Game UK - Why these guys are ruining your consumer experience on Steam in the UK. - Games

Update: Eurogamer Article asks GAME UK for comment - GAME deny everything - [url]http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-25-game-denies-forcing-games-off-steam-in-uk[/url]

[QUOTE=xenogelion;31932749]I discovered this myself when trying to purchase RF: Armageddon, It was delayed by a month before you could buy it on steam and seriously it was a massive joke that you couldn't buy it right away. I went to the nearest Game store at the time to find the PC version of the game to be £34.99 and I refused to pay that much and literally 2 days later it came on steam for £29.99 with a 33% discount. So I managed to get it for ~£20 but the biggest question is that Steam isn't known for it's cheap titles... why is it's un-discounted price cheaper than Games?[/QUOTE] Operating Costs, cost of physical media and packaging, cost of store rent, staff pay, utility bills etc etc.

[QUOTE=Teddi Orange;31935068]Update: Eurogamer Article asks GAME UK for comment - GAME deny everything - [url]http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-25-game-denies-forcing-games-off-steam-in-uk[/url][/QUOTE] Hopefully we can hear from the publishers soon enough. It would be really nice to get to the bottom of this now that the investigation has kind of opened up.

[QUOTE=Teddi Orange;31935068]Update: Eurogamer Article asks GAME UK for comment - GAME deny everything - [url]http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-08-25-game-denies-forcing-games-off-steam-in-uk[/url][/QUOTE] ""We have had no such conversations with any publisher and [B]have been in contact with various publishers who can confirm this for you as well.[/B]"

[QUOTE=Dr Bob;31935324]""We have had no such conversations with any publisher and [B]have been in contact with various publishers who can confirm this for you as well.[/B]"[/QUOTE] Yep, put a screenshot of the quote in the OP. [img]http://www.bbservers.co.uk/screenshots/Screenshot-2011-08-25_15.39.02.png[/img]

Wow, how is this legal?

Just asked GAME about this on Twitter, they have me this response [url]http://twitter.com/#!/Gamedigital/status/106746896399339521[/url] and [url]http://twitter.com/#!/Gamedigital/status/106747140394586113[/url] Somehow i don't believe them

Just like how Ubi Categorically stated about its DRM in From Dust, right?

You're in the news, congrats. [url]http://www.computerandvideogames.com/316921/game-denies-attempting-to-delay-steam-releases/[/url] This really should be illegal though.

My local GAME always stocks a shit ton of RCT2 copies for dirt cheap. As such over the years I've picked up 5 or 6 copies due to me losing them and they're all just starting to turn up again now.

[QUOTE=Jaystaffo;31935903]Just asked GAME about this on Twitter, they have me this response [url]http://twitter.com/#!/Gamedigital/status/106746896399339521[/url] and [url]http://twitter.com/#!/Gamedigital/status/106747140394586113[/url] Somehow i don't believe them[/QUOTE] [quote]Why are you blocking games from going on Steam? Do you not realise that nobody buys retail PC games anymore?[/quote] Nice argument!

Hi, I work for GAME and can reassure you that we've never had a conversation with a publisher about witholding a title from Steam. I know Eurogamer and others are trying to get independent verification of this from publishers/developers as well as why they decided not to offer their titles on Steam but I can confirm it was nothing to do with us. If you want to talk directly about this, let me know.

[QUOTE=drivennuts;31936428]Hi, I work for GAME and can reassure you that we've never had a conversation with a publisher about witholding a title from Steam. I know Eurogamer and others are trying to get independent verification of this from publishers/developers as well as why they decided not to offer their titles on Steam but I can confirm it was nothing to do with us. If you want to talk directly about this, let me know.[/QUOTE] Until we get word from publishers as to why major titles are not available for preorder/have been withheld from ordering for a time via Digital means, yet are still available through Brick & Mortar stores, we, as Gamers, will tend not to believe you and assume the worse, because we've been burned by distributors and publishers making exclusivity deals in the past. Be prepared to receive a lot of flak, correctly or incorrectly, from people on here, as you've made yourself the public figurehead and therefore is who people will lash out at, but as Head of PR I guess thats a day to day thing with you.

