax that they are frankly conned out of by big companies like amazon and steam.

 

[Wraith]

Unless Germany create a similar law it won't, this applies to just the UK.

I do imagine other countries will act in a similar way though, provided a similar tax loophole exists in that nation. Countries have a right to take the tax that they are frankly conned out of by big companies like amazon and steam.

Couldn't agree more. Amazon last year only paying 5% was just a joke!

 

[KING_OF_SAND]

Don't mean to be a dick, but I'm glad I live in the USA

That aside, I am sure Steam will compensate most if not all of it by lowering the prices. You have to realize Steam is one of the largest digital game distributes on the planet. I am sure most if not all game devs will take a little less just to sell the product on Steam. Steam is like Wal-Mart, they dictate the price and I am sure Steam will notice a negative impact if game prices go up higher than they already are.

 

[NeverBackDown]

Don't mean to be a dick, but I'm glad I live in the USA

That aside, I am sure Steam will compensate most if not all of it by lowering the prices. You have to realize Steam is one of the largest digital game distributes on the planet. I am sure most if not all game devs will take a little less just to sell the product on Steam. Steam is like Wal-Mart, they dictate the price and I am sure Steam will notice a negative impact if game prices go up higher than they already are.

Well i'd rather have a price increase on steam than gas prices go up again and again and again(never seems to stop)...

 

[KING_OF_SAND]

Well i'd rather have a price increase on steam than gas prices go up again and again and again(never seems to stop)...

Gas is still cheaper in the USA

 

[NeverBackDown]

Gas is still cheaper in the USA

I was more comparing a few dollars increase on games vs the extra 30 cents gas will rise.. You would save more from the extra few bucks in the short and long run

 

[KING_OF_SAND]

I was more comparing a few dollars increase on games vs the extra 30 cents gas will rise.. You would save more from the extra few bucks in the short and long run

Meh, I ride a motorcycle and I am financially blessed. I don't give a rats ass either way lol.

 

[looz]

Back to £1 = 1$? Well that'll surely make people happy.

 

[Feronix]

Unless Germany create a similar law it won't, this applies to just the UK.

I do imagine other countries will act in a similar way though, provided a similar tax loophole exists in that nation. Countries have a right to take the tax that they are frankly conned out of by big companies like amazon and steam.

I live in the Netherlands and for some reason we already pay more than the people in the UK anyway. For example, not too long ago I wanted to play an online game with an English friend and we both decided to purchase a game.

For him, the game cost £10, which is worth around €12,10 but I had to pay €15,- while I could purchase that same game boxed at an online shop for €10.
So if the Steam prices go up even more here, there's absolutely no reason for me to buy a game there unless it's on sale.

And then I'm not even talking about the CD key websites in this example. For games like GTA, I do prefer a physical copy though, even if you can then enter a code in a platform like Steam and download the game without ever needing the disk.

 

[SeekaX]

Well i'd rather have a price increase on steam than gas prices go up again and again and again(never seems to stop)...

we pay about 1.55 euros per liter in germany. that's $2.14. more than $8 per gallon, you pay a mere $3.50/gallon.
there are lots of reasons for why i wouldn't want to live in the states, but fuel prices isn't one of them.

 

[Dicehunter]

I wish someone would shoot osbourne, He's a complete c*** along with the rest of the public school boys.
The country should be run by people who understand what it's like to struggle to pay bills, Get food, Life in general etc... Not some toffs who have never had a worry in their lives.

 

[d3rrial]

So will it be double-taxed then? Because Luxembourg is gonna expect them to continue paying these taxes, I'd assume...

 

[lAnimal]

Unless Germany create a similar law it won't, this applies to just the UK.

Since I live in Ireland, and this 'independent' country is run by the worst pr*^'s still stuck up the UK backside we'll surely copy the UK with this... like everything bad :/

 

[Dicehunter]

Since I live in Ireland, and this 'independent' country is run by the worst pr*^'s still stuck up the UK backside we'll surely copy the UK with this... like everything bad :/

Should do what the old Irish did, Kick the government out, If they refuse to go, Shoot them, Then get some good people in.
But sadly the world is made up of pussies now who tug the forelock instead of standing up to the public school boy scum.