The obvious answer is to deter regional hopping, but there is price “discrimination” for the same product: like $69.99 (US) vs. ~$42.99 (China) for a game. Steam blocks sending games internationally to other players if it exceeds 10% via foreign exchange. Most or all digital game storefronts have an assigned country that supports local currency despite selling the same product. Steam DB exists to compare currencies for a digital game and the differences between there and where you live.

Also: the PS digital storefront is region locked meaning you can’t use a card from one country in another region’s storefront as currencies are different (like Steam really) since they detect the issuing country where the payment method is from. The payment method from let’s say an American CC will be declined on Japanese PS store as in their case they use CC or Debit for age verification regarding games for 18+, does it have to do with different laws and terms & conditions?

Both Wise & Revolut won’t work even though they are multi-currency cards for travel since the algorithm checks the region they’re issued from. In that case, the only way to finalize a region change is buying a prepaid card from that region plus gift cards. That way, you could change countries via digital storefronts (like if the game is 80 Euros in Germany but the same is ~52 Euros in Japan) which would save you money but it’s kind of cumbersome and expensive to set up than buying a game key.

  • B0NK3RS@lazysoci.al
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    2 days ago

    It’s not as simple as comparing prices or exchange rates when purchasing power varies so wildly across the world.

  • thingsiplay@lemmy.ml
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    2 days ago

    Regional prices. To not abuse regional prices, and to make it work, they have to lock it. Otherwise some regions would have extremely expensive games. But because they could not afford the games otherwise, the regional prices takes this into account and sell the games for cheaper in those regions. If everyone outside the world could buy there, they would. Then it would be pointless for the publisher, because the cheapest price is then the normal price.

    So regional prices is not here to make it expensive for you, but more like make it affordable for those, who wouldn’t otherwise able to buy. At least that’s the idea as far as I understand.

    • Signtist@bookwyr.me
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      2 days ago

      Yeah, I didn’t understand people who ask “Why do this thing that makes money if it inconveniences the customer?” as if the customer ever mattered to them in the first place. The only reason they ever catered to us is because we used to simply collectively not buy things from companies that didn’t. As soon as they convinced us to spend indiscriminately, any reason to give us anything we want over something more profitable went out the window.

        • smeg@feddit.uk
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          2 days ago

          They’ve never made a comment either, which is not exactly normal human behaviour

        • thingsiplay@lemmy.ml
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          2 days ago

          Well that is just a thought process. Its like explaining and then asking: “Is it correct what I am thinking.” That also shows the person is thinking this through, but is unsure if this is correct and needs validation or correction. It always sounds funny if someone asking answers it themselves in the same question. But as explained, it makes sense from the view of the poster.

          • CallMeAl (like Alan)@piefed.world
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            2 days ago

            That’s a fine conjecture but unless you are the poster its simply a guess. Nothing stopping them from clarifying it themselves in any of their posts when people ask about it…

            • thingsiplay@lemmy.ml
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              2 days ago

              Yes and no. As in, if this its true, then the poster is in a situation where he or she would not clarify. Because its a question. From their perspective. If the poster would know and clarify these things, then my theory would be wrong. So I cannot be right and the poster clarifying at the same time. That’s the “paradox” here you ask.

              But whatever. I just tried to help understanding.

              • CallMeAl (like Alan)@piefed.world
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                2 days ago

                Are you saying that the poster would not clarify that they intend the body of their post, not as an answer to their own question, but as information they want confirmed? I thought this was what you speculated was going on but I don’t understand why they wouldn’t be free to clarify that. What am I missing here?

                • thingsiplay@lemmy.ml
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                  2 days ago

                  I think we weren’t talking about the exact same thing. It got convoluted already, so maybe we just move on. :D

  • BorgDrone@feddit.nl
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    2 days ago

    People in different regions are able to pay different amounts for a video game. You don’t want to sell a game for €40 to someone willing to pay €80, you also don’t want to miss out on the €40 from someone who’s only willing to pay that amount.

    This is also why there are artificial tiers, like an ‘ultimate edition’ and shit like that.

    Same goes for things like internet speeds. A 1gbit connection is actually slightly cheaper to sell than a 100/100 connection, but they offer different price tiers to extract the maximum amount someone is willing to pay.