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Increase in EA Xbox 360 game prices starting 2010


KeezNah

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Why do I get the feeling that MS is not interested in the business here? Or that E&D is run by schmuks here? None of E&D's stuff is doing well in India and the one which could've done well with some competitive pricing and marketing is going down the drain.

MS as a whole cannot be blamed because they do a stellar job on Windows and Office in India - look at the promotions / campaigns. They tried to combat piracy also, and the software prices are not too bad.

If I'm not mistaken, Windows and Office is also handled by the E&D division, at least in India.

 

I remember when I spoke with Jaspreet Bindra a while back (I think MT and Krishnan can back me up here), he was new on the job and he said that a major responsibility of his and his team's was to ensure that Windows 7 was a massive success here and he also talked about Office. So I think both Windows and Office (and maybe all consumer products) are also under E&D.

 

@john: There is no EA India. But I think it is highly unlikely that this price hike is EA's decision. They know the market well and they know that they're better off pulling out of India than selling games at these prices. If it was EA's decision, there is no way they would not also increase prices of the PS3 games. In fact, for a long time, EA games cost Rs 500 more on the PS3, so they wouldn't keep PS3 games at 2499 and price Xbox 360 games Rs 1000, especially not when piracy is a concern. The EA regional head has been in and out of India a lot over the last few months, and they've had two media showcases in the last 2 months. They would have at least hinted at something as big as this, but they havent. Milestone, besides handling distrivution for EA Playsattion games, also handles overall marketing for EA in India (even Xbox and PC), so if this is EA's decision, I would thnk Milestone would be the first to know. But they didn't know of this till yesterday.

 

 

 

peace

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just to back up sam's statement that custom duty has not increased if go to the link below and see in section 9504 you 'll see that duty is still 10% on video games

 

http://www.cbec.gov.in/customs/cst-0910/chap-95.pdf

 

this must be a redington decision only!!!

 

 

Wow nice find man.

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If I'm not mistaken, Windows and Office is also handled by the E&D division, at least in India.

 

I remember when I spoke with Jaspreet Bindra a while back (I think MT and Krishnan can back me up here), he was new on the job and he said that a major responsibility of his and his team's was to ensure that Windows 7 was a massive success here and he also talked about Office. So I think both Windows and Office (and maybe all consumer products) are also under E&D.

peace

Which makes it worse. He's sacrificing his other products to concentrate on only one. Admittedly Win and Office are far bigger products but that doesn't mean other products should be sidelined. That's asking for trouble. When he does get to the other products MS will already have lost a lot of ground with competition. The big fear is that MS just stops bothering about its Xbox 360 business. It doesn't pull out since it's already put in a good amount of money but it stops caring i.e. horrible service, not caring about the prices.

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I spoke to Redington and the price increase is real, although the amount of the increase is still tentative (or so they say). They say that they're "fighting" with EA to keep the price down and they're officially saying that its due to an increase in customs duty. But I think this is Redington's internal decision because more than anything else because:

1. No other distributor is incresing prices so there definitely isn't an increase on duties. If there is, only Redington knows about it, which is very unlikely.

2. This isn't EA's decision, otherwise there would also be a similar increase in PS3 game prices, which Milestone says there isn't.

I'm still finding it hard to believe that EA would allow Redington to increase prices to a point where they're literally inviting people to buy from grey or pirate.

 

Since Redington also distributes MS first party games I also asked them that wil there also be a similar increase in MS games (since the alleged increase in customs duty would affect all), and I got a very vague "no comment", which further leads me to believe that this increase on EA Xbox 360 games is Redington's internal decision. And they did also admit that the price increase is partly also an internal decision.

 

I've also spoken with WWCDROM and E-Xpress. Neither have heard of any customs duty increase, nor are they incresing their prices. E-Xpress has already set prices for their games for as far in the future as March.

 

Bottom line is, if you're interested in buying an EA Xbox 360 game thats already out, buy it this month. After Jan, import. I hear EA games are region-free now. As for all games other than EA Xbox 360 titles, nothing changes for now at least.

peace

 

 

oka.. WTF. i'm not familiar with anything financial/budget related but aren't these duties subject to change only just after a new budget? like march/april?

 

i call BS on Redington. isn't the Xbox360 also priced atrociously and carries a lot of difference b/w the Indian and the international pricing? atleast a lot more than the PS3.

 

zomg zomg.. head for teh bunkers and panic rooms. i was right on the money about something. :doh:

somebody gonna get a hurt real zoooon.

 

 

 

:lol:

 

 

also..let's c where the multiplats go naaoow. :P

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Fifa 2010 - 2499 -> 3299 - Not interested.

Nfs Shift - 2499 -> 3299 - Not interested.

Brutal Legend - 2499 -> 3299 - Not interested.

Dragon Age - Collectors - 2699 -> 3999 - PC

Saboteur - 1899 -> 2699 - Not interested.

Left 4 Dead - Classic Edition - 999 -> 1699 - PC

XBox 360 Game CD Left 4 Dead 2 - 2499 -> 3299 - PC

XBox 360 Game CD NBA 10 - 1999 -> 2999 - Not interested.

 

upcoming titles, all prices are tentative

 

Army of Men - 40th Day 3499 - Not interested.

Mass Effect 2 - Collectors 3999 - Not interested.

Mass Effect 2 - Standard 3499 - PC

Dante Inferno - Collectors 3999 - Not interested.

Dante Inferno - Standard 3499 - Not interested.

Battlefield 2 Bad company - Collectors 3999 - PC

 

Meh. Couldnt care less. The only EA console game I want this year is Skate 3 which wont be released. Aside from that the only other console games I am interested in are Alan Wake and Halo reach. So even if the rest of them follow suit I am fine.

 

But I feel for you console only guys. Esp if this moves onto the PS3 side of things.

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