You Want GTA IV Australia? That’ll Be $120, Thanks

1:30PM March 18, 2008 | Logan Booker

It’s not $99.95. It’s not even $109.95. No, my friends, Grand Theft Auto IV will have a recommend retail price of $119.95 in Australia. Note that while the PS3 version of the game is shown here (which seems to be a publisher favourite for inflated prices) the Xbox 360 will also cop the $120 price tag.

This is for the standard game, not the Collector’s Edition. It smarts even more when you consider it’ll retail for $US 59.95 in the States. That’s ~$65 Australian, which means we’re basically paying double the price.We asked Rockstar’s local presence for some answers, but all it was willing to do was confirm that the price was correct and applies to both platforms. It also provide a $149.95 price tag for the Collector’s Edition. All I can say is there better be a Dodge Viper – or a fully functional animatronic Jessica Alba – in the CE box, or it’s going to be yet another bitter pill for Oz gamers to swallow.

Grand Theft Auto IV – PlayStation 3 [EBGames Australia, thanks a|A]

Comments

T!M

March 18, 2008 at 1:49 PM

Way to punch everyone in the wallet.

taco

March 18, 2008 at 1:50 PM

Seeing as the PS3 does not have region coding, and most 360 games do not either, I’d say everyone should simply import.

Razide

March 18, 2008 at 1:52 PM

Hard to explain twice the cost compared to the US for games. Once distributor claimed it was for reprogramming the PAL graphics but that doesn’t explain the double cost for PSP or DS games.

The rest of the world just seems to be subsidising cheap games for the US.

Ben

March 18, 2008 at 2:04 PM

This is exactly why I don’t buy games locally… as much as I’d like to support Australian commerce, I refuse to pay double the price that other countries are paying.
So thanks for the region free console Sony.

superdynamite

March 18, 2008 at 2:11 PM

The Australian government has rased the import tariff because it doesn’t want the GTA franchise in it’s country due to it’s M+15 rating and content.

FACT!

ultraviolentz

March 18, 2008 at 2:12 PM

@taco
then we need Hong Kong Pstore cards if we want any DLC

Lukass

March 18, 2008 at 2:18 PM

Why don’t we all just buy it from Amazon?
What are the disadvantages to importing?

Brendan

March 18, 2008 at 2:26 PM

It happened with Assassins Creed as well

That retailed for $108-$115 depending on where you bought it.

I am so happy I purchased a PS3, it’s saving me money in the long run cos I can import games, pay the conversion rates, plus shipping, and it still works out $30-40 less than if I had walked down to the store and bought it off the shelf.

Even fucking second hand games are $80-90 here.

IT IS RIDICULOUS AND THERE IS NO JUSTIFIABLE REASON FOR THIS FUCKING HIKE IN PRICES!

Cheapo

March 18, 2008 at 2:29 PM

Best deals are at:

Target has it for $99.95 pre-order

EB has $10 off if you pre-order, but that makes it $109.95

GAME has it for $99.95, or trade in three games and get it for $9.95

Enjoy!

KorwinAU

March 18, 2008 at 2:32 PM

Well that sets the bar then. Ten bucks says all new AAA titles will cost $120 come a few months.

Pretty poor deal that 2K got with their shipping company there, $60 per DVD damn.

NegativeZero

March 18, 2008 at 2:37 PM

You apparently can’t make a direct USD-to-AUD comparison as you have to factor in the GST and other taxes, as well as the fact that the local mob have to have their pound of flesh too.

Personally I’m going to wait and see whether the US release is unregioned, and import if it is. Hell, at that price you could probably import the damned game from the UK and save money.

Orian

March 18, 2008 at 2:44 PM

is this something the kotaku guys could try and get a statement from the publisher on? its bloody rediculous

Phend

March 18, 2008 at 2:45 PM

Thank goodness for importing. Anyone that buys this locally needs to have their head examined.

pedantics

March 18, 2008 at 2:46 PM

pro-tip: go to toys’r'us – they sell everything for $20 under retail usually, don’t see why this would be any different.

(if they actually stock this game, that is)

either that or drive mod, play it for free, but get kicked off live…

Hansel

March 18, 2008 at 2:46 PM

$150 for the CE?

I pity those who won’t import this game for the ease of buying it retail, which will be a lot of people =(

W@dsy

March 18, 2008 at 2:47 PM

Nasty…..

I always order my DS (yay, region-free) games from PlayAsia.

Typically I can get a game and fast ship it here for at least 10-20 dollars cheaper than if I waited. Got Apollo Justice about 2 weeks ago for less than $50, I don’t think we even have the third game here yet…

DanMazkin

March 18, 2008 at 2:50 PM

What the fuck! seriously! fucking….arrgg!

Novacaine

March 18, 2008 at 3:00 PM

Now I’m happy that I couldn’t find the SE anywhere, managed to pick it up from amazon for AU$135.

High exchange FTW!

Duskbringer

March 18, 2008 at 3:20 PM

_W_H_Y_? No good reason. No real accountability.

Please won’t Kevin Rudd’s son save us!?

odz

March 18, 2008 at 4:00 PM

Import it from Play-Asia it will cost you about $75, that’s what I’m doing and it’s region free so there’s no need to worry.

P.P.Bohner

March 18, 2008 at 4:18 PM

Noticed the link was to EB games, their slogan should be “highest prices guaranteed”. You’ll be able to get it from anywhere else cheaper than that. Maybe still not cheap enough, but cheaper than that.

Logic

March 18, 2008 at 4:26 PM

We Aussies pay more for everything from mobile phones, TV’s, Games, Petrol.

Nothing new here, we apparently dont have the population to accommodate new tech or items with not much Profit, hence the price increase to make it a more profitable venture.

Virduk

March 18, 2008 at 4:37 PM

Can’t say I’m that surprised. Lots of PS3 (and probably some 360 games) games have a RRP of $119.95. So you either wait for JB or someone to put it on sale for $79 or you import it if its region free.

hcw

March 18, 2008 at 4:46 PM

how much is the shipping for playasia?

R BeezNuts

March 18, 2008 at 6:11 PM

which site do you most import your games from?

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