[QUOTE=drivennuts;31936428]Hi, I work for GAME and can reassure you that we've never had a conversation with a publisher about witholding a title from Steam. I know Eurogamer and others are trying to get independent verification of this from publishers/developers as well as why they decided not to offer their titles on Steam but I can confirm it was nothing to do with us. If you want to talk directly about this, let me know.[/QUOTE]Well atleast they are noticing us

[QUOTE=drivennuts;31936428]Hi, I work for GAME and can reassure you that we've never had a conversation with a publisher about witholding a title from Steam. I know Eurogamer and others are trying to get independent verification of this from publishers/developers as well as why they decided not to offer their titles on Steam but I can confirm it was nothing to do with us. If you want to talk directly about this, let me know.[/QUOTE] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JUCfX1P1ik[/media] Other than that this is starting to get very interesting. I do know that there have been publishers in the past who restrict trade or region lock their games due to currency rates (Brits get the games cheaper on steam I think).

[QUOTE=Vasili;31936555][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JUCfX1P1ik[/media] Other than that this is starting to get very interesting. I do know that there have been publishers in the past who restrict trade or region lock their games due to currency rates (Brits get the games cheaper on steam I think).[/QUOTE] But even so, not even the Demo of Space Marine is available on Steam for UK users, so something is going on. and hell the game is £28.99 on Amazon.

[QUOTE=drivennuts;31936428]Hi, I work for GAME and can reassure you that we've never had a conversation with a publisher about witholding a title from Steam. I know Eurogamer and others are trying to get independent verification of this from publishers/developers as well as why they decided not to offer their titles on Steam but I can confirm it was nothing to do with us. If you want to talk directly about this, let me know.[/QUOTE] I was very close to breaking forum rules in response to you, namely the flaming rule.

I'd say it wasn't a wise idea for those two sites to report on this yet, there's no story yet, just some sense makin' speculation.

You can still gift from US -> UK to bypass this, right?

[QUOTE=Dragonblz;31936893]You can still gift from US -> UK to bypass this, right?[/QUOTE] Yeah, I got my friend to gift me Space Marine on steam, worked fine - even got the demo in my list. Whoever is doing this doesn't understand the power of international friendships.

game website is down i think it's getting DDOS'd, LOL

[QUOTE=krakadict;31937065]game website is down i think it's getting DDOS'd, LOL[/QUOTE] lmao xd

they deserve it

[QUOTE=krakadict;31937103]they deserve it[/QUOTE] Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat Until we get word from the publishers and steam they're innocent. A lot of things are pointing their way, but you can't say anything yet. Plus if the case get's big enough, which it currently seems to be heading that way, there's a possibility of the EU or UK antimonopoly agencies looking into it as well. Since everything is pointing at the fact that someone is strongly influencing the market for whatever reason.

[QUOTE=Dr Bob;31937082]lmao xd[/QUOTE] Do you not have anything better to post?

[QUOTE=krakadict;31937103]they deserve it[/QUOTE] No they don't. As I said a few pages back I'm not after a boycott or raiding, I just want to get this daft issue resolved where we UKers can't get access certain games via Steam after a timelock and also hopefully see to it that this doesn't occur in the future. I wasn't expecting a response from someone from Game, so it's a pleasant surprise to see drivennuts here willing to talk to anyone concerned. It's something that rarely ever happens so how about we actually use this opportunity properly to find our and who knows, maybe even help improve Games own service? Thanks for coming here drivennuts. I know technically it would be against Games own best interests but is there any chance with assisting us as to why this is occuring? I'm not saying that you're in the clear yet but as I said before, It's nice to actually have a response.

[QUOTE=Teddi Orange;31937269]No they don't. As I said a few pages back I'm not after a boycott or raiding, I just want to get this daft issue resolved where we UKers can't get access certain games via Steam after a timelock and also hopefully see to it that this doesn't occur in the future. I wasn't expecting a response from someone from Game, so it's a pleasant surprise to see drivennuts here willing to talk to anyone concerned. It's something that rarely ever happens so how about we actually use this opportunity properly to find our and who knows, maybe even help improve Games own service? Thanks for coming here drivennuts. I know technically it would be against Games own best interests but is there any chance with assisting us as to why this is occuring? I'm not saying that you're in the clear yet but as I said before, It's nice to actually have a response.[/QUOTE] Or maybe he isn't a GAME employee at all?

[QUOTE=mobrockers2;31937581]Or maybe he isn't a GAME employee at all?[/QUOTE] His twitter link is legit. If it isn't him then oh well, they know my hand :v:

[QUOTE=mobrockers2;31937581]Or maybe he isn't a GAME employee at all?[/QUOTE] His twitter account is that of Neil Ashurst, "Head of UK PR for GAME and Gamestation".

[QUOTE=mobrockers2;31937581]Or maybe he isn't a GAME employee at all?[/QUOTE] Exactly. Although the link to the head of UK PR's twitter sure is interesting